Conference regular season champion Former UNC coach, assistant Guthridge dies, Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences, Tide's Oats takes blame for Miller's 'TSA' intro, Davis within 25 points of tying Maravich's mark, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Scheyer makes history as Duke sweeps at home, Tennessee win soured by knee injury to Zeigler, USC, OU, Seton Hall, Iowa in new hoops tourney, Houston, Alabama remain atop AP Top 25 poll. Guthridge was the head coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons following Dean Smith's retirement in 1997. And come Monday, he got the fateful notice. Had McAdoo returned, Smiths team would have been much better positioned to deal with David Thompsons stunning impact on NC State, the ACC and the nation. At Smith's retirement. Its one game, Jamison says. He has a keen sense of which ones will be very good players and which ones may be overrated. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The guys worked hard and didnt lose confidence, Guthridge said after the season. Coach Smith always had a plan. But obviously, the better head coach -- one of four or so best head coaches of all time in his sport -- and the decision to retire was seriously flawed by emotion. 2023 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Improving child and adolescent mental health, A message from the chancellor: We are a global university, Carolina Engagement Week Returns for a Second Year, Feb. 27 Through March 3, Book Publishing I: The Process with Christopher Ahn, Parr|Bioethics Joint Lecture: Elizabeth Barnes (University of Virginia), Disability and Health: An Its Complicated Relationship, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Former University of North Carolina mens basketball coach Bill Guthridge passed away May 12. Our hope and fervent desire is that the best basketball coach in America will continue to practice his craft at KU, he said Thursday night. The University of North Carolina has lost a dear friend, as haveI, andIknow that we will all miss him greatly., Im extremely saddened by the passing of Coach Guthridge, aka Coach Gut, especially coming so close to the loss of Coach Smith. He won more games than any college head coach in history after just two seasons and tied N.C. States Everett Case for most coaching victories after three years. At that point, Baddour turned to Matt Doherty, who had been the coach at Notre Dame for just one season. 33 yrs on UNC bench. In that July or August period, when Coach Smith basically told Coach Guthridge for the very last time in his life, Im not ready, Im not gonna do it again, then I think Coach Guthridge told him at that point that hed really like to try, Hanners says. William Wallace Guthridge (July 27, 1937 May 12, 2015) was an American college basketball coach. Guthridge was involved in a total of fourteen Final Fours as either a player or coach, more than any other person in historyone each as a player and assistant at Kansas State, ten as a North Carolina assistant, and two as North Carolina head coach. The manager put down his stuff and rifled through his pockets. That team still went 34-4, losing to Utah in the Final Four. The perception of Smiths program might have been that it ran without emotion. Smith wanted longtime assistant Bill Guthridge (age 60 at the time) to be a head coach and enjoy the competitive and financial rewards of the job. As a coach, he was stubbornly competitive. Assistant coach Phil Ford is at right. While serving as an assistant coach, Guthridge turned down several head coaching opportunities, preferring to remain in Chapel Hill working alongside Smith. SCNext Top 25: Ranking the best high school boys' basketball teams in the 2022-23 season, Brown: There will never be another Bill Guthridge. North Carolina made 10 trips to the Final Four and won two national championships during the time Smith and Guthridge spent together. Dick, lets talk on Monday, but Im pretty sure Im gonna tell you Monday its time to transition, Baddour remembers. Hed been given a five-year contract when he took over for Smith, because the administration feared recruits would stop coming if they thought Guthridge could retire at any moment. Thank you Coach Gut for the many lessons you taught us at UNC. He never called me at home, unless it was something dire, Hanners says, but he said, How would you feel about meeting me in the office early on Monday at 7 to go over some things before everyone gets there? Hanners obliged, trying to ease Guthridges feeling that he was somewhat out of touch. With Williams, it was the restoration of the family, three national championships