Dave Popson fondly remembers Dean Smith

Posted Feb 14, 2015
The University of North Carolina basketball team had just won the national championship. It was legendary coach Dean Smith’s first NCAA championship, and the following morning he was working the phones contacting recruits from across the country. One of those phone calls was to 6-foot-10 high school All-American to be, Dave Popson from Bishop O’Reilly. (Citizens Voice)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - UNC Basketball's Identity Crisis, Contenders or Pretenders?
UNC Basketball narrowly escaped with a win over Wake Forest on Saturday as Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar emerged as statistical powerhouses. Is this season's...
Mon Jan 12, 2026

500 Wins Later, the Smith Center Remains the Heartbeat of UNC Basketball
North Carolina's practice at the Smith Center had just ended. Sean May, an assistant coach, donned Carolina blue Jordan-branded shoes, UNC shorts, and a quarter-zip...
Mon Jan 12, 2026

Video: Coast To Coast Podcast - What's 'Real' for UNC Basketball?
After a week off during which UNC Basketball had time to work on itself, the Tar Heels dealt with more of their recent issues in...
Mon Jan 12, 2026

Carolina Insider Podcast: Tyler Zeller on UNC vs. Wake, Stanford preview, Bobby Petrino hired
UNC Basketball beat Wake Forest for the 500th win in the Smith Center (2:38). Tyler Zeller discusses the win and the challenges of the upcoming...
Mon Jan 12, 2026