Thrive for next five: Roy won't allow Carolina complacency
No. 4: North Carolina
Everybody loves lists.
They're easy to read, simple to follow and always the spark for great debate. They work because you make them work by reacting, forever pointing out what was missed and what was missed badly.
So because I'm a glutton for punishment, there was no doubt I was doing a list during this slow part of the college basketball season (it's not even college basketball season, hence the slowness). The only question was what kind of list and how long it would be, which is why I started searching for ideas.
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| Roy Williams' dedication is what will keep the Heels competitive. (Getty Images) |
Predicting being my specialty, I'm spending the next four weeks looking at which programs are absolutely headed in the right direction on every level possible. Forget who was great yesterday and who is great today. Let's focus on who will be great, say, five years from now because they have excellent coaches in place who are still in their primes and in no hurry to leave; excellent facilities that are improving; excellent administrations that are fully committed; and excellent recruiting bases in place that aren't changing anytime soon.
Georgetown is great today.
But the administration isn't paying John Thompson III market value. So will he be there much longer?
Arizona is great today.
But Lute Olson can't coach forever. So will his replacement keep it going?
Indiana is great today.
But Assembly Hall is outdated. So will Kelvin Sampson keep recruiting elite talent to an inferior arena?
These are the types of things that must be considered.
So consider them.
Now watch and read as I spend the next four Fridays -- starting now -- unveiling the four best programs (like the Final Four, get it?) in terms of direction using the factors I've noted and more. Then on June 1 I'll get to No. 1, at which time I'll also unveil what I believe will be the Top 10 programs in the nation five years from now.
Sounds fun, right?
(Don't answer that)
Anyway, let's get going.
Without further ado, I present No. 4.
North Carolina
The case for the Tar Heels: This is a school that has produced Hall of Famers and national titles. So it's no surprise North Carolina is on the list because, though the program had some down years in the post-Dean Smith era, there's nothing to suggest the bad times are returning. Under Roy Williams, UNC is again a true power, evidence being how it will have perhaps the most-talented roster in the country next season thanks to Tyler Hansbrough, Tywon Lawson and Wayne Ellington. And after that group leaves it'll simply be more of the same because -- according to Scout.com -- North Carolina is involved with each of the top five available prospects in the Class of 2008, on track to secure another stellar group of recruits capable of dominating the ACC.
The best attribute: Everybody loves the tradition, but it's not as self-supporting as some think. How much did Kentucky's tradition help Tubby Smith recruit the past few years? Not much at all, which is why Williams' presence and tireless approach is crucial to sustaining success. On the summer circuit, he's one of the few who noticeably focuses on what's happening on the court. Most coaches sit and talk to each other -- or people like myself -- during events; Williams is the only coach I've ever seen cut off an interview by saying, "The games are about to start. I need to do my job." From a writing standpoint, it was awful. But it's hard to fault a man for taking his business so seriously, and if Williams still has that type of commitment to the grind of recruiting after all his accomplishments, then it's reasonable to assume he's not getting lazy. And as long as he doesn't get lazy, he -- and in turn North Carolina -- is only going to get better.
The final word: Another thing about Williams that makes him different than some colleagues is that he's recruiting and coaching at a high level, but there seems to be no chance of him leaving for the NBA. That's a rare combination in college basketball today. But because North Carolina is his dream job and the school has the resources to pay him similarly to an NBA coach, it's doubtful Williams could be lured away. In other words, I expect him to retire at UNC, but I don't expect that to happen for at least another decade, meaning my 4-year-old son might be in high school before the Tar Heels slip again.
