UNC Basketball: Roy Williams speaks to media after winning national title
Roy Williams speaks to the media after coaching Tar Heels to sixth NCAA Tournament title
On Monday night, the North Carolina Tar Heels completed their run through the 2017 NCAA Tournament by beating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 71-65 in the National Championship Game.
It didn’t come easy, and it wasn’t the prettiest of games, but the Tar Heels made enough plays down the stretch to come away with the victory.
After the game, North Carolina head coach Roy Williams met with the media in the team’s post game press conference.
"“Crazy thing is I looked up at the score while we were all celebrating,” Williams said. “It was 71-65. In 1991, before these guys were even born, I think I lost the national championship game to Duke, 72-65. So it’s a lot sweeter tonight to say the least.”"
Williams went on to praise Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and his team, complimenting them on their outstanding character and tremendously successful season.
The three-time national championship winning coach was then asked if this title is sweeter than the other two, due to the way that last year’s season ended.
"“You know, I think it does,” Williams said. “They’re all, as you said, they’re all really sweet. I mean, 351 teams start thinking that maybe we could do that. Some of them more realistic than others, but even the ones that have no chance, they think of that moment. So they’re all extremely special. I’ve been very, very lucky.But I’d say this one is probably more special because it’s been a journey for the last three or four years of trying to do something, trying to do something, trying to do something. The tough thing is it doesn’t make Marcus, Brice and Joel feel any better. So that’s the thing that I’m going to have for a long time. As I said yesterday, whenever it was, the feeling of inadequacy in the locker room last year is the worst feeling I’ve ever had.But, yes, this one’s fantastic. And it’s sweet. Oh, jeez, I’m going to get another reprimand from the tournament committee because I’ve got a dadgum bottle up here that’s not supposed to be here. I do have a letter in my file because I had a Coca Cola in here one night. I should have kept it and said, I got the trophy; you can have the damn letter of reprimand.”"
Williams joins extremely elite company now, having won his third national championship over the last 13 years.
He passes Rick Pitino, Henry Iba and Dean Smith, among others, who have all won two national titles. He’s now tied with Bob Knight and Jim Calhoun, who each retired with three titles. He now trails only John Wooden (11), Mike Krzyzewski (5) and Adolph Rupp (4) for most titles in NCAA basketball history.
Along those lines, Williams was asked what it’s like to pass his friend and mentor Dean Smith and what it does for his legacy.
"“You know, Jimmy told me yesterday he was going to ask me that question,” Williams said. “I almost got emotional. I really — I don’t think Roy Williams should ever be put in the same sentence with Dean Smith, I really don’t.I think Coach was the best there’s ever been on the court. And he was an even better person. And so it’s a little staggering.When I looked up at one of the boards tonight and saw those guys, they had more titles than our North Carolina teams had, not Roy Williams, because I don’t like it that way, but that was a little emotional for a second.But I really — I don’t know what to say. I mean, because that is — I’m very, very lucky. I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do is to coach kids and trying to get them to have a common goal and make sacrifices. And it’s number three. But they’ve all been fantastic, and I’ve been very fortunate.”"
Williams will never admit it, or agree with it, but he is every bit as important to the University of North Carolina as Smith was.
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