Williams denies UNC interest

By Jim Baker     Mar 14, 1999

NEW ORLEANS – Kansas Basketball fans will like Roy Williams’ latest response about him possibly becoming the next coach at North Carolina.

“I have no interest in the North Carolina job,” Williams, KU’s 11th-year coach and a graduate of North Carolina, said Saturday in his most forceful comment on the situation.

“I have interest in North Carolina because my son (Scott) played there, he graduates from there this spring, my daughter (Kimberly) is in school there, I’ve given them a lot of frickin’ money over the last four years. I’m interested in it for those reasons right there, but I have no interest in the North Carolina job.”

Williams doesn’t think Bill Guthridge will leave Carolina with three years left on his contract.

“Bill Guthridge was my coach. He’s like a big brother. I really get mad at North Carolina people when they talk, because I think that’s disloyalty to him,” Williams said. “If Bill Guthridge tries to act like he’s gonna retire, I’m gonna beat him up. I think he’s the man for the job, and what he’s done there over the last two years hasn’t been appreciated as much as it should be.

“I’m interested in the University of Kansas. I didn’t know what a Jayhawk was when I was growing up. I’d never been on the campus until the night they offered me the job. But what I’ve found is a place I really, really enjoy, and we’ve been fairly successful.”

Williams was asked about Carolina while he spoke to national media on the podium at the Superdome.

“Wow. I love New Orleans, but you guys have been tough down here with the other stuff,” said Williams, who also has been asked a lot of questions about Lester Earl.

Kentucky leads the all-time series 18-3. The two storied programs have never met in the NCAA Tournament.

“I heard that and it was a little surprising to me,” Williams to said.

Williams said KU and Kentucky might schedule a home and home series in the future, but not until both schools complete some current series.

Lester Earl on introducing his teammates to Cajun food.
“Jeff Boschee gets two thumbs down,” Earl joked. “Everybody else has sampled it. Jeff Boschee is the only outcast.

Some of the Jayhawks have enjoyed eating alligator.

“I didn’t recommend it,” Earl said. “They surprised me and put it on the entree.”

“I like the barbeque alligator,” soph Kenny Gregory said. “I thought it was chicken. It tastes like chicken.”

The Jayhawks were to dine at “Mike Anderson’s” restaurant for the second time on Saturday night and watch the Evander Holyfield-Lennox Lewis bout.

Chris Martin on rooming with Earl. “We’ve kept the curtains shut in case of snipers,” he quipped.

Earl is not popular here because his testimony put LSU on basketball probation.

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