Williams to Stay With Kansas
L A W R E N C E, Kan., July 6, 2000 -- Roy Williams will remain at Kansas, ending
a week of agonizing over whether he would return to North Carolina
to become its basketball coach.
His decision today set off a celebration among Jayhawks fanswho had pleaded with Williams not to take the job at his almamater, succeeding Bill Guthridge who retired last Friday.
“I’m staying. If that’s OK, why don’t we just end this pressconference right now,” said Williams, who was misty-eyed as hetalked and at times choked up. “I guess I could have just calledfrom the beach and said I’m staying, but that didn’t seem the rightway to do it.
“The decision here I’ve made came after the toughest seven daysof my life.”
Thousands at Football Stadium
About 17,000 fans watched the news conference on a giantvideo screen in the football stadium.
“This is the best place there is to play college basketball,”Williams said. “I made the best decision for me. As long as I cando what’s right for my players, that’s all that matters.”
What now for the Tar Heels, who went to two Final Fours under Guthridge? Speculation will turn to Eddie Fogler at South Carolina and two NBA coaches — Larry Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers and George Karl of the Milwaukee Bucks. All three are former Tar Heels who have remained close to Smith and the program.
Earlier Thursday, Williams, who had been an assistant to DeanSmith at North Carolina for 10 years, was strolling alone acrosscampus, wearing the haggard look of a man who had no job, not a manstruggling to pick between two great ones.
“My decision, as I said, is the most difficult time period I’veever had,” Williams said.
Williams has a 329-82 record in 12 seasons at Kansas, thewinningest record for a coach in that many seasons. He has takenthe Jayhawks to two Final Fours.
Williams’ wait gripped both states for a week. Kansas officialssaid almost 2,000 e-mails had arrived addressed to Williams urginghim to stay.
‘Loyalty is Most Important’
“My mentors taught me that loyalty is most important. Icouldn’t leave my players,” Williams said. “I couldn’t trade myplayers. That became more important than my dream of being at NorthCarolina.
“I still want to win it all, that hasn’t changed.”
But even as a throng of journalists waited outside AllenFieldhouse for word Thursday, Williams walked alone across thegrounds, silently and unsuccessfully groping for his own answer.
He finally left the campus Thursday afternoon, driving off aloneafter telling reporters that he was going to his Lawrence home to“do some thinking.”
Friday, the day before summer recruiting begins, was Williams’self-imposed deadline.
Williams said North Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour“recruited me harder than I’ve ever been recruited.”
“I sincerely apologize to him ... just those words aren’tenough,” Williams said. “Coach Guthridge was another hard call.He and Coach Smith are the reasons I’m here today. ... And I can’thelp but think in some way I’ve let him down.”
After flying back from the Carolinas on Wednesday evening,Williams met for several hours today with athletic director BobFrederick, Chancellor Robert Hemenway and members of his coachingstaff.
Williams returned from a vacation at his South Carolina beachhome Wednesday night, denying reports that he had accepted amultiyear contract to coach North Carolina.