Yes, Roy Williams is leaving Lawrence.
But no, City Manager Mike Wildgen isn’t going to order the city’s flag lowered to half-staff.
“It’s going clear to the ground,” Wildgen said Monday afternoon.
He was joking. But for many Lawrence residents and Kansas University fans, Monday’s news of Williams’ departure was no laughing matter.
For some, it was literally sickening.
“I don’t think it’s quite set in yet,” said Lauren Royall, a KU senior from Tulsa. “I’m kind of in denial. Actually, I’m kind of nauseated.”
Beyond X’s and O’s, city and state officials said Williams’ departure meant Lawrence was losing a terrific ambassador to the rest of the nation.
KU basketball “generates a ton of national publicity for the university and the community, and those are things you can’t buy,” said Judy Billings, director of the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Obviously Roy brought that to us.”
But most were upbeat that KU’s long basketball tradition — which started with the game’s inventor, James Naismith, and produced a national championship the season before Williams’ arrival on campus — would continue regardless of who is at the helm.
Still, shock and disappointment were expressed by several KU students playing basketball on the courts at Veterans Park, 19th and Louisiana streets. They also said they were afraid KU would lose all of its top recruits.
“You hear rumors, but I didn’t think he’d leave,” said James Stevens, a Parsons junior. “It’s a coaching carousel.”
KU “looks pretty bad now” after firing Al Bohl as athletic director and losing Williams, said Evan Pope, a senior from Denver. Lyman Fox, a senior from Lawrence, agreed.
“Our sports program is in complete disarray,” Fox said. “We have no coach and no athletic director.”
Josh Hill, 20, Lawrence senior, said he hadn’t believed Williams would desert KU.
“I’m surprised he’d leave after building up the program here to this level,” he said. “But I wish him luck.”
In downtown Lawrence, sentiments were similar.
Rob Wood, 30, of Lawrence, took a break from cooking at Free State Brewing Co., 636 Mass., to shoot some hoops in the restaurant’s back alley.
“It’s sad, but things change,” Wood said. “I’m more worried about the team’s reaction than mine. I guess they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
Out front, others were enjoying the brewery’s beer, unaffected by the news.
“It’s about time he goes,” said Paul Trupel, 39, Lawrence. “He always chokes. We need a guy who can win it all.”
As to who that person would be, Trupel did not know, but said he hoped rumblings about Missouri coach Quin Snyder coming to KU were nothing more than rumors.
Chris Cheatham, 23, Lawrence, was quick to suggest Williams’ replacement.
“Phog Allen is rolling in his grave,” he said. “We want (Illinois coach) Bill Self.”
Community leaders tried to put a good face on the debacle.
“It’s no surprise that every team in America wants a great coach like Roy Williams,” Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said. “We thank Roy Williams for 15 exciting seasons and wish him the best. Kansas has a long-standing tradition of excellent coaching, and we look forward to the next chapter.”
Mayor David Dunfield said he wasn’t worried Williams’ departure would harm the city’s image.
“I don’t think so,” Dunfield said. “The basketball program is not Roy Williams. We’re going to continue to have, I’m sure, a strong basketball program at KU.”
Not everybody was a Williams fan. Fired KU athletics director Al Bohl, who had blamed Williams for his firing, declined comment Monday afternoon.
“I’m not taking calls right now,” he said.
Jean Milstead, interim CEO of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said Williams’ departure was one more change for a city and university that are percolating with them.
“This community is in the flux of change right now — the City Commission, the athletic director, the basketball coach, and we’ll soon have a new chamber CEO,” she said. “We’ll have the opportunity to see a lot of changes soon.”
The bars in downtown Lawrence were quiet Monday night as patrons watched Williams’ press conference in North Carolina.
“I can’t blame him for going home, but it’s difficult to watch,” said Dustin Holladay, 23, Lawrence, who watched in O’Dell’s Deli and Drinks, 733 Mass. “I’m not going to stop going to KU games.”
A few seats away Tegan Evans, 22, Lawrence, said she appreciated the good words Williams had for KU.
“You want to be angry at him, but it’s pretty hard to be mad at Roy,” she said.
