Dean Smith, beyond the Medal of Freedom

Posted Sep 12, 2013
Dean Smith recruited UNC's first black scholarship athlete, a basketball player named Charles Scott, who said years later that one thing he liked about Smith was that he always showed him respect by calling him “Charles” instead of Charlie. And so Dean Smith, coach of coaches, is deserving of the latest high honor not just for wins and losses, but for being a man of conviction and humanity, who didn’t just talk about freedom but fought for it. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: Tommy Lloyd, Dusty May Thursday Pre-Final Four Press Conferences
Arizona Wildcats basketball coach Tommy Lloyd and Michigan coach Dusty May, reported targets in UNC's basketball coaching search, speak with the media on Thursday ahead...
Thu Apr 2, 2026

Dusty May, Tommy Lloyd Address UNC Job Speculation at Final Four
Thursday’s media events kicked off Final Four weekend, with Michigan coach Dusty May and Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd fielding questions: "I decided last year, when...
Thu Apr 2, 2026

UNC Facing Tricky Timetable With Ongoing Basketball Coaching Search
Everyone agrees the most important goal in any coaching search is landing the best person for the job. In this case, however, UNC clearly is...
Thu Apr 2, 2026

Video: IC Podcast - UNC Basketball and the Coaching Carousel
Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley of Inside Carolina discuss the college basketball coaching carousel, NC State's hiring of Justin Gainey, how Bill Self's decision to...
Thu Apr 2, 2026