On This Date 25 Years Ago: Dean Smith Retires

Posted Oct 9, 2022
On October 9, 1997, legendary North Carolina men's basketball coach Dean Smith shocked the college basketball world, announcing his retirement after 36 seasons. Long-time assistant Bill Guthridge would take over as the program’s head coach. Even 25 years later, UNC Basketball still honors Smith's mantra: "Play Hard. Play Smart. Play Together." (Keeping It Heel)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: TarHeel247 Podcast - What to Make of Summer Basketball Narratives
Summer basketball information is popular and entertaining among North Carolina fans. But what is there to make of everything that the media reports and fans...
Thu Jul 16, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Terrence Brown's Leadership, UNC Camp Session 2 Takeaways
UNC Basketball has a new on-court leader in Terrence Brown. Can his relentless competitiveness elevate the Tar Heels? Coach Rob discusses the second session of...
Thu Jul 16, 2026

Former UNC Basketball Players Mourn Changes in Chapel Hill: 'It's Not Franklin Street Anymore'
Gone are beloved Chapel Hill staples like The Rathskeller, Schoolkids Records, Bub O'Malley's, Pepper's, Spanky's, and others that served generations of UNC students along Franklin...
Thu Jul 16, 2026

Seth Trimble pours in 24 points; RJ Davis logs double-double in NBA Summer League
Seth Trimble put up 24-points at the NBA Summer League on Wednesday night, while former UNC teammate R.J. Davis produced an impressive double-double. Washington has...
Thu Jul 16, 2026