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: TarHeel247 Podcast - Could next season's UNC Basketball team be more athletic?
UNC's basketball roster for next season isn't complete, but could Michael Malone's Tar Heels be more athletic than the club that recently concluded its season?...
Sun May 3, 2026

UNC Announces Re-Signing Of Isaiah Denis
15 days after announcing his return to Chapel Hill for his sophomore season, Isaiah Denis made it official. On Sunday, UNC announced Denis had put...
Sun May 3, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Should UNC fans worry about Matt Able at NBA Draft Combine?
Incoming UNC Basketball transfer Matt Able received an NBA Draft Combine invitation, and suddenly there's concern that he will enter the NBA Draft instead of...
Sun May 3, 2026

Caleb Wilson commits UNC blasphemy with his LeBron James-Michael Jordan take
Likely no one will ever match the love and energy that Caleb Wilson brought to UNC. But we finally found something to be upset with...
Sun May 3, 2026