Legendary coach Roy Williams retires
North Carolina made major news on Thursday, and no, it's not an April Fool's Day joke.
Legendary head coach Roy Williams is retiring, the school announced.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer finishes his career with a 903-264 record in 33 seasons. Williams coached Kansas for 15 seasons before joining the Tar Heels, where he went on to win three national championships (2005, 2009, 2017).
Williams' 903 career wins rank third all-time among Division I head coaches, and he's also the only coach in NCAA history with 400 wins at two separate schools.
"It's been a thrill, it has been unbelievable, I've loved it."
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 1, 2021
Roy Williams gets emotional as he formally announces his retirement and describes his passion for @UNC_Basketball. pic.twitter.com/LC0SrutbDR
The 70-year-old's other accolades include nine Final Four appearances, 79 NCAA Tournament wins, 18 conference regular-season titles, and an NCAA record eight wins against AP No. 1-ranked teams. Of the 52 players who reached the NBA after playing for Williams, 32 were drafted in the first round.
Williams' exit from North Carolina reportedly stems from his frustration with the direction of college basketball, particularly the increasing number of transfers and the controversy surrounding name, image, and likeness rules, according to Stadium's Jeff Goodman.
North Carolina lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Willams' final game, which was also the only first-round loss of the bench boss' career.