Dean Smith, 1964
UNC Athletics stands as one of the most respected programs in the nation, and no figure embodies its values more deeply than Dean Smith. As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Carolina’s athletic journey since the 1976 Bicentennial offers a revealing lens into the evolution of college sports—an evolution shaped, in many ways, by Smith’s influence on what leadership, integrity, and teamwork should look like.
Dean Smith
Smith, the legendary UNC basketball coach who passed away in 2015 at age 83, always seemed like the exception in a field known for ego and excess. Raised in Emporia, Kansas, by Baptist schoolteachers, he betrayed no slickness or swagger. “We’d all joke around and say, ‘If I had the kind of juice Coach Smith did, I’d use it a lot differently,’” recalled former point guard King Rice. “I wouldn’t be that humble.” Yet humility was fundamental to Smith’s identity. He believed character was as important as talent, and he modeled that belief every day.
Known for remembering the names of managers, support staff, and every player who wore Carolina blue—from superstars like Michael Jordan and James Worthy to walk-ons—Smith ran a program untouched by scandal. He never cheated, threw tantrums, or played to the cameras. His players graduated, and they learned life lessons that extended far beyond the court.
Critics sometimes argued that Smith’s insistence on shared sacrifice limited individual stardom. “Only Dean Smith,” the joke went, “held Michael Jordan to under 20 points per game.” But Carolina always had the last word: winning. When he retired in 1997 with 879 victories, he held the record for the most wins in Division I men’s basketball. His teams made 11 Final Four appearances and won two national championships. Jordan would later say, “Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith,” which is a testament to the profound respect Smith earned.
Dean Smith with basketball players Michael Jordan, Matt Doherty, and Sam Perkins, 1982
Smith’s legacy continues to shape UNC Athletics across all sports—football, soccer, swimming, rowing, and especially the powerhouse non-revenue programs that define Carolina’s modern identity. Field hockey, women’s lacrosse, and the nationally recognized ultimate frisbee teams reflect the same discipline and pride Smith championed. These athletes compete not for television contracts but for the love of the game and the honor of representing Carolina.
Today, UNC navigates a rapidly shifting NCAA landscape marked by NIL opportunities, the transfer portal, and conference realignment. While these changes introduce complexity and new pressures, the university continues to anchor itself in the values Smith made famous.
As America marks 250 years, UNC stands as a reminder that tradition and progress can coexist—and that a program built on character can continue to thrive in even the most challenging times.
“I can’t put his impact on me into words,” said former player Phil Ford. “I don’t know where I’d be without him in my life. He’s been such an influence on me, and a friend and a brother and a father figure.”
Dean Smith’s success transformed UNC-Chapel Hill into a household name far beyond basketball. His teams drew national attention, increased media coverage, and contributed to Chapel Hill becoming a destination for sports fans, students, and families. The “Carolina Way”—his philosophy of humility, teamwork, and academic excellence—became closely tied to the identity and pride of the community.
Today’s college basketball landscape looks very different today, but Dean Smith’s principles need not be abandoned. Those principles are to honor the team above the individual, to coach and play with integrity, to treat every person with dignity, and to remember that winning means nothing if you lose sight of the values that got you there. His legacy reminds us that character, compassion, and unselfishness will always be the true measure of the Carolina Way—and the American Way, as well.
Laurie Paolicelli. Orange Slices
EDITORS’ NOTE: In celebration of America 250, the Orange County Visitors Bureau will publish A Gathering of Voices, available July 4, 2026. Written by Valarie Schwartz, this 48-page commemorative book highlights the people, places, and pivotal events that have shaped Orange County over the past 250 years.
This Orange Slices column was published 11/25/25.