and potentially many more years. That team reached the Final Four and almost reached the title game even though Jamison and Williams missed 22 field-goal attempts in a 65-59 semifinal loss to Utah. Coach Guthridge was the right choice to lead the transition to another, younger leader of the famed basketball program at the University of North Carolina. Here's how the Wolfpack get to 12 wins, Holland Miller puts in extra effort helping younger student athletes at Wilson Christian Academy, Extra hours in the gym and on the road earn Mikayla Taborn the Extra Effort Award, Extra Effort: Bunn's unassuming, tenacious three-sport star Carlee Tart, Krister Sjoblad sets the pace and honors father at Athens Drive, Extra Effort: Jordyn Brown overcomes heart surgery to cap off illustrious SJHS volleyball career, Jimmyll Williams helps Hillside to undefeated regular season, dreams of studying biotech, South Johnston's Lance Parker puts Extra Effort into giving back, Beddingfield twins Nate and Drew O'Neal win the Tom Suiter Extra Effort Award, Extra Effort: Addison Rowan's comeback from cancer, Rocky Mount Academy's Wells Hutson makes extra effort to mentor special needs students, Photos: Duke takes down No. That startling decision equated to the ultimate professional sacrifice. One of the best testaments to Guthridges impact came on that retirement day, June 30. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. His legacy and contributions to my life and to our University will live on and he'll be much more remembered for his sense of humor and class just as much as his coaching.". Go play golf. And with Guthridge having gotten his shot, there would have been no issues of whose turn it was. Hed have been a lifer, Hanners says. But it was all as a team, no one mans fault or wrongdoing for the groups shortcoming. His lack of recruiting is why they went 8-20 shortly thereafter. Guthridge retired after the season, having spent the first 43 years of his adult life as a player, high school coach, and college coach. After those brief flirtations with head coaching positions, Guthridge settled in as UNC's top assistant, right up until Dean Smith suddenly retired in October of 1997. I think its time I make this decision. Meanwhile, Creighton coach Dana Altman withdrew his name from consideration. Longtime North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge died Tuesday night. But Guthridges request also made Hanners realize that plan might not come to fruition. When employees came to work at the GAA on a rainy day, Elizabeth Morgan, warm, Bill Guthridge, who made his college basketball reputation as Dean Smiths trusted right-hand man then took Carolina to two Final Fours in three years as head coach after his mentor retired has died after a long illness. But when Guthridge retired, Williamsthen playing with the Seattle Sonicsmade the effort to find a commercial flight to Chapel . In 2000, the Tar Heels struggled in the regular season, falling out of the polls for the first time since the start of the 199091 season. Baddour was scheduled to travel with the football program that day for a game at TCU, but before leaving he spoke to Smith on the phone. Guthridge said he took a vacation in Europe in May, hoping to recharge, but wasnt able to. Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway said the school was privileged to have Williams. The flip side of reality offers another interesting scenario: What if Guthridge had led that group to a win over Utah, and then over Kentucky in the championship game. He was like Coach Guthridge in that both of them loved and bled Carolina blue so much that they never wanted to leave the program.. Jordan is among many Tar Heels who had tremendous respect for Guthridge. Note: Former University of North Carolina mens basketball coach Bill Guthridge passed away May 12. When Lefty Driesell declined to shake Smiths hand in the mid-1980s, it was Guthridge who was incensedand had to be prevented from chasing down Driesellnot Smith. If I were to call Roy and ask Roy was he interested, the first question out of his mouth wouldve been, did Bill get a chance? Baddour says. As they were chatting, Guthridge, who died in 2015, grabbed Ndiayes arm. Smith and Guthridge had long maintained theyd retire together, the natural conclusion to a three-decade partnership in Chapel Hill. To combat that fatigue, every summer, Smiths assistant coaches urged him to get out and enjoy life. He has saved many scholarships when he has suggested backing off certain players, and of course, has selected some great ones who matriculated at Chapel Hill., UNC coach Bill Guthridge gives instructions during a game in the 99-00 season. Perhaps, at last, somewhere in his mind, Coach Guthridge finally made the decision it was time for him to retire from this physical life. