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UNC Basketball: Kenny “The Jet” Smith in on Tar Heels’ coaching search

By Blake Cockrum

Oct 13, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams with players and former player and host Kenny Smith during Late Night with Roy at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams with players and former player and host Kenny Smith during Late Night with Roy at Dean Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former UNC basketball standout and current TNT analyst Kenny “The Jet” Smith is officially involved with the Tar Heels’ search for a new head coach.

Kenny Smith is one of the best point guards in the history of the North Carolina basketball program, and that’s saying quite a lot. Already known as “The Jet” by the time he got to Chapel Hill in 1983, Smith brought with him the same speed and quickness that earned him the nickname, and gave the Tar Heels four terrific seasons under legendary UNC head coach Dean Smith.

Smith went on to earn All-ACC honors on three occasions, and was named a first team All-American in 1987. His No. 30 jersey is honored in the Dean Smith Center rafters, and he’s still one of the most beloved former players in team history.

And that was all prior to a 10-year NBA career that included back-to-back NBA Finals titles with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, and a broadcasting career at TNT that’s made him one of the sport’s most trusted and well-liked analysts over the past two-plus decades.

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Now, Smith is being called on by the Tar Heels — UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham in particular — for his expertise in helping them find a new head basketball coach.

According to NCAA.com’s Andy Katz, Smith was recently contacted for his insight on replacing former UNC head coach and Hall-of-Famer, Roy Williams. Katz also noted in a tweet on Saturday afternoon that Smith himself could be a candidate for the vacant coaching position.

Also worth noting is Katz’s belief that the current front-runner for the Tar Heels’ head coaching position is assistant coach Hubert Davis. He did mention, however, that Cunningham is doing his due diligence to vet all possible candidates for the job, including those outside of the proverbial Carolina family.

It is believed that interviews for the job are beginning to take place, and we hope to find out more on the Tar Heels’ head coaching search over the coming days.

Next. Coaches that might replace UNC's Roy Williams. dark

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