Heck of a day to announce it.
After 33 years as a Hall of Fame head coach, our beloved Tar Heel Roy Williams is announcing his retirement. Thank you for all you have done and meant to everyone who plays and loves our game.Release 🔗: https://t.co/l6y5tRjB2I pic.twitter.com/FzTUmbx3v1— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) April 1, 2021
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Daggummit, you hate to see it
Took me a few minutes to believe it was true. When did Pete start consulting for UNC?
guess i'll drink
yuge vacancy at one of the premiere basketball jobs nationally
can anyone explain the hook that flashes in this gif?
I am confused
What's not to get?
Anyone have any early hot takes about who the replacement coach could be?
Mack Brown
Larry Brown, he's still alive and available
I'll play. Charlie Brown.
James Brown
Downtown Julie Brown
Godfather of Soul is unavailable due to death....you mean the NFL presenter for CBS?
He is 6'3
Justin Fuente
bubba cunningham pls
Shaka!
That would be smart.
But seriously, who are they going to target.
UNC basketball is driven by 'The Carolina Way' and part of that mindset is that everything about UNC is just better than anywhere else. Since Dean, all their coaches have needed to have a direct tie to the school in order to be eligible, preferably as a player and coach.
Who out there would qualify right now?
Maybe one of these guys if they have to go with UNC ties?
UNC Alumni Coaches (2019)
Wes Miller at UNCG was maybe supposed to be the guy but he's probably not ready yet
From everything I have seen, he seems to be the consensus pick....which will mean it probably won't happen.
The new fad is older BB players that have retired from the NBA going back to their Alma Maters to coach. Michael Jordan to UNC...
A year or so ago, I thought Jerry Stackhouse was gonna be on the track to get the job when Roy retired but his run at Vandy hasn't worked out. Hubert Davis (on staff) and Wes Miller will probably be safe back up options, maybe even the main options. But I think they'll go big game fishing first. They'll sniff around guys like Tony Bennett, Nate Oats, maybe even Jay Wright to see if he wants to get into a bigger conference. Moser seems like a Midwest guy but you obviously have to call regardless.I don't think they are gonna be tied to "gotta have a UNC guy" as tightly as they have been in the past.
They don't hire outside of the family ever. I doubt they start now.
They also don't need to - there's so many amazing players and coaches tied to the university, they can keep the job search in house and be fine.
The fact that they've always hired in family before doesn't mean they'll always be dead set on it. I still think they'll lean that way just because a guy like Hubert Davis has basically been groomed for the job and someone like Wes Miller is right down the road. But what I'm saying is I don't think that "keep it in the family" will limit their search as much as it has in years past. They are in a unique situation right now where they are the first of the big name blue bloods with old coaches to have their job become open. We all knew it was gonna happen some time with them, Duke, Cuse, Sparty all having old coaches. That next hire is going to be extremely important to keep things going. UNC is arguably the best job in college basketball, especially when it comes to brand and resources. When they call, even coaches that love their job will listen to what they have to say. So I think they will explore all options, inside and outside the program, for this search. If this moment wasn't so critical, they probably would keep the scope of their search to strictly in house.
Like I said. They don't go outside the family. Doesn't even look like they even made a phone call outside of Hubert Davis or Wes Miller.
I know most people here hate Carolina, and for good reason, but I grew up in a Carolina family and I love Ol' Roy. He's very much in the Frank/Popcorn Mike vein of Appalachian boys at their hometown school. The only thing he loves more than UNC is saying "daggum"
I couldn't agree more. I married a Tarheel and even though I root for them to lose, it's really hard to dislike Roy.
I was brainwashed enough that I root for them to win unless them losing directly benefits VT. Maybe I also like to see my family happy, idk.
As new NC residents grappling with the reality that we won't be able to afford sending our boys to VT, I am viewing UNC in a more favorable light.
If you're thinking of sending your kid to VT, then NC State is a better academic comparable than UNC.
VT:UVA::NCST:UNC
Coach MY bout to slide into the transfer portal for UNC players like:
#WalkerPls
I think he's saying CMY will be targeting some Heel players for transfer, not that he would be leaving us.
True...but the choice is between going to class and getting an A for farting in class. We don't stand a chance.
My attempt at a joke failed...
I'll take responsibility for that...LOL
I got it
I got it. Great .gif paired with a good comment
Ahh I totally missed that
Yea but we don't offer fake classes
Me watching the UNC fans around me meltdown at the news:
God, I hope they don't screw up his replacement. That would be terrible for us Triangle Hokies
This has April Fools written all over it.
I'm waiting until Monday to decide if I believe this or not
If I'm Bubba Cunningham I call Jay Wright, Tony Bennett and Juwan Howard. If they all say no, I'd call them again and keep calling until one of them say yes.
(Pretty firm pass on Scott Drew for me, I don't think Mark Few would ever leave, Brad Stevens is interesting but I'm not sure if he'll want to get back into the AAU muck.)
How hilarious if Tony Bennett took that job.
Apparently Brad Stevens went to UNC for grad school.
That seems like the perfect UNC candidate right now. And hell, they could probably pay him more than Boston. And, lets be honest, its not like UNC really has to work their asses off on the recruiting trail.
...or in the classroom
classroom?
What is a classroom?
I can't see leaving Ainge and the NBA for any college.
He may not have a choice. Word is he might not last in Boston.
