Former UNC Forward Donn Johnston Remembers Dean Smith

Posted Apr 6, 2020
“There are very few people who had the influence on my life that (Dean Smith) had, other than my parents,” Donn Johnston said. “He had a tremendous memory and it didn’t matter when I saw him, whether it was 20 years after graduation. He asked about my brothers by name, he always asked about my parents. He was just a phenomenal person.” (Jamestown Post Journal)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Jarin Stevenson's Versatility Critical For New-Look Tar Heels
Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson enter his senior season with no Caleb Wilson or Henri Veesaar, a new coach, and a fresh group of teammates...
Mon Sep 7, 2026

Big expectations: Inside Michael Malone’s retooling of UNC’s frontcourt
The centerpiece of UNC Basketball's rebuild is Sayon Keita, a 7-foot-1, 205-pound prospect Michael Malone scouted personally in Huelva, Spain, shortly after taking the job...
Sun Sep 6, 2026

Michael Malone on first transfer portal experience: ‘I felt like I was Keanu Reeves in The Matrix’
The Tar Heels, who had a laundry list of candidates, eventually reached a deal with NBA Champion head coach Michael Malone, which was a landmark...
Sun Sep 6, 2026

Scorers, shooters, and facilitators: Michael Malone’s backcourt takes shape
"When that portal opened the day I got the job, it seems like five months ago, we addressed the backcourt,” Michael Malone said at a...
Sun Sep 6, 2026