Wednesday, 04 December 2024

Dean Smith

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Coaches 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Basketball
Statistics: 2 NCAA Division I Tournament Wins (1982 & 1993)
1 NIT Championship (1971)
11 NCAA Division I Final Fours (1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993, 1995 & 1997)
17 ACC Regular Season Championships (1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1991, 1994 & 1997)
13 ACC Tournament Wins (1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1991, 1994 & 1997)
1 Naismith College Coach of the Year Awards (1993)
8 ACC Coach of the Year Awards (1967, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1988 & 1993)
1 Olympic Gold Medal (1976)
879-254 NCAA Record
Member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Member of the FIBA Hall of Fame
Member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame
After three years as an assistant coach, North Carolina promoted Dean Smith to their head coaching position. Smith, who took the job in 1961, remained in Chapel Hill until 1997, and the Tar Heels would forever be linked with basketball.

Smith adapted his coaching style to fit his players' talents, and he had his share of talents, including recruiting a kid who was once cut from his high school team, Michael Jordan. Under Smith, UNC went to 11 Final Fours, winning the National Championship twice (1982 & 1993). He never had a losing season, and he was in a post-season playoff 31 consecutive times.

We are proud to nominate Dean Smith for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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