Rank ‘Em: UNC Basketball’s Coaches Since 1944

#1 – Dean Smith – Record: 879-254 .776 (1961-1997, 3 National Championships)

This one really isn’t close for me. One of the top 3-4 basketball coaches at the NCAA level of all-time and took North Carolina from a relative unknown besides the 1957 team to a year-in and year-out contender for the national title. His most impressive accolade in my opinion is the 96.6% graduation rate of his players. You oft

en times don’t find a program with that much success in and out of the classroom. It shows to me he cares about the players he has further than what they can do for him on the basketball court. He wanted them to all succeed in life, whether playing basketball had a role in it or not. In case you all forgot let’s take a look at just what Coach Smith did accomplish in Chapel Hill.

Gold Medal in men’s basketball (1976 Olympics), NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champion (1982, 1993), Four time national coach of the year (77, 79, 82, 93), nine time ACC coach of the year (67, 68, 69, 71, 76, 77, 79, 88, 93), College basketball Hall-of-Fame (2006), Basketball Hall-of-Fame (1983), and FIBA Hall-of-Fame (2007).

Dean Smith is unquestionably #1 on this list. A long stroll down memory lane of UNC coaching history, but it’s always fun to reflect and look back at history. Where do you reading this rank the Tar Heel coaches? Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments section below.