ACCBasketballBig 12Retirement

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams retires after 43 years in Division I

Hall of Fame head coach Roy Williams is calling it a career after 18 seasons at North Carolina, the school announced Thursday. The 70-year-old Williams was also the head coach at Kansas for 15 years and spent 10 years assisting Dean Smith at UNC, whom he also played for with the Heels.

“In today’s times, I should say that I’m not retiring or resigning, I’m opting out,” Williams joked during his farewell press conference on Thursday afternoon. “That’s the most ridiculous phrase I’ve ever heard in my life. Why the hell don’t you just say ‘I quit’? So I’m old-school and can’t use those words. But I will tell you that I am retiring and resigning as the men’s basketball coach at Carolina.”

Williams leaves the game with 903 career victories (third all-time in Division I), three NCAA National Championships (all at UNC) and a total of 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching at least the Sweet Sixteen 19 times and going to nine Final Fours. He also holds the distinction of being the only Division I head coach to win 400+ games at two different schools and is one of just two head coaches to have multiple Final Fours with more than one program.

For an early list of potential replacements at UNC, check out our Let’s Speculate! article here.

 

credit to North Carolina Athletics for the image