Roy Williams isn’t a bosom buddy of his predecessor.
Yet he and his ex-Kansas coach and fellow North Carolina graduate Larry Brown are more than well-acquainted.
“Larry offered me a job at the University of Kansas,” said Williams, who was introduced Friday as Kansas’ seventh basketball coach.
“I turned it down and a couple of weeks later he hired Ed Manning. That turned out to be the best choice Larry every made. Larry and I sat together in ’84 at the NCAAs. We’ve talked, but I did not talk to him about the Kansas job.”
Williams realizes he’ll be hearing the name “Larry Brown” a lot in the coming months, possibly years.
The first comparison may come during Williams’ first official KU practice session on Oct. 15.
“Late Nite With Roy Williams doesn’t exactly rhyme as much as Late Night With Larry Brown,” the 37-year-old Williams said with a big grin. “I know that’s great for fan enthusiasm, but I’m a little worried about them going to class the next day. If it’s a big tradition, I’m not going to come as new coach and change all the traditions here.”
Williams is big on tradition, unashamedly North Carolina basketball tradition.
He’s a true light blue Tar Heel.
“I was born in North Carolina. When I was two or three we moved to Tennessee for a year or two. I caught my first fish in Tennessee,” said Williams, also an avid golfer with a seven handicap. “We moved back to North Carolina at five. I’ve been there ever since.
“My wife has lived there all her life. It’s a tough place to leave. It’s a lot tougher on me than my wife (Wanda) and kids (Scott, 11, Kimberly, 8) because the basketball program at North carolina means so much to me.”
Whisked into Lawrence Thursday night, after his scheduled vacation to Bermuda was cut short after little more than a day, Williams — suffering from an ear infection — still hadn’t sen much of Lawrence as of Friday.
“I’ve never been to Lawrence until last night,” Williams said. “We played in Kansas City in ’81 and ’82. I’ve seen the fieldhouse on TV and I love the atmosphere, maybe because of the things I’ve seen at Chapel Hill.”
Williams isn’t exactly ignorant about Mount Oread. Dean Smith, and assistant Tar Heel coach Dick Harp both played here. Also, Harp was a head coach here.
“They said I’d love it here. That my family would love it here,” Williams said.
“I love to listen to Dick Harp tell Phog Allen stories, tell how Phog Allen did things,” he continued with a twinkle. “There is time to listen, because I can’t sleep on airplanes. I love listening to Dick. It’s not often you can learn from a guy who coached Wilt Chamberlain.
“I’m not Dean Smith, I’m not Larry Brown. But I’ve worked with coach Smith for 10 years. Each and every day in those 10 years, he tries to help you be a head coach. He tries to get you involved in every phase.”
