by Roy Williams
Santa Clara vs. U of Kansas, 113
Scarborough, Rick, 32–33
Scott, Melvin, 151, 163
Scott, Richard, 109, 166
Seagroves, Ted, 245
Sealy, Malik, 104–5
Shamrock Court Motel, 15
Sheridan, Dick, 83, 84
Simien, Wayne, 124, 125, 143–44, 212
Simon, Miles, 114
Singleton, Ralph, 56
Slider, Ronnie, 26, 50
Smith, Dean
coaching philosophy, 176, 177, 178–79
faith in Roy’s abilities, 67–68, 94
health problems, 86
hires Roy as assistant coach, 65–66
induction into Hall of Fame, 209
as mentor for Roy, 32, 44
“play hard” slogan, 149
reaction to Roy accepting UNC job, 147
reaction to Roy turning down UNC job, 132, 133
relationship with Roy, 108–9, 111, 112
retirement, 127
Roy’s gratitude toward, 163, 212
Roy’s statistician work for, 46–47
strategy talks, 80–81
wins 1982 NCAA Tournament, 80–81
Springstead, Marty, 170
square dancing, 32–33
St. John’s vs. U of Kansas, 104–5
Stafford, Bobby, 59, 62, 64
Stallings, Kevin, 95, 107
Stroup, Mrs., 27
Stroup, Walt, 29–30, 35, 179–81, 245
Stroupe, David, 49
Syracuse vs. U of Kansas, 125–26, 137
Tarkanian, Jerry, 104
Teague, Jeff, 8–9
Temple vs. U of Kansas, 98
Temptations, the, 230
Tennessee–Chattanooga coaching position, 84–85
Terry, Jason, 114
Terry, Reyshawn, 203, 204, 209
Texas–El Paso vs. U of Kansas, 110
Thanksgiving dinners, 195
Thomas, Quentin, 155
Thompson, Deon, 206, 215
“Thought for the Day” phrases, 190–91
Towner, Randy, 129, 244
Tubbs, Billy, 187–88
Tunstall, Sean, 194–95
Turgeon, Mark, 95
Turner, Stan, 193
Turpin, Melvin, 78
UCLA
job offer from, 136
rivalry with Southern Cal, 171
vs. U of Kansas, 105–6, 178
University of Kansas. See also University of Kansas basketball games
athletic director at, 137, 139
public doubt about Roy’s abilities, 97
recruiting violation probation, 96
Roy Williams coaching at. See coaching career (U of Kansas)
University of Kansas basketball games
Alabama–Birmingham, 102
Alaska–Anchorage, 98
Arkansas, 107–9
Big 8 Tournament games, 100, 106, 222, 239
Big 12 Conference, 124
Duke, 109–10, 123–24
Florida State, 125
Great Alaska Shootout, 98
Illinois, 124
Indiana, 106–7
Iowa State, 239
Kansas State, 100
LSU, 102–4
Marquette, 125
Maryland, 124
Missouri, 113, 116
NCAA 1988 Tournament title, 89
NCAA 2008 Tournament title, 216–17
Oklahoma State, 99, 100, 222
Preseason NIT games, 102, 125, 135
Rhode Island, 115
Santa Clara, 113
St. John’s, 104–5
Syracuse, 125–26, 137
Temple, 98
Texas–El Paso, 110
UCLA, 105–6, 178
University of North Carolina, 108–9, 111, 125, 135, 214–16
UNLV, 104
University of North Carolina. See also University of North Carolina basketball games
basketball camp, 65, 70–71
rivalry with Duke, 171
Roy Williams coaching at. See coaching career (UNC)
University of North Carolina basketball games
ACC Tournament games, 7–9, 151, 152–53, 158, 159, 226, 227
Air Force, 153
Big Four freshman tournament, 43
Boston College, 7–8, 185, 214
Clemson, 214
Connecticut, 152, 158
Duke, 41, 77, 152, 157, 158, 169, 205, 207–8, 214, 225, 226
Florida State, 204, 214, 224–25, 227
Fork Union Military Academy, 78
Gardner–Webb, 41
Gaston College, 40
George Mason University, 205–6
Georgetown, 80–81, 208–9
Georgia Tech, 152, 204–5
Gonzaga, 206, 228
Great Alaska Shootout, 195
Illinois, 160–62
Indiana, 157
LSU, 227–28
Maui Invitational, 6, 155–57
Miami, 224
Michigan State, 6–7, 160, 208, 229–31
NCAA 1982 Tournament title, 80–81
NCAA 1993 Tournament title, 111–12
NCAA 2005 Tournament title, 159–64, 229, 233–35
NCAA 2009 Tournament title, 227–35
North Carolina State, 41
Oklahoma State, 228
Preseason NIT games, 206
Radford, 227
University of Kansas, 108–9, 111, 125, 135, 214–16
Villanova, 229
Virginia, 224
Wake Forest, 8–9, 151, 157, 221
UNLV vs. U of Kansas, 104
Vanderbilt Shirt Factory, 21
Vaughn, Jacque, 112, 113
Vietnam War, 50
Villanova vs. UNC, 229
Virginia vs. UNC, 224
Vitale, Dick, 103
Wade, Dwyane, 125
Wake Forest
basketball camp, 31
vs. UNC, 8–9, 151, 157, 221
Walters, Rex, 110, 111, 192–93, 251
Warrick, Hakim, 126
Washington Wizards, 117
