He’s Not in Kansas Anymore

Roy Williams wept his way back to North Carolina on Monday, leaving Kansas to return to his beloved, talent-laden alma mater after a week of gut-wrenching indecision.

He informed the Kansas team in a teary afternoon meeting, then jumped on a private plane and was announced as Tar Heel coach at a 9:45 p.m. EDT news conference in Chapel Hill, N.C.

“I was a Tar Heel born. When I die, I’ll be a Tar Heel dead. But in the middle, I have been Tar Heel and Jayhawk-bred, and I am so, so happy and proud of that,” he said before a crowd of cheering boosters.

Williams, 52, returns to his first basketball family by leaving his second. Kansas, the school of James Naismith and Phog Allen, was 418-101 in 15 seasons under Williams, who won hearts and minds and nine conference titles -- everything, it seemed, except an NCAA title.

He made it to two finals, losing to Duke in 1991 and to Syracuse eight days ago, a loss that to the surprise of no one triggered tears from Williams.

Something he never lost was the itch to return home. Williams grew up in Asheville, attended North Carolina and served as an assistant under legendary Dean Smith from 1978 to ’87.

His children, Scott and Kimberly, are recent North Carolina graduates.

Three years ago, Williams spurned an offer from North Carolina -- taking a week to make a decision -- and the job went to former Tar Heel star and Kansas assistant Matt Doherty, then head coach at Notre Dame. But the program faltered, the Tar Heels missed the NCAA tournament the last two years, and Doherty was ousted shortly before the Final Four after alienating players and school administrators.

“The last time I decided to stay, it was because I thought it was the right thing,” Williams said. “This time, I decided to leave because it was the right thing.”

Key members of the North Carolina family -- including the patriarch, Smith, who coached the Tar Heels for 36 seasons -- quietly persuaded Williams to return. He was frequently asked about it during the Final Four and uncharacteristically used a profanity in response to a question after the 81-78 loss to Syracuse in the final.

Williams was in Los Angeles on Sunday to receive the John R. Wooden Legendary Coaching Award and gave the impression he had not reached a decision. He met with North Carolina Athletic Director Dick Baddour and Monday made an anguished choice between two desirable situations.

North Carolina returns all five starters from a team that went 19-16 and advanced to the NIT quarterfinals.

“This has been a very, very long process,” Tar Heel freshman Sean May said. “It’s good to finally have a coach -- and a great one at that.”

Meanwhile, at Kansas, players came to grips with Williams’ departure. Their emotions ranged from dejection to anger.

“It’s sad for the program and the players who are here,” said Jeff Boschee, who graduated last year. “It’s tough for them. I don’t know how I would have handled it.”

Wayne Simien, who dislocated his shoulder in January and later had season-ending surgery, took a harsher tone.

“I gave my right arm for him, literally,” said Simien, wearing a sling. “I gave my right arm for that man.”

Said Williams: “Other than serious injury or death to my family, I’ve never had anything more difficult than what I’ve been through [Monday] with my team, and telling those 13 young men that I was leaving them.”

Bill Self of Illinois is considered the early favorite to replace him, although a decision might take a while because Kansas Athletic Director Al Bohl was fired last week.

Bohl suggested Williams orchestrated his dismissal, releasing a statement saying, “This is a sad day in college athletics when a college basketball coach can hire and fire an athletic director.”

Chancellor Robert Hemenway denied he fired Bohl to convince Williams to stay.

In any case, Williams left, despite the best efforts of the Jayhawk faithful, which inundated the athletics office with e-mails and letters imploring him not to leave.

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Times wire services contributed to this report.

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Rock Chalk Record

Roy Williams at Kansas:

*--* Season W L Pct Postseason 1988-89 19 12 613 1989-90 30 5 857 NCAA tournament, second round 1990-91 27 8 771 NCAA Final Four, lost in final 1991-92 27 5 844 NCAA tournament, second round 1992-93 29 7 806 NCAA Final Four, lost in semifinals 1993-94 27 8 771 NCAA tournament, round of 16 1994-95 25 6 806 NCAA tournament, round of 16 1995-96 29 5 853 NCAA tournament, round of eight 1996-97 34 2 944 NCAA tournament, round of 16 1997-98 35 4 897 NCAA tournament, second round 1998-99 23 10 697 NCAA tournament, second round 1999-00 24 10 706 NCAA tournament, second round 2000-01 26 7 788 NCAA tournament, round of 16 2001-02 33 4 892 NCAA Final Four, lost in semifinals 2002-03 30 8 789 NCAA Final Four, lost in final Totals 418 101 805 NCAA tournament: 34-14

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