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. When Smith was needlessly ejected from the 1991 Final Four, it was Guthridge who was furious in the tunnel after the game. He was my friend, a father figure, a big brother for me just like he was for so many players," current UNC coach Roy Williams said. Baddour and Smith never had a lengthy sitdown to discuss the future. One year against Laurinburg, Hanners squad was down about 18 with under nine minutes to play; suddenly, he felt Ford come up behind him. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Coach Smith died in January 2015 of complications from dementia, Profiles in Dementia: Zelda Fitzgerald(1900-1948), Facebook Group for Caregivers of Loved Ones with Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, and Other Age-Related Illnesses, R. E. M. Sleep Behavior Disorder (Lewy Body Dementia), The Stressors of Communication, Vision, and Hearing, The Stressors of Unmet Needs, Physical Environment, and Routines, 2015 Research Offers New Insights Into Lewy Body Dementia Part 1, 2015 Research on Lewy Body Dementia Part 2, 2016 Research on Comorbidity and the Development of Dementia, A Strange Anniversary (and Where Going Gentle Into That Good Night Had Its Roots), Antidepressant Use and the Increased Risk of Developing Dementia, Confabulation, Alcohol Abuse, & Alcohol-Related Dementia, Daylight Savings Time Effects: Dementia, Health, and Sleep, Financial Assistance for Prescription Medications, Good Sleep: A Key Factor in Neurological Health, Military Service, War, and Dementia Risks for Veterans, The Fallacy of Silver Bullet Solutions to Dementias and Alzheimers Disease, The Layperson's Guide to Alcohol-Related Dementia, The Layperson's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease, The Layperson's Guide to Dementia Medications and Supplements, The Layperson's Guide to Early-Onset Dementias, The Layperson's Guide to Hepatic Encephalopathy, The Layperson's Guide to Home Health Care, The Layperson's Guide to Lewy Body Dementia, The Layperson's Guide to Palliative Health Care, The Layperson's Guide to Primary Progressive Aphasia, The Layperson's Guide to Vascular and Multi-Infarct Dementia, The Laypersons Guide to Neural Disorders That Often Lead to Neurodegeneration and Dementia, The Laypersons Guide to Revocable Living Trusts, Guardianships, and Conservatorships, The Laypersons Guide to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), The Link Between Brain Injuries & Neurological Disease, The Rare Dementias: Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), The Rare Dementias: Fatal Familial Insomnia, The Rare Dementias: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, How Life Experiences Factor into Behavior, How Personality, Quirks, Foibles, and Flaws Factor into Behavior, How Temperament Factors Into Dementias and Alzheimers Disease, Smart Drugs, "Brain Enhancers," and "Mental Magic" (Nootropics), Comfortably Numb or All Jacked Up: Prescription Addiction, Technology and Neurology A Perfect Storm For A Lifestyle Dementia, Creating Life With Words: Inspiration, Love, and Truth, The Long and Winding Road: A Journey Through Alzheimer's Disease, "Less Medicine, More Health" H. Gilbert Welch, "Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets" Luke Dittrich, "When Breath Becomes Air" Paul Kalanithi, Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients Ben Goldacre, The Tale of Dueling Neurosurgeons Sam Kean, How We Do Harm: A Doctor Breaks Ranks About Being Sick in America by Otis Webb Brawley, Pt. Just like Smith, Guthridge found a way to impact his players beyond teaching them offensive and defensive principles. School officials stressed that Guthridge was not merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams, signing him to a five-year contract. Bill Guthridge, who made his college basketball reputation as Dean Smith's trusted right-hand man then took Carolina to two Final Fours in three years as head coach after his mentor retired has died after a long illness. Making the Final Four is a tremendous accomplishment but its not what you chase. He was 77. He coached 1997-98 National Player of the Year Antawn Jamison 99 and 1998-99 NBA Rookie of the Year Vince Carter 99, both of whom entered the NBA draft after their junior seasons. The inconsistent season came on the heels of a first-round NCAA Tournament loss in 1999. Then Guthridges voice wavered as he began to apologize I feel like its my fault. But if Williams had declined