Dean Smith, a legendary head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina whose proteges included NBA great Michael Jordan, has died at age 83, the university said Sunday.
He died on Saturday evening at his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, according to a statement from his family. Smith was with his wife and five children when he died.
With 879 victories in 36 years on the bench with the Tar Heels, Smith is fourth on the all-time wins list in college basketball, including two NCAA national championships and 11 Final Four appearances.
“We are grateful for all the thoughts and prayers and appreciate the continued respect for our privacy as arrangements are made available to the public. Thank you,” Smith’s family said in the statement.
Smith’s program produced some of the most recognizable NBA talent in the history of the sport, including Jordan, and several of his players went on to become coaches or executives in the sport. Most notably, Larry Brown, George Karl and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.
“It’s such a great loss for North Carolina — our state, the university, of course, the Tar Heel basketball program, but really the entire basketball world,” said Tar Heels coach Roy Williams, who spent 10 years as an assistant under Smith. “We lost one of our greatest ambassadors for college basketball for the way in which a program should be run. We lost a man of the highest integrity who did so many things off the court to help make the world a better place to live in.
“He set the standard for loyalty and concern for every one of his players, not just the games won or lost. He was the greatest there ever was on the court but far, far better off the court with people. His concern for people will be the legacy I will remember most,” he said.
“He was a mentor to so many people; he was my mentor. He gave me a chance but, more importantly, he shared with me his knowledge, which is the greatest gift you can give someone,” Williams said.
Smith was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2013. His wife, Linnea, accepted on his behalf. The family had announced in 2010 that Smith suffered from a neurological disorder affecting his memory.
Raised in Kansas, where his father was a high school teacher and basketball coach, Smith played at Kansas for legendary coach Phog Allen after earning an academic scholarship. He was on the 1952 team that won the national championship. He was hired as an assistant coach at North Carolina in 1958, the year after the Tar Heels went undefeated and won the title. He was hired as UNC head coach in 1961.
Smith stressed team and morality. He was never investigating for wrongdoing or violations of NCAA rules and spoke out against segregation when he recruited New York high school star Charlie Scott, who would become the first black superstar in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the 1960s. Scott was drafted and played in the NBA for the Suns.
When Smith retired in 1997, he held the NCAA record for wins. He appeared in five national title games and NCAA championships in 1982 and 1993. North Carolina won at least 20 games in each of his final 27 seasons and made 23 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament.
The Hall of Fame coach also won 11 ACC tournament titles and coached the United States to a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics.
In addition to his wife, Smith is survived by daughters Sandy, Sharon, Kristen and Kelly; son Scott; and several grandchildren.
“Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than coach Smith,” Jordan said in a statement. “He was more than a coach — he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father. Coach was always there for me whenever I needed him and I loved him for it. In teaching me the game of basketball, he taught me about life. My heart goes out to Linnea and their kids. We’ve lost a great man who had an incredible impact on his players, his staff and the entire UNC family.”