Sports Editor
Legendary
UNC Basketball coach Dean Smith passed away Saturday night at the age of 83. He
was in the company of his wife and five children as he peacefully passed away
in his home in Chapel Hill. Smith suffered from dementia in his late years. He
is one of the most iconic figures not only locally but in all of college
basketball. Smith had 897 career wins which is fourth all-time behind Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Knight, and Jim Boeheim. He also had 11 Final Fours which places him in a tie for 2nd with Coach K behind the great John Wooden who had 12.
Smith, however, wasn’t only known for his wins and losses. He was the first collegiate head coach to recruit an African American player when he recruited Charlie Scott in 1967, which led to the integration of college basketball. Smith was well respected on and off the court by his fellow coaches, players, and fans across the country. His most famous player, Michael Jordan, released a statement Sunday saying, “Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith. He was more than a coach - he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father. We've lost a great man who had an incredible impact on his players, his staff and the entire UNC family." Coach Dean Smith is a legend in the sport of college basketball and will truly be missed by fans across the nation.
