Williams and Self consider each other friends. Self brought a national championship to Kansas in 2008, something Williams couldn’t pull off in Lawrence but has since accomplished twice at North Carolina.
The bottom line is, hey, Roy Williams, Ted Owens, Dick Harp, Phog Allen, Larry Brown … it doesn’t make any difference who the head coach is. Self admitted that his father was, in effect, calling him “soft.” That “was a good call,” Self recalled, “because I was being soft. You’re exactly right.’ And I said, ‘So, you don’t think I should take it?’ He told me, ‘No, if you’re scared to follow him, you’re right, I don’t think you should take it.’ “ “(Dad) said, ‘You know what, you’re right. He’s loved there,’ ” Self recalled about mulling over the offer from Kansas. “I called my dad and said, ‘I don’t know if I can do this. He knew all about Kansas tradition, having competed against the Jayhawks as a player at Oklahoma State and then serving as a graduate assistant at KU under Larry Brown.īut Self acknowledged Saturday that he had some reservations about following Williams, who had led the Jayhawks to four Final Fours, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and nine conference titles in 15 years. Self left a successful program at Illinois and took the plunge. There’s an old saying in the coaching profession that it’s never wise to follow a legend but fine to follow the guy who followed the legend. But the passion that the people (of Kansas) have for basketball is just unmatched.” And now my favorite basketball program of all time is North Carolina and my second is Kansas. “(While at Kansas) my second favorite program was North Carolina. “It was 15 years of my life that I felt like I gave my heart and my body and my soul. “The University of Kansas is nothing but great, great memories for me,” Williams said. “I don’t know at nine years, 19 years, 29 years,” Williams said. Williams was asked if nine years away from Lawrence will make today any easier. The Jayhawks ousted his Tar Heels 84-66 in the 2008 national semifinals. Today’s meeting will mark only the second time Williams has faced Kansas since he left. Time may heal old wounds, but feelings for a former love can stick to the heart. Williams coached 15 seasons at Kansas, leaving for his alma mater days after the Jayhawks lost to Carmelo Anthony-led Syracuse in the 2003 national championship game. It has everything to do with what Williams feels inside his gut.
That is no reflection of the quality of teams headed for New Orleans. If the Tar Heels can just get through the afternoon and manage to win the thing, preparing for the Final Four could feel like a walk in the park this week. LOUIS - Judging from the emotion and sincerity evident in his voice during Saturday interviews, North Carolina coach Roy Williams must feel that today’s Midwest Regional final against Kansas will be his biggest hurdle, if not the team’s. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu
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