Smith's legacy extends far beyond the court

By Ken Medlin

Honor. Integrity. Humility. Faith.

These words are often thrown about as mere placeholders, empty descriptions of public figures when the time comes to pay tribute to their accomplishments. But there's nothing empty about these words when they are used in connection to the life of one Dean Edwards Smith. In fact, these words merely scratch the surface in describing the contributions of a man whose legacy extends far beyond the basketball court which bears his name.

Honor

Dean Smith was hired to restore honor and credibility at the University of North Carolina. I can't imagine any individual being better suited for that task. In the wake of a point-shaving scandal which shook the ACC to its knees, the Tar Heels entered Smith's first season on NCAA probation. The 30 year-old Kansan eked out a meager 8-9 record that season, and little did anyone know then he would win 871 more games – all at UNC – and countless other programs would be modeled after his.

 

But the wins were a mere side effect of the culture Smith created for his program. Smith's loyalty to his players is the stuff of legend. ACC commissioner John Swofford recalls a day when he – then as UNC's Athletic Director – and school Chancellor Christopher Fordham were in Smith's office. During the meeting, a former player called. Smith not only took the call, he asked Swofford and Fordham – his bosses, mind you – to leave the room. Smith's teams were his Carolina "family," and he was the patriarch.

Integrity

It would have been very easy for Smith, the head coach of a basketball team in a Southern town in the 1960's to have remained silent during the Civil Rights Era. For many, the fear of causing controversy was surely greater than the fear of maintaining an unjust status quo.

But Smith's work to integrate not only ACC basketball but Chapel Hill society in general may be his greatest accomplishment.

Humility

When the Student Activities Center was being built, Smith actually asked that his name be kept off the building. It's one of the few fights he ever lost at UNC, and let's face it: that building could only have been named after Dean Smith.

Faith

Smith opposed the death penalty, in large part on religious grounds, and it became a tradition for him to take his teams to see Death Row. Imagine star basketball players filing through prison and interacting with the most lost of all souls. The message for his players was clear: appreciate what you have in this life, and be careful of the decisions you make: they all have consequences.

These are just some of the things I've been thinking about today as we all remember Dean Smith and his legacy. What an amazing man, and what an amazing life.