Dean Edward Smith

Dean Edwards Smith was born on February 28, 1931, in Emporia, Kansas. He was the only child of Vesta and Alfred Smith. Smith’s father was a teacher and his mother was a homemaker. Smith had a happy childhood, and he was close to his parents and his extended family.

Smith attended Emporia High School, where he was a star athlete in basketball, football, and baseball. He was also a good student. After high school, Smith attended the University of Kansas, where he played basketball for Phog Allen. Smith was a member of the 1952 Kansas team that won the national championship.

After graduating from Kansas, Smith served in the United States Air Force for four years. After his military service, Smith returned to Kansas to coach basketball. He was an assistant coach for two years before becoming the head coach in 1961.

Smith was a successful coach at Kansas. He won 295 games and lost only 81. He also won two national championships, in 1982 and 1993. Smith was known for his innovative coaching style and his ability to get the most out of his players.

Dean Smith the player and coach

Coaching

Dean Smith’s basketball strategy was based on the idea of “passing the ball until you find an open shot.” He believed that if his team could pass the ball well and move without the ball, they would eventually find an open shot. Smith also believed in the importance of defense. He believed that his team had to be able to defend well in order to be successful.

Smith’s basketball strategy was successful. He won two national championships at North Carolina, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith’s teams were known for their passing, their movement without the ball, and their defense.

Smith’s achievements for the UNC basketball program include:

  • 295 wins and 81 losses
  • 2 national championships
  • 11 Final Four appearances
  • 14 ACC regular season championships
  • 7 ACC tournament championships
  • 20 ACC Coach of the Year awards
  • 1982 NCAA Coach of the Year award
  • 1993 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Smith: Retirement

In 1997, Smith retired from coaching. He was succeeded by Roy Williams. Smith continued to live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he died on February 7, 2015.

Smith was a pioneer in the use of the four-corner offense and the press defense. He was also a strong advocate for racial equality. Smith was a beloved figure in the world of college basketball, and his legacy will live on for many years to come.

Some of the players that Smith coached include Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and Phil Ford. Smith was a father figure to many of his players, and he helped them to become not only great basketball players, but also great men.

Smith’s legacy is one of success, innovation, and mentorship. He was a true pioneer in the world of college basketball, and his influence can still be seen today.

Player’s Coach

Some of the most prominent players to be coached by Dean Smith include:

  • Michael Jordan
  • James Worthy
  • Sam Perkins
  • Phil Ford
  • Kenny Smith
  • Rasheed Wallace
  • Vince Carter
  • Antawn Jamison

These players were all All-Americans and many went on to have successful careers in the NBA. They were all coached by Dean Smith and learned from his legendary coaching style.

 Smith & Allen

Phog Allen coached Dean Smith at the University of Kansas. Smith was a reserve guard on the Kansas team that won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title in 1952.  Dean Smith only played for Phog Allen for two years at Kansas. He transferred to the University of North Carolina after his sophomore year.

Dean Smith and Phog Allen had a complicated relationship. Smith was a player on Allen’s teams at Kansas, and he later worked as an assistant coach under Allen. Smith admired Allen’s coaching ability, but he also disagreed with some of Allen’s views on race. After Allen retired, Smith took over as the head coach at North Carolina. Smith went on to become one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history, and he credited Allen with helping him develop his coaching philosophy. However, Smith also said that he never forgot Allen’s views on race, and that he tried to make sure that his own teams were more inclusive.

 Legacy: Coach Smith

Dean Smith had a direct influence on the game of basketball in many ways. He was a pioneer of the “four-corners offense,” which was a slow-down offense that was designed to control the tempo of the game. He also was a strong advocate for the importance of defense, and he helped to popularize the “pack-line defense,” which is a defensive strategy that focuses on denying the opponent’s best player the ball.

Smith also had a major influence on the way that basketball is coached. He was one of the first coaches to use video to scout opponents and to break down game film with his players. He also was one of the first coaches to use a statistical analysis of the game to helphim make decisions.

Smith’s influence on the game of basketball is still felt today. Many of the coaches who are currently coaching in the NBA and college basketball learned from Smith, and they are using the same strategies that he used to be successful. Smith’s legacy is one of innovation, dedication, and success.

Dean Smith: Contributions

Here are some of Dean Smith’s direct contributions to the game of basketball:

  • He was the first coach to use the four-corners offense, which was a slow-down offense that was designed to control the tempo of the game.
  • He was a strong advocate for the importance of defense, and he helped to popularize the “pack-line defense,” which is a defensive strategy that focuses on denying the opponent’s best player the ball.
  • He was one of the first coaches to use video to scout opponents and to break down game film with his players.
  • He was one of the first coaches to use a statistical analysis of the game to help him make decisions.

Smith’s influence on the game of basketball is still felt today. Many of the coaches who are currently coaching in the NBA and college basketball learned from Smith, and they are using the same strategies that he used to be successful. Smith’s legacy is one of innovation, dedication, and success.

Hometown Athletes

Marcus Semien

Marcus Semien

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Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor

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Whalen High School

Lindsay Whalen

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