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UNC Basketball: On This Day In History: Dean Smith Retires

By Nick Delahanty

CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 21: Fans of the North Carolina Tar Heels pay tribute to former North Carolina Head Coach Dean Smith during a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the Dean Smith Center on February 21, 2015 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Former North Carolina Head Coach Dean Smith passed away on February 7, 2015, at the age of 83. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 21: Fans of the North Carolina Tar Heels pay tribute to former North Carolina Head Coach Dean Smith during a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the Dean Smith Center on February 21, 2015 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Former North Carolina Head Coach Dean Smith passed away on February 7, 2015, at the age of 83. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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On this day in UNC basketball history, legendary head coach Dean Smith announced that he would be retiring from coaching at North Carolina.

It was 25 years ago today that legendary head coach Dean Smith shocked the college basketball world.

Smith, the man who led the UNC basketball program for 36 seasons, decided that it was time for him to retire from coaching. This news came as a shock to everyone, especially given that the Tar Heels were coming off a season in which they made a run to the 1997 Final Four and returned a large majority of the team’s roster.

This unexpected announcement came at old Bowles Hall, which is now the Tar Heels’ practice gym next to the Smith Center. The 2 PM announcement confirmed that Smith would be stepping away from the team while Bill Guthridge, a long-term assistant of Smith, would be taking over as the program’s head coach.

Although no one expected it to happen, Smith felt it was time for him to move on. He felt that he was really disconnected from the returning team, and other obligations, such as fundraisers and other events, were starting to take a toll on him.

Once practices didn’t recharge Smith, he knew it was time for him to walk away from coaching.

Smith became a true pillar for the UNC basketball program, as he put together a coaching resume that ranks among the best ever. He led the Tar Heels to 879 victories and a .776 winning percentage, making 11 Final Four appearances while winning two national championships over that span.

Over his 36 seasons at the helm, the Tar Heels only had one single losing season, which came during his first year in the position. The eight-time ACC Coach of the Year led the program to 17 ACC regular-season titles along with 13 ACC tournament titles.

Even though the timing surprised the college basketball world, Smith made sure that the program was in good hands once he stepped down. Guthridge inherited a very talented team, one that he would lead back to the Final Four during the 1997-1998 season.

Needless to say, Dean Smith’s impact on the UNC basketball program will never be forgotten. Even 25 years after he retired, the program still values the beliefs that he instilled during his tenure as the Tar Heels head basketball coach.

“Play Hard. Play Smart. Play Together.”

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