the opportunity, as he initially did a year prior? Even 22 years after turning down the Nittany Lions, Guthridge still couldnt quite bear to leave. Its funny, I talk to (Williams) players, and with the thought of the day, and the way things are run, and I go to their practices, Jamison says, its Coach Gut, Coach Smith in a younger body.. North Carolina made 29 NCAA tournament appearances in Guthridge's 33 years on the staff and finished no worse than third in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season standings every year -- with 16 first-place finishes and 10 more in second. Guthridge didn't bother to recruit Jason Williams,. What happened, happened. Guthridge also took a less talented team to the Final Four in 2000. Guthridge, his wife said, suffers from vascular dementia - a condition that's a result of reduced blood supply to the brain. But if Williams had said no, as he did two years later, would Ford have been tapped for the job then? He also was head golf coach for the Wildcats. (An aside: if Doherty stays, does Mike Brey, succeeded him and still remains in South Bend, get that job, or is he elsewhere too?). "We'd always say there were so many time zones -- Eastern Standard Time, Central Standard Time -- but the most important was GST: Guthridge Standard Time," Peterson said. He is probably best remembered for his loyalty to Smith, who died in February at age 83. After graduating from Kansas State, he coached at Scott City High School in Kansas for two seasons before returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach for Tex Winter from 19621967. The possibilities were endless, but Baddour is certain of one thing: keeping things in the family was a must. Guthridge was Smiths assistant for 30 years. Guthridge did it all with a dry wit and style. Guthridge, who like Smith was a Kansas native, spent 30 years as an assistant coach and had ample opportunities to leave Chapel Hill and become the coach of his own program. On Oct. 9, 1997, Smith called it quits. Lets say youve got a 35-year-old guy. In our prayers. After Smith retired in October 1997, then-athletic director Dick Baddour elevated Guthridge to the top job. What burned just below that was a fierce competitor who might sometimes react more like a fan than you would expect. That image of Guthridge is accurate but not complete. It was the 14th time Guthridge participated in the Final Four. And so those players, all of them, kick around the questions to this day. We certainly had no idea; he was still the smartest guy, could recall everything he was seeing.. Jamisons teammates and Hanners and Baddour all agree. But when Baddour and Guthridge did finally meet, Guthridge expressed a desire to try his hand. Guthridge could deal with Dean's irritability, his need to control the smallest things. The announcement came nearly two months after the 6-10 center led the Boston . He was an unbelievable assistant to Coach Smith. He joined the UNC staff in 1967 after five years as assistant to Tex Winter at Kansas State. After Dean Smith retired, Bill Guthridge took over for three years and at some point, we can't remember exactly which year, Boswell struck. Which 16 teams should you buy or fade ahead of March Madness? And had Smith gone until age 71 or 72, as did Kentuckys Adolph Rupp, Carolina would have won another 50-60 games and the transition to Roy Williams might have happened seamlessly. It was an admirable, honorable action for Smith to take and Guthridge went on to win 80 games in three seasons. "This is another terrible loss for the Carolina basketball family," former North Carolina player and current Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan said in a statement to The Associated Press. He's a native of Raleigh, N.C. Guthridge led UNC to the Final Four in his first season, but the team fell short of a championship. I would lean a little bit toward the side of Bill saying, Look, Im not on the front end of my career, its great to have done this, what a way to go out, Baddour says. (LogOut/ With a wealth of returning talent, Guthridge instituted a "six starters" system, whereby the team's top six players, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Ed Cota, Shammond Williams, Ademola Okulaja, and Makhtar N'Diaye rotated positions in the starting five. In his three seasons as head coach Guthridge led the Tar Heels to the NCAA final Four twice, in 1998 and again in 2000. The family told team spokesman Steve Kirschner that Guthridge died of heart failure and that the coach had lived with a heart condition the past seven years. But if Smith was selfless in his handling of McAdoo, it was nothing compared to