Wayne, John, 175–76
Weir, Miss, 33
West, Jerry, 118
Wheeler, Tyson, 115
Wilkes, Jamaal, 140
Wilkes, Omar, 140
Williams, Deron, 161
Williams, Donald, 111
Williams, Frances
adult life, 256–57
brings mother to new house, 82–83
death, 257
forgiving nature, 23
marriage, 27
relationship with Roy, 16
Williams, Glenn, 13
Williams, Gordon, 15
Williams, Jawad, 151, 154, 155, 158
Williams, Kimberly
after 2005 NCAA victory, 163
birth, 70
childhood, 237–40
college dance team, 240
dance recitals, 239
leaves for college, 240
lessons on friendships from Roy, 133
opinions on Roy’s UNC job offer, 130
relationship with grandmother, 255
swimming lessons, 237–38
Williams, Lallage
cancer treatment, 253–54
cotton mill work, 11
death, 253, 255–56
education, 11
financial worries, 21
funeral, 259
house built for, 82–83
jobs held by, 21
moral lessons from, 20
parents of, 12
personality, 12, 22
priorities in life, 12
reaction to Roy moving to Kansas, 93
at Roy’s basketball games, 37, 110
separations from husband, 15–16
siblings of, 11
Williams, Mack Clayton
alcoholism and, 13–14
child support from, 22–23
cotton picking work, 11
&
nbsp; death, 259–60
education, 11
funeral, 259–60
nickname, 13
parents of, 12
personality, 13
physical abuse by, 15, 22–23
physical fighting, 14, 15
regrets in life, 256
relationship with Roy, 23, 37, 256, 258–60
separations from wife, 15–16
siblings of, 11
Williams, Marvin, 154, 158, 162, 163, 167, 202
Williams, Roy
ancestors, 11
childhood
baseball, 25
basketball, 17–20
early memories, 14
elementary school, 24–25
feelings of desperation, 17
homes lived in, 15–17
middle school, 18–20
physical fighting, 14–15
coaching career. (See coaching career)
college years
academic performance, 48
attitude toward drinking, 48
basketball team, 39–44
financial worries, 44–45
golf and, 246
intramural sports, 48–49
referee and umpire jobs, 45
societal unrest during, 49–50
statistician work, 46–47
competitive spirit, 25, 32–33, 42–43, 251
family life during coaching years, 236–44
financial worries, 66, 68–70
foxhole buddies, 244–46
golf games, 246–48
health issues, 60, 248–49
high school years baseball, 25–26
basketball, 25–32, 34–37, 182–83
college decision, 31–32, 33–34
egg war fight, 174–75
girlfriend, 32
influential teachers, 33–34
Most Dependable award, 76
square dance team, 32–33
superstitions during, 182–83
low point in life, 147
marriage proposal, 52–53
part–time jobs held by, 68–70
personality, 182–83, 187
relationship with father, 23, 37, 256, 258–60
superstitious nature, 182–83
support from Wanda, 242–44
temper, 59, 138, 182, 186, 204
thoughts on retirement, 251–52
work ethic, 250–51
Williams, Scott
after 2005 NCAA victory, 163
birth, 62
childhood, 237–40
college basketball, 240
fear of disappointing father, 240–41
first steps taken by, 62
high school basketball, 239
leaves for college, 240
lessons on friendships from Roy, 133
opinions on Roy’s UNC job offer, 130
reaction to Roy’s Kansas coaching job, 93
relationship with grandmother, 255
at Roy’s basketball games, 108
swimming lessons, 237–38
Williams, Wanda
after 2005 NCAA victory, 163
comments on Roy’s UNC job offers, 129–30, 139
parenting skills, 241–42
reaction to Roy’s UNC assistant coach job, 66
relationship with mother–in–law, 255
sensible nature, 242
support for Roy, 242–44
teaching job, 69–70
Thanksgiving dinners cooked by, 195
thoughts on retirement, 249–50
vacation to Hawaii, 169
Wilson, David, 131
Wilson, Ken, 35
Wood, Al, 79
Wooden, John, 136, 165–66
Wooten, Jack, 219
Worth, Walker, 78
Worthy, James, 72, 80
Wright, Brandan, 206, 208
Yeager, Tom, 73
YMCA basketball league, 20–21
Young, Korleone, 116–17
Zeller, Tyler, 5
TIM CROTHERS was for many years a senior writer at Sports Illustrated. He is the author of The Man Watching, a biography of Anson Dorrance, the legendary coach of the UNC women’s soccer team. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with his wife, Dana, his son, Atticus, and his daughter, Sawyer.
