Friday, February 26, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section C · Page 7
7
Roy Williams: Legend in the making
Roy Williams came to the University of Kansas from North Carolina in 1988. Since then, he has become the NCAA coach with the highest winning percentage. Photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
By Amanda Kaschube
Kansan sportswriter
On July 8,1988,Roy Williams was named head basketball coach at the University of Kansas.
Eleven seasons later, he has the highest winning percentage (81.9) among Division I coaches and the most wins in the first ten seasons of a coaching career (282).
In the last eight years, Williams' squad has won seven conference championships. And in the last nine years, the team has won at least 25 games each season.
Williams has led Kansas to nine consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including the Final Four in 1991 and 1993.
Only "Phog" Allen and Ted Owens coached longer than Williams has at KU.
About the athletes
B. J. Williams' speech at senior night 1997 shows the impact Williams has on his players.
"Words can't describe what he's meant to me over the last four years," B.J. Williams said. "I'm a better person for having known (him)"
And along with the success Williams has had with his players on the court, they are also successful off the
court.
Williams has produced 22 academic all-conference players and two Academic All-Americans, Jacque Vaughn and Jerod Haase.
Perhaps Williams' teams have multifaceted success because of the care he takes when he recruits.
He said that when he was recruiting an athlete — or considering recruiting him "still watched every
— Williams watched every move he made.
"If he goes to the water fountain, I watch every move. When the coach is talking to him at time-outs, I watch (everything). I mean he doesn't do anything I don't see." Williams said.
About this year
Williams' team has been criticized this year for lack of leadership.
"I think sometimes leadership is over-blown. You've got to make plays. I don't think we have bad leadership on this team. I think Ryan and T.J., in particular because they've been here four years, have really done a good job."
He said that he thought leadership was sometimes over-rated — but he added that it could make a coaching job a lot easier.
"Words can't describe what he's meant to me over the last four years. I'm a better person for having known (him)."
B.J. Williams
former Kansas basketball player
About his past
Williams started from humble beginnings and has grown to celebrity status in the state of Kansas.
He grew up in the small town of Biltmore, N.C., where he later lettered in basketball and baseball at T.C. Roberson High School.
He attended the University of North Carolina and graduated with a degree in education in 1972.
He played basketball at North Carolina, where his desire to be a coach began, as a non-scholarship player his freshman year. He often watched head coach Dean Smith's practices to gain more knowledge about the game and its techniques.
In 1978, UNC hired Williams as an assistant coach, where he coached with Smith for ten years.
During that time, he
recruited Matt Doherty, now assistant coach at Kansas, and former Bulls player Michael Jordan.
Even though Williams had success at North Carolina, he left Chapel Hill for another hill — in Kansas.
In Fall 1988, Williams joined the rich tradition that is Kansas basketball. He became the University's seventh head coach.
The previous season at Kansas, Danny Manning and teammates won the NCAA Championship with head coach Larry Brown. The next year, Brown left KU, Manning left and Williams entered the picture.
Williams had strict penalties handed to him because of violations that had occurred before his arrival, and Kansas was not be allowed to play in the postseason in 1989.
Williams won his first game Nov. 25, 1988 against Alaska-Anchorage, 94-81.
Despite the restrictions, Kansas went 19-12 during the season, winning 13 of its first 14. In the next season, Williams was named Big Eight and National Coach of the Year.
During the 1990-91 season, the Jayhawks won the Big Eight title and made it to the final game of the tournament. In the Final Four,
Williams beat his alma mater and former team North Carolina, 79-73.
On March 27. 1993, Williams won his 100th game against Colorado in the first round of the Big Eight Tournament.
Kansas advanced to the Final Four again in 1983 by beating top-ranked Indiana and winning the Midwest Regional.
During the next five seasons, Williams' teams made five consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament, won the final Big Eight Crown in 1996 and won the first Big 12 conference title against K-State in 1997.
Williams has the second highest NCAA tournament winning percentage (70) just behind Mike Krzyzewski of Duke.
Williams' players have earned 11 all-conference honors, 4 All-American honors and conference player-of-the-year three times.
He also finds time to give back to the community.
He has coached the Roy Williams Basketball Camp for ten years and is part of the Coaches vs. Cancer program where he has raised more than $130,000. Williams also is a part of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program and the Special Olympics.
A spoken word with Marian Washington
Edited by Duane Wagler
Mike Harryity's 20 questions with women's basketball coach Marian Washington:
Marian Washington has had the privilege of coaching phenomenal female athletes such as Lynette Woodard during her years at the University of Kansas. She recently discussed a variety of issues with Kansan sportwriter Mike Harrity. Photo by Jay Shepherd/KANSAN
Harrise: Tell me about the time you dunked at Robinson Center.
Washington: Ted Owens was the coach here, and it was in the early '70s. I became a familiar with a few of his players from teaching badminton over at the P.E. department. I don't know how it even came about, but they were saying things like, "No woman can get up around the rim." So they took me over to the old gym at Robinson. The hard part for women was being able to hold on to the ball. That was the main thing, because if you look back at guys like Dr. J, who was the big player back in my time, that ball was more or less like a volleyball for him. So it wasn't like women couldn't get above the rim, it was just whether you could get above enough and hold on to it.
I just thanked God. Because you know you're being teased by some guys, and I was just glad I could do it.
So I knew a dunk was going to take a little bit of luck to have the ball in my hand to where it needed to be. I don't know how many times I went after it, but I finally put one down. I