Roy Williams held out hope until the last minute.
“I hoped late last night he’d call to say he’d changed his mind,” Williams, Kansas University’s basketball coach, said of mentor Dean Smith, who told Williams last weekend in Chapel Hill, N.C., he’d decided to retire after 36 years as North Carolina’s coach.
“College basketball is at a great loss today,” Williams added.
Smith had told his protege that while he still enjoyed coaching, he had grown tired of the “garbage” in the sport, which includes dealing with media, alumni and recruiting.
“The biggest loss you can possibly think of is those kids who aren’t going to have him coaching them this season,” Williams said,” and you think of the kids in the future who aren’t going to be fortunate enough to play for him.”
One is Williams’ son, Scott, who is trying to make North Carolina’s varsity team as a walk-on. Scott Williams has played on Carolina’s JV team the past two years.
“If he were to make it and have the opportunity to play for coach Smith, he’d be in the most select of all fraternities,” Williams said.
Williams, his entire KU staff and several former Carolina players and coaches were in Chapel Hill Sunday through Tuesday for an annual Xs and Os session with Smith, who announced his retirement at a press conference in Chapel Hill on Thursday.
Williams, who choked back emotion while watching Smith’s announcement alone in KU’s coaches’ locker room, had “mixed emotions” Thursday.
He said he was happy for Smith, who “did it the right way, did it the way he wanted to do it after giving us such a great model to emulate.”
And Williams was also happy for longtime Carolina assistant Bill Guthridge, who was given a multi-year contract as Smith’s permanent replacement.
“It’s very gratifying that Bill Guthridge gets that opportunity. Coach Guthridge was my freshman coach. He’s been there 30 years. I think everyone would agree he’s paid his dues to say the least,” Williams said.
“I think he (Smith) did not plan this, yet at the same time, he was not ready to stop (coaching). I think we all hoped we could squeeze another five to six years out of coach Smith, but that did not happen.”
Williams was adamant about his supports for Guthridge.
“I’d have been extremely disappointed in that university if they’d not given Bill Guthridge that opportunity,” Williams said. “His basketball knowledge, his rapport with players, the amount of work he always does…he will have the complete suport of the Carolina basketball family.”
Williams says he was never approached about the job. It was a Carolina slam-dunk for Guthridge.
“I spoke to no one. I didn’t speak to the chancellor. I didn’t speak to the athletic director. I had no reason to call them and am happy as can be they didn’t call me,” Williams said.
“I am extremely happy at the University of Kansas. I think I know where I am and where I want to be. I’ve tried to show people I’ve been very happy here a long time.”
Williams is happy Carolina didn’t name Guthridge as an interim replacement.
“It saves me answering all the questions and coach Guthridge answering all the questions, too. I hope it’ll put that to rest,” said Williams, referring to the question of whether he’ll someday coach at his alma mater. “I got so tired of answering that. I have been coming to the same office for 9 1/2 years so hopefully the loyalty I’ve shown takes care of that.”
He’s not sure the rumors will stop, however.
“Some will say coach Guthridge will only be there five or six years. Other coaches will use whatever they want to use. Hopefully this will stop some of it in the immediate future, anyway.”
