Unbelivable Tar Heels, former head coach Dean Smith, has announced his return to the team.
I recently discovered a copy of John Kilgo’s Carolina Basketball, which provided a sneak peek at the 1997–98 campaign, while sorting through some boxes:
The article provided a thorough and in-depth analysis of the North Carolina Tar Heels. The player interviews and the performance and outlook evaluations serve as benchmarks for contemporary publications.
Looking back at another season of transition was interesting, as it represented a changing era in Carolina basketball history.
But after Smith led the Tar Heels for 36 years, this Carolina basketball retrospective was not what you might have anticipated.
Kilgo was obviously unaware of Smith’s declaration that rocked the college basketball world on October 9, 1997, despite their tight relationship.
Take note of the cover, which has an Antawn Jamison dunk and a moment from Smith’s 878th victory versus Cal in the East Regional Semifinal.
“Dean Smith hands off to Guthridge” is written in the upper corner in a font that is smaller and distinct from the rest of the cover. a quick-seeming addition.
There is a section on the questions for this year on the first page. In retrospect, a crucial query was absent:
Without Serge Zwikker in the middle, how will the Tar Heels perform in 1997–98? Can Makhtar Ndiaye bounce back and establish himself as a dominant center? Who is going to supply depth off the bench? Do any of the newcomers feel prepared to help out? What kind of defensive strategy will Dean Smith employ this year? Enjoy reading.
The wording used in the season and player previews is geared toward Smith’s 37th season leading the Tar Heels. Even Smith’s head coach status is listed on page 67 of the roster.
Players who haven’t proven themselves at this level need to step up and provide some depth before Smith can even consider reverting to a pressure defensive strategy.
“Dean Smith builds his schedule to prepare his team for tournament basketball, not to guarantee a ton of wins against cupcakes, as he does with all of his Carolina teams.”
The coaches section completes the 128-page magazine, which also includes player biographies, the record book, a section on Carmichael Classics, and an interview with Dick Vitale.
This section introduces Bill Guthridge as Smith’s successor. Guthridge quotations are among the high-quality items in this update. Some occurred after October 9 and some prior to the announcement.
Pat Sullivan, the current director of recruiting for UNC basketball and Guthridge’s new assistant coach, was not present in the material.
The last section is devoted to Smith’s professional life. It featured quotes from lettermen and the viewpoints of the current team.
“His records will never be broken” is declared clearly in this part using a huge typeface.
This seems like a Nostradamic declaration in modern times. But it seemed fitting in 1997, when this monster just quit the game following a season in which the Tar Heels won 16 straight games to win the ACC title and advance to the Final Four.
However, records were being broken. On the all-time victories list, Smith was even surpassed by his most successful collegiate coaching protege, about whom the magazine declared that “this record will be known as Dean Smith’s record going forward.”
You can always make a connection between the past and the present when it comes to Carolina basketball. The magnitude of the 1997 event was comparable to the surprise announcement made a few months prior on April Fool’s Day.
