INDIANAPOLIS – For nearly a half-century, Roy Williams has been a fixture in the college basketball space. He helped recruit Michael Jordan to North Carolina, brought Paul Pierce to Kansas and his return to North Carolina led to three national championships, a Hall of Fame induction and a legacy as one of the great coaches to grace the sideline in this or any generation.
In a practical sense, the retirement of Roy Williams from UNC on Thursday shouldn’t come as a shock. He’s 70, has battled health issues in recent years and the Carolina tradition he carried on so proudly had taken a slight downtick in recent seasons.