Can't imagine Jay Wright leaving Nova. He's a Northeast guy, and has literally no pressure at all at Nova given what he has already achieved.
Villanova has $$$ too and doesn't have to report salaries. He is one of the universally loved sports figures in a town that doesn't universally love most anyone
And he's in the burbs. Not like he's at temple or Drexel
I don't find any of those three to be realistic. Tony's got a good thing going at UVA and I don't think boosters would want him, Jay Wrights never leaving Villanova, and Juwan won't leave Michigan for anything but a great NBA gig.
I'd say Billy Donovan for NBA guy, Nate Oats would also be a top choice, and I think Scott Drew could get a call. He can definitely build a program.
Bennett also turned down a pay raise in 2019. I doubt he's going anywhere anytime soon with that type of commitment to UVA.
At the time he said the following...
Goddamn he is likeable
Oh, I don't think they're realistic. But if you're UNC, and you have one of the best three basketball jobs in the country (...maybe the best?), you have to go get the best. K's about to leave, Hamilton and Boeheim are up there as well, the ACC is wiiiiiide open.
Juwan def wouldn't leave, but I'd still call him like 10 times. He's pretty damn good. But both Bennett and Wright are in positions where things could be better. Has Tony reached his ceiling? Is the dwindling Big East a problem for Jay?
But also...
To me this screams Wes Miller. Which...big yikes.
I think UNC is the best job in the country, but there's maybe 10 coaches who wouldn't even entertain the idea and I feel like you named 3 of them. Others:
Izzo
Cal
Self
K
Boeheim
Mike Young (probably)
Huggins (probably)
Beard (now that he's at Texas, earlier this week he would've)
Penny (probably)
Ewing (maybe)
Also if Bennett's ceiling is winning the ACC regular season every year and being able to win a National Championship, there's no reason to leave. The ceiling can't get much higher.
Huggins is at his alma mater, there's no probably. The donors love him too.
The Simpsons Nelson HAHA . GIF
Gotta say I just watched his press conference and I feel for the guy having to announce he's retiring this way. Funny to listen to him joke how he's "opting out"
Not to speculate, but makes me wonder about health.
Rumor.jas.ot that he's fed up with College BB, most notably the transfer portal aspect. Many are saying he feels it makes it challenging to build a contender. They say the Walker Kessler transfer portal decision was the straw that broke the camel's back. I'll find the article where I read this.
https://247sports.com/Article/Roy-Williams-retirement-Walker-Kessler-tra...
Dude kissed the court after their senior day win again Duke this year. Could have been viewed as a hint at retirement after the conclusion of the season.
Imagine being the guy to make a legendary coach say fuck it and hang it up
If you are Roy, why would you EVER retire? If you finish in the top 68 annually in your profession, you are more powerful than the governor of NC. Nike funnels you recruits- the best recruits, and the brand sells itself. You get paid 7 figures, and 90% of nights you have more talent than the other guy. Why would anyone EVER retire from that gig? Look at Beoheim- grab that 12 seed every year with no great wins, and you are more powerful than the governor of NY. He will never retire.
All that money has to be enjoyed sometime. I actually wonder why more coaches dont retire earlier.
Are coaches not allowed to love what they do?
I love what I do but I hope I can enjoy retirement one day. If I made millions per year, you can bet I would have an early retirement plan. There will always be some people happier to work forever, but I have to believe a far bigger percent would rather the opportunity to retire in good health. That is the reason for my comment, I am surprised more don't retire in their prime. Perhaps that competitive drive that makes them great also makes it hard to walk away.
I think you've answered your own question here. And I absolutely agree with it.
There is a very, very small percentage of people cut out to be head coaches of top level sports teams. And, to my first point, I'd wager that a huge chunk of that tiny percentage of people fall into the category of "too competitive to just walk away". But, you're probably also right that, generally, the larger percentage of people (who aren't cut out for this type of work) would much rather retire early and in good health. The two are certainly not mutually exclusive. I just think there is a big overlap with that tiny percentage of people who are so competitive that they can't just walk away and the tiny percentage of people cut out to be head coaches.
Roy has had health problems for years. Not enough to be forced to hang it up, but enough that it causes stress. He is older and cbb has a lot of moving parts these days. You get up there in years and you get more tired more easily. Even with the help you get from Jordan Brand, the expectation of Final Four or bust every year will start to make you think about retiring and relaxing.
Oh you know he already has a couple book deals lined up and UNC is going to immediately hire him as some athletic advisor that is basically an expensive severance package. And half the reason is to show appreciation for what he did, and the other half to show potential new coaches how well they'll be taken care of if they win big there.
And its not hard to win big there.
Hubert Davis is being announced on social media.
Straight outta Lake Braddock
Heard from a lot of UNC people that he's not a very good coach. I'd love to see UNC fans get knocked down a few pegs so lets hope it's true
Doesn't sound like he was their first choice, at all
Eh that is a song and dance. Mark Few isn't done with the tournament and he wasn't on the list? I find it hard believe the full court press was put on in 4 days. If they wanted to hire someone aggressively they can. Hubert Davis would always be there.
What I'm reading out of this is that they asked Mike Young and he told them very politely to go pound sand. At least that's how I chose to read this.
Aaaah the old Frank Beamer trick! I know you're kidding but if it was the truth, Mike young will get his own statue!