The only photo I have of my mother, father, my sister, Frances, and me together.
Growing up, I loved to play the cowboy.
Frances washing the dishes and me not drying them.
The first big one I ever landed.
Baseball was my first love; I wanted to be the next Mickey Mantle.
My sister looked out for me more than I ever knew.
My mom and dad during the good times.
I did not want to be on the square dance team, but my girlfriend, Pam, talked me into it.
Wanda Jones, my future wife, and I were just friends at Roberson High.
I won the senior class vote for Most Dependable over Most Athletic, which I’ve come to appreciate over time.
This fine physical specimen became Roberson High’s career scoring leader.
Buddy Baldwin, the coach who made me want to be a coach.
I remember this was a big basket I scored against Hendersonville High.
The 880-relay team for the Peacocks, part of our team that won an intramural championship.
Wanda and I started dating as freshmen at UNC when I slowed down enough for her to catch me.
My mother was so proud that I was the first in my family to go to college.
My first year coaching at Owen High when we finished 2–19.
Wanda and Scott were the crowd when I coached the junior varsity team.
Every day of my 10 years as his assistant, Coach Smith prepared me to be a head coach.
I treasure the kind of family moments with my children, Scott (top) and Kimberly, that I did not have as a kid.
Me, Dean Smith, Bill Guthridge, and Matt Doherty at the 1993 Final Four. (All of us would coach the Tar Heels in the next decade.)
When my temper flares, I sometimes take it out on my sportcoat. I don’t remember ever losing a game when I shed it.
I cried after Scott lived his dream and won a state title at Lawrence High in 1995.
The 1997 Kansas team was one of the greatest I have ever seen and I’m still devastated that I couldn’t get those guys to the Final Four. Four players on this team, Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Jacque Vaughn, and Scot Pollard, ended up being NBA first-round draft choices.
A promise to Nick Collison swayed my decision between Kansas and North Carolina in 2000.
Wanda and I returned to Chapel Hill in 2000 to see Kimmie on the UNC Dance Team.
A crowd of 16,000 Kansas fans showed up at the football stadium in 2000 to hear me announce, “I’m staying.”
My 2003 press conference after I couldn’t turn down North Carolina a second time.
Michael Jordan and I have been close ever since I believed in him in 1980.
The pledge I asked my team to sign before the 2005 Final Four.
It was an incredible feeling of satisfaction to bring the players on this 2005 team, who had been through so much, to a national championship.
Twenty-two of my former players came for my Hall of Fame Induction in 2007.
Watching us play in the 2008 NCAA semifinals felt like a nightmare that will eat at me for the rest of my life.
Wanda, me, Kimberly, Scott, and his wife, Katie (l. to r.), on safari in South Africa in 2008. My family is who Roy Williams is.
My dad and Scott at the 2002 Final Four, the first of only two games my dad ever saw me coach.
My foxhole buddies and our wives during one of our recent golf escapes.
Senator Barack Obama played pickup with us in April 2008.
At our White House celebration in 2009, President Obama, who had picked us to win, said, “Thanks for salvaging my bracket.”
After winning the 2009 national championship game, I told Tyler Hansbrough, “This is
fitting, son.”
One Shining Moment in 2009, the kind of moment I coach for.
The 2011 team had a lot of fun together. “I am having such a good time coaching you guys,” I told them. “You have given me new life.”
I experienced the three biggest shocks of my career in 2011, but that adversity really helped bond our players into a team.
Harrison Barnes hit this game-winner at Miami. He reminded me of Michael Jordan the way he became so confident taking a big shot and the way his teammates believed he was always going to make it.
After struggling through the humbling 2010 season, I wondered if we would ever get a chance to be the best again, so winning the 2011 ACC regular season championship was a surreal feeling.
As we finished off Duke to win the ACC regular season championship, everybody enjoyed the moment. “All year I’ve told you that our dreams and goals are realistic,” I said to our players. “You guys believed and that’s why we’re champions.”
Ever since I coached the junior varsity team, our chant coming out of every huddle is “Hard work!”