Williams ponders Tar Heel position

By Gary Bedore     Jul 1, 2000

Earl Richardson/J-W Photo
A day of speculation wasn't made any clearer by Kansas University basketball coach Roy Williams, left, at a Friday evening press conference to announce that he has not made a decision about whether to leave KU for the top job at the University of North Carolina. KU Athletics Director Bob Frederick, right, listens as Williams fields a question.

Will he stay or will he go?

Roy Williams, Kansas University’s 12th-year basketball coach who is being wooed by North Carolina, said he really, truly, does not know.

“I’ve tried to show my loyalty and love for this program the past 12 years. I’m asking fans and those who care about this program for a little patience,” Williams said at a Friday night news conference at KU’s Parrott Athletic Complex.

“I don’t think it’s a decision I have to make in two hours. It is something extremely important to me, my family and our players.”

So Williams who has yet to receive an official job offer to take over for outgoing UNC coach Bill Guthridge said he has agreed to meet with UNC Athletics Director Dick Baddour sometime in the next few days.

Earl Richardson/J-W Photo
Kansas University basketball coach Roy Williams signs an autograph for a young fan as he exits Friday evening's press conference.

That meeting will likely take place in Charleston, S.C., an area where Williams owns vacation property. Williams and his wife, Wanda, are leaving tonight for Carolina country for a Fourth of July vacation.

Williams figures to meet with Baddour on Sunday or Monday.

Already, Williams has called his high school coach and some of his former assistant coaches and ex-players for advice.

Williams has promised to return to Lawrence to meet with KU Athletics Director Bob Frederick and Chancellor Robert Hemenway in person before announcing a final decision.

The final word will come “on or before July 7,” Williams said. That’s a day before the start of the summer evaluation period in recruiting.

“It will not be drawn out. There is no way it will go past that timetable. I have as much a chance of giving up golf as going past that timetable,” Williams said.

It’s a decision Williams is “really struggling with,” Frederick said.

Williams is struggling because this marks the first time in 12 years he has been intrigued by another coaching position. The Jayhawk coach said he’s been contacted by 23 “NBA or major college” teams since he’s been at Kansas and he’s not expressed interest in any of the positions.

“I don’t mind saying when I was a kid I dreamed of playing at North Carolina. I dreamed of coaching at North Carolina,” said Williams, who was born and reared in North Carolina, is a UNC grad and former assistant coach to Dean Smith.

Smith, legendary former coach of the Tar Heels and a member of the 1952 Kansas national championship team, is now retired.

Williams’ wife, Wanda, also hails from North Carolina. Their two children were born there.

“The crazy thing is I dreamed of being coach Smith’s assistant. I’ve never walked on that campus in my life thinking of being the head coach. I’ve gone to see coach Smith or Guthridge, my mentors.

“I’ve walked on campus to watch my son and daughter (son Scott is a UNC graduate; Kimberly is a UNC sophomore). For my family, I felt I should not just say no. I should talk to them.”

Williams said his family members “have their opinions. I told them to wait, don’t hit me with everything right now. As far as getting other opinions … Roy Williams has got to make this decision,” Williams said.

Williams also has talked to Smith about the job. Smith, in fact, has chosen Williams as Guthridge’s successor.

“Somebody asked me, ‘Can you say no to Dean Smith?’ That’d be hard,” Williams said. “But it’d be harder to say something to my players.”

Williams had his assistant coaches contact KU’s players Friday, telling them not to believe The Associated Press and Internet reports he’d accepted the UNC job.

Money, Williams said, would not be a factor in his decision.

“In 10 years, I’ve not changed my contract at all. I’ve never said I need this or that,” Williams said. “Three years ago I did ask for a parking space. I pay for that. I got one next to Dr. Frederick’s.

“Dr. Frederick and Chancellor Hemenway know it will not be something where I’ll say, ‘They offered this, will you offer this?’ I’ve had the same contract since 1990. It’s a five-year rollover. The raise is tied to what the state gives the faculty, I believe.”

Williams is paid a base salary of $125,612. But including outside income such as coach’s camps, TV and radio shows and endorsements, Williams is thought to be earning about $900,000 annually.

So what will it all boil down to?

“I don’t think I’ll make it an analytical approach,” Williams said. “I’ll go with my gut feeling. I do not know what’s coming.”

He does wish he didn’t have to make the decision.

Guthridge, 62, retired Friday with two years left on his contract. He said he lacked the energy to continue coaching.

“This is a day I hoped would never come. I’m being honest,” Williams said. “I made the statement to Wanda if we get five more years out of him (Guthridge), I’ll be too old (to take the UNC post).

“As of 2:30 yesterday, I was trying to talk coach Guthridge out of it, to stay 10 more years and we’d both get fired and could just leave.”

Will Williams leave?

Frederick said he has made no calls to coaches about replacing Williams and was confident Williams would remain in Lawrence.

“I think, based on the conversations we’ve had this morning, I feel we have a good chance of keeping coach Williams at the University of Kansas,” Frederick said. “I know he is really struggling with the decision, so based on that I think we have a great chance.”

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