New story details how Roy Williams nearly landed at Big Ten program

In a fascinating story, Roy Williams almost landed at a Big Ten program. Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated detailed what almost was in his “Varsity Letters: Inside a Basketball Bromance” story.

While Wertheim focused on the history between legendary basketball coaches Dean Smith and Bob Knight, the excerpt regarding the former Kansas and North Carolina coach is bound to turn heads.

“Here’s another throwback: Roy Williams recalls that when he was a Carolina assistant in the 1980s, he began to get restless,” wrote Wertheim. “Around the same time, Knight was trying to add someone to his staff.”

According to Williams, Dean Smith said to Bob Knight, “Well, who are you looking for?”

Then, Coach Knight responded, “Somebody like Roy.”

Wertheim continues: “Smith offered to lend Williams to Knight for a year. Knight would get access to a bright, diligent coach. Williams would get exposure to another program and would likely return energized and with new ideas. Smith was, apparently, unconcerned that Knight would try to poach Williams. Knight was, apparently, unconcerned that Williams would return with trade secrets.

“Williams went home to bounce the idea off his wife, Wanda. She had just read John Feinstein’s A Season on the Brink, which portrayed Knight as both a basketball genius and an emotionally turbulent bully. ‘She said, ‘Are you serious?” Williams recalls. He graciously declined the sabbatical.”

Evidently, Knight was a fan of the story, as Williams recalled his reaction to the situation.

“When I told Coach Knight that story, he thought that was the funniest thing he’d ever heard,” stated Williams. “But, yeah, that shows you what great friends they were and what trust they had.”

As you can see, the history of college basketball could’ve been changed. If Williams joined Knight, who knows where the coach — and the programs — would be.

More on Roy Williams, North Carolina Tar Heels

In the end, things worked out peachy for Roy Williams. After remaining with Dean Smith at North Carolina — despite Bob Knight’s attempt at courting him — he was hired by Kansas in 1988. There, he helped build the Jayhawks into a perennial contender, reaching multiple Final Fours. Then, he was hired to replace his mentor at North Carolina in 2003.

For almost two decades, the impressive coach led the Tar Heels as one of the greatest programs in the sport. When he retired in 2021, he retired as a three-time NCAA Division I Tournament Champion. He’s been inducted into both the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame, possessing a total record on 903-264 as a head coach.

The history between Bob Knight and Dean Smith led to Roy Williams having a legendary career. All three coaches are immortal — enshrined in the immense history of the sport.