Anaheim, Calif. ? Having spent 15 seasons in the Big 12 Conference, Kansas coach Roy Williams has developed a certain allegiance to his conference counterparts.
Still, his Tar Heel ties run much deeper.
“I’ve sat in coaches’ meetings before where we’ve said we shouldn’t share things on teams from our league with everybody else,” Williams said. “And I said, ‘Fellas, let’s be honest: We can say all we want to say, but if Dean Smith calls me and asks me something about you guys, I’m giving you up. And you guys are going to do the same thing.'”
Williams said he had talked to Smith and to current UNC coach Matt Doherty in the last few days, looking for insight into Duke.
“Yes, I have talked to Matt; yes, I have talked to Coach Smith; yes, I have talked to the golf pro,” Williams said. “Everybody who knows anything about Duke, I’ve tried to talked to.”
Williams turned down his alma mater for the head coaching job three seasons ago, and now he’s rumored to be a candidate for the job at another legendary program. UCLA is looking for a coach, and reports have said that the Bruins may be looking at Williams.
Williams said he hadn’t spoken to UCLA. His team doesn’t seem too concerned, either.
“We haven’t really given it too much thought — not that I wouldn’t be worried if he left,” senior guard Kirk Hinrich said. “I’ve been through this before in my freshman year with Coach; everyone said he was taking the North Carolina job, and I was worried to death. It’s hard to make adjustments like that to different coaches; I didn’t want to have to do that.
“I just think if he’s going to turn down his so-called dream job — he’s said North Carolina has been that — then I wouldn’t say him leaving unless it was for other reasons.”
Duke freshman Shavlik Randolph hasn’t played in nearly three weeks, but that could change tonight.
Randolph returned to practice Monday after spraining both ankles and could return to game action against Kansas.
“I’ve been practicing all week and I’m definitely capable of playing this week,” Randolph said. “I wouldn’t say I’m 100 percent.”
Randolph sprained his right ankle in a practice leading up to the ACC Tournament, then when he tried to return to practice before the NCAA Tournament opened, he sprained his left ankle.
“The most frustrating part was getting hurt again,” Randolph said. “Just when I was going to come back, I hurt my ankle again.”
Randolph said he had been playing the role of Kansas big man Nick Collison in practice this week. Shelden Williams and then Casey Sanders will get the first shots at slowing down the 6-9 Collison, who averages 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds.
The call could then go to either Randolph or fellow freshman Michael Thompson, who played a season-high 10 minutes and had two blocked shots in Saturday’s victory over Central Michigan.
“It felt good to get on the court,” Thompson said. “Coach told me to stay ready to do battle with Collison inside.”
