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

Michael Malone on Sayon Keita's 'Unlimited Potential' for UNC Basketball
"When you look at our frontcourt, and you look at Sayon Keita, I think he just has unlimited potential," Michael Malone said last week at...
Tue Sep 8, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Michael Malone Implementing Gritty UNC Defense
UNC Basketball enters a new era as Coach Michael Malone unveils a gritty, defense-first identity. Will this tougher philosophy end the Tar Heels' infamous "wine...
Tue Sep 8, 2026

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