On this day in UNC basketball history, legendary head coach Dean Smith announced that he will be retiring from coaching in North Carolina.
25 years ago today, legendary head coach Dean Smith shocked the world of college basketball.
Smith, the man who led UNC’s basketball program for 36 seasons, decided it was time for him to retire from coaching. This news came as a shock to everyone, especially since the Tar Heels were coming off a season in which they qualified for the 1997 Final Four and returned a large majority of the roster. crew.
This unexpected announcement came at the former Bowles Hall, which is now the Tar Heels practice gym next to the Smith Center. The 2 p.m. announcement confirmed that Smith would step down from the team while Bill Guthridge, a longtime Smith assistant, would take over as head coach of the program.
Although no one expected this to happen, Smith felt it was time for him to move on. He felt like he was really disconnected from the returning team and that other obligations like fundraisers and other events were starting to weigh on him.
Once practices didn’t recharge Smith, he knew it was time for him to step away from practice.
Smith has become a mainstay in the UNC basketball program as he has crafted a coaching resume that ranks among the best of all time. He led the Tar Heels to 879 wins and a .776 winning percentage, making 11 Final Four appearances while winning two national championships during that span.
In his 36 seasons at the helm, the Tar Heels have only had one losing season, which came during his first year in the role. The eight-time ACC Coach of the Year has led the program to 17 ACC regular season titles as well as 13 ACC tournament titles.
Although the timing surprised the college basketball world, Smith made sure the program was in good hands once he stepped down. Guthridge inherited a very talented team, the one he brought back to the Final Four during the 1997-1998 season.
Needless to say, Dean Smith’s impact on the UNC basketball program will never be forgotten. Even 25 years after his retirement, the program still values the beliefs he instilled during his tenure as Tar Heels head basketball coach.
“Play hard. Play smart. Play together.”
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