Smiths shocking retirement on Oct. 9, 1997. He stepped down 2 months later. Only, given Guthridges age at the time (60) and the fact that hed always said hed retire when Smith did, Baddour wasnt totally sure Guthridge was interested. Matt Doherty, who succeeded Guthridge as Tar Heels coach and served in that capacity for three seasons, tweeted his condolences Wednesday. Guthridge joined Smith's staff for the 1967-68 season, starting out as the freshman coach and a co-assistant varsity coach and eventually becoming the Hall of Famer's most trusted assistant. However, Coach Guthridge served as the perfect replacement as head basketball coach when Coach Smith unexpectantly announced his retirement from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997. After Coach Guthridge's retirement in 2003, he and Coach Smith stayed in close contact, visiting each other frequently. So was Williams always fated to end up back at North Carolina? He also was an assistant to Smith on the 1976 U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in Montreal. He joined Ohio States Fred Taylor as just the second man in history to lead teams to two Final Fours in his first three seasons as a head coach. I mean, the Plan B was there.. "You get old." Bill and Dean, friends for life Smith. In five years on Winter's staff, Guthridge helped lead the Wildcats to a 9343 (.684) record, a pair of Big Eight Conference crowns, and the NCAA Final Four in 1964. When he reached the decision to step down during that summer of 1997, no one could have changed his mind, even if given the opportunity to do so. Penn State was a good situation, he said in an interview in 2010. He was North Carolina basketball, the constant as the new building was built in his honor and the banners in the rafters accumulated, the link from Scott to Ford to Jordan to Stackhouse. Guthridge . Prior to that, Guthridge served as Smith's assistant coach for 30 years. He was enormously committed to attention to detail and organization, says Dick Baddour, a longtime university administrator who served as athletic director from 1997 to 2011. As things went, by the end of the 1999-2000 season which concluded with a surprise Final Four run, Guthridges second trip in three seasons Smiths right-hand man was finally ready to step away himself. I would have been as vigorous and go after that as hard as I could possibly go.. It was more a series of passing conversations, regular updates about the coachs state of mind. That aspect of his character first surfaced in 1972, when the University of North Carolina basketball coach left Tar Heel fans bewildered by announcing that he wanted junior star forward Robert McAdoo to turn pro rather than return for the 1972-73 season. He was a perfect sidekick for Coach Smith. "He, like Coach Smith, was more of a mentor and father figure than anything else. Guthridge had ample opportunities to leave Chapel Hill and become the head coach of his own program. Yeah, Id say that was more likely than unlikely., I wouldve gone to where I went two years later, he says. Guthridge initially gained recognition after serving for thirty years as Dean Smith's assistant at the University of North Carolina and summing many wins as a result. Hanners, one of Fords close friends to this day, recalls the natural coaching instincts Ford had when the two oversaw the JV team. Former UNC Director of Athletics Dick Baddour: Bill was one of the most respected and admired people I have known. When it was announced last week that Smith would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom award, I could not help but think back to that interview in 2000 while also thinking about what might have been. Fast-forward to present day, and he has surpassed Smith in both national championships and wins. And everything that happened, for better or worse, led the program to where it is today. Why would a healthy 66-year-old call it quits and relinquish the chance to coach that team? But I already had a better job than that and I was happy here. The school scheduled a news conference for 2:30 p.m. today. Or perhaps someone else from Smiths coaching tree, such as George Karl or Eddie Fogler? Chapel Hill, N.C. For all of his wins and championships, the Olympic gold medal, tactical innovations, social impact and fertile coaching tree, Dean Smiths unselfishness defined his career to an enormous, but often overlooked, extent. Certainly, what a marvelous run of three years.. If Bill Guthridge doesnt look familiar to you as a UNC-Chapel Hill head basketball coach, theres a very good reason for that. At which point, Baddour faced as unenviable a position as any athletic director in the country: Who do you hire to fill Dean Smiths shoes? He was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Suggestion to Return DismissedWhen Guthridge retired after leading his third team to another Final Four, I interviewed Smith about the amazingly long and successful partnership the two coaches -- Smith a Kansas grad and Guthridge from Kansas State -- had enjoyed. Guthridge was completely content in the role of a lifetime assistant and the Smith/Guthridge combo would have been weakened had Guthridge retired early. Tim Crothers. Really, a championship or not is the only major differentiator between Smith and Guthridge. Though he was a head coach for a short time, he gracefully carried on a culture and legacy that many thought could not be perpetuated. Coach Guthridge is the best I have ever seen in selecting potential in high school players, Smith once said, according to the teams website. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. School officials stressed that Guthridge was not merely a placeholder for then-Kansas coach Roy Williams, signing him to a five-year contract. The Parsons, Kan., native posted an 80-28 record in three seasons as Carolinas head coach, leading the 1998 and 2000 teams to the Final Four. Everybody would have loved Coach Ford to get the opportunity, Frederick says. The next season, North Carolina earned a #3 seed in the West regional of the NCAA tournament, but was upset in the first round by Weber State in a late game in Seattle. He held tight. It wasnt until Oct. 3, 1997 a Friday about a week before the first practice of the season that Baddour got an indication that Smith wouldnt return. Former University of North Carolina basketball coach Bill Guthridge, 77, died Tuesday from a heart condition. Former UNC Coach Bill Guthridge passed away last night at age 77 w/ family at his side. ", Roy: "I think that not only did he coach me on the freshman team he was another mentor. Guthridge coached that team to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship, a school record-tying 34 wins (including 30 wins going into the NCAA Tournament the most in school history at the time) and an appearance in the Final Four, where they lost to Utah. The only people who came to know about that line of succession, so to speak, were Baddour, Smith, Guthridge and then-chancellor Michael Hooker, who expressed some concerns about Guthridges age early on. "Because I knew Coach Guthridge had the best interest for you and wanted to see you succeed.". We offer our deepest condolences to the Guthridge family as they grieve the loss of a wonderful husband and father.. The Tar Heels lost to Florida in last seasons Final Four. You will be missed. Now Guthridge, 77, is enduring a similarly cruel fate . Spend time with family. Dean Smith unexpectedly retired as head basketball coach at North Carolina just two months before the start of the 199798 season, and Guthridge was immediately named his successor. Coach Guthridge played an instrumental role in the programs success as an assistant under Dean Smith for three decades before making his own name as a head coach in leading North Carolina to a pair of Final Four appearances in three seasons. I wouldve gone to Roy.. He would, however, have just lost his three best players at Kansas in Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz and Billy Thomas. After that loss, Carter and Jamison turned pro. He was no different from Coach Smith or Coach Guthridge. It left at 1:57 p.m. His reasoning? The Tar Heels then went 24-10 in 1998-99 but were upset by Weber State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He is one of five people to have appeared in the Final Four as both a player and coach. But Baddour explained to the chancellor that because of Williams respect for Guthridge, hed never have taken the job over his friend. What Smith left behind was arguably the most talented team hed ever assembled: a pair of future NBA All-Stars, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison; the programs all-time assists leader, point guard Ed Cota; a lights-out shooter, Shammond Williams; a frontcourt enforcer, Makhtar Ndiaye; and much more. Heading into what would have been the fourth year of a five-year contract, Guthridge compiled an 80-28 record, but had not received an extension. The picture most Tar Heel fans will have of him is sitting slightly behind Dean Smith, perhaps leaning over to make a point to the head coach. In 1998, Guthridge inherited a team that had been to the 1997 Final Four the previous year under Smith. And so even as the coachs hair changed from dark brown to gray to white, his position never did.