Dean Smith Began Historic Coaching Career 59 Years Ago Today

Posted Aug 3, 2020
On August 3, 1961, North Carolina lost a Hall of Fame coach and gained another. Following a major recruiting scandal and rumors of point shaving, UNC Chancellor William Aycock forced coach Frank McGuire to resign and subsequently replaced him with his top assistant — Dean Smith. "It took me about 15 minutes to decide," Aycock said regarding UNC's coaching search. (Inside Carolina)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Roy Williams, Former UNC Basketball Stars Gather During NBA Summer League
From Jerry Stackhouse, who played in Chapel Hill from 1993-95, to R.J. Davis, who signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on an Exhibit 10 contract,...
Sat Jul 12, 2025

Armando Bacot Scores 14 In NBA Summer League
Caleb Love put on a show in his NBA Summer League debut, and Armando Bacot had his best performance in three games in Las Vegas...
Sat Jul 12, 2025

What Happened: Did UCLA Prevent a Dominant Era for UNC Basketball?
UNC returned to the Final Four in 1972 for the fourth time in six years, further shaping North Carolina under Dean Smith as an elite...
Sat Jul 12, 2025

Jawad Williams returns home to Cleveland as Cavaliers' assistant coach
Former North Carolina forward Jawad Williams has plenty of memories of his youth in Cleveland. His fondness for the city was fostered further when he...
Fri Jul 11, 2025