UNC Basketball: Jawad Williams relives intimate moments with UNC

CHAPEL HILL, NC - JANUARY 8: Jawad Williams #21 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs upcourt against the Maryland Terrapins during their game on January 8, 2005 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - JANUARY 8: Jawad Williams #21 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs upcourt against the Maryland Terrapins during their game on January 8, 2005 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – FEBRUARY 20: North Carolina Tar Heels fans storm the court after a win over the Duke Blue Devils during their game at the Dean Smith Center on February 20, 2014 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 74-66. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

And since you guys are some of the best fans in the world, here are Jawad’s answers to some of your questions!

@Cassbox2020: Favorite Roy Williams Quote?
JW: It was a quote from practice, “Be led with your dreams, not with your problems.”

@CoachJS20: Who do you think will take over for coach whenever he decides he’s done?
JW: That’s tough. It depends on how long he decides to continue. I wouldn’t be surprised if he finishes out this contract (eight years). There’s a lot of guys who would throw their hat in. Stackhouse would def be one, Coach Rob (if he decides to continue after Coach Williams), Jackie will be climbing the ranks pretty fast, Hubert Davis… I really don’t know. Eight years from now, I’ll throw my name in the ring just to see what happens. We have the guys with the knowledge to take over. I hope whoever does is from the Carolina Family. Things are specific around here.

@ItsYourBoyDub: What kept you in Chapel Hill?
JW: I have a problem with running from things; I don’t back down from much. I don’t back down at all, and if I know I feel like I left, I’ve been running from a situation that I can fix. I have a close bond with Jackie Manuel and Melvin Scott, and didn’t want to leave them behind and no other school held the weight Carolina does. When you say you went to Carolina, it puts you in another category.

@RyanPeddyCord: That 3-pointer against Michigan St in the Final Four, how’d that feel? Also, I miss the one-handed alley-oops! Tell coach we need to bring that back!
JW: Which 3? I had multiple. (Williams hit 2-of-5, and scored 20 points) But the alley-oops were a connection between Ray and I. Carolina still runs that play, but no one has the connection like Ray and I… or our team. Nobody runs “dribble” like we did.

@UNCFN1: How much pride do you have knowing you, Melvin Scott and Jackie Manuel, restored glory to UNC basketball?
JW:  We appreciate it. I feel like no one really knows our story because that 8-20 season gets swept under the rug because so many championships happened since then. I don’t feel like we get the respect we deserve honestly, us three. We were literally at the very bottom, and came to the top. It is what it is.

Next. This top-30 prospect named UNC among seven finalists. dark

For all the latest on the UNC basketball program, including upcoming exclusives with former Tar Heels Brice Johnson and Marcus Ginyard, check back with Keeping It Heel.