Michael Jordan on Dean Smith: 'My mentor, my teacher, my second father'
Michael Jordan issued a statement on the passing of legendary coach Dean Smith.
By
Zach Harper
•
1 min read
Legendary North Carolina coach and basketball icon Dean Smith passed away Saturday night at the age of 83. As the basketball world mourns the loss of one of the greatest people to ever be involved in sports, his most famous student Michael Jordan issued a statement on the passing of someone who was one of the biggest influences of his life.
“Other than my parents, no one had a bigger influence on my life than Coach Smith. He was more than a coach – he was my mentor, my teacher, my second father. Coach was always there for me whenever I needed him and I loved him for it. In teaching me the game of basketball, he taught me about life. My heart goes out to Linnea and their kids. We've lost a great man who had an incredible impact on his players, his staff and the entire UNC family.” Michael Jordan
Jordan attended North Carolina under Smith from 1981 to 1984, playing three seasons and winning a national championship in 1982. He's always spoken with the utmost respect and reverence when it comes to his college coach, who touched the lives of thousands of athletes in the sport of basketball and beyond. Jordan took the teaching of Smith and went on to become the greatest player in NBA history, setting the standard for superstardom and everything we judge athletes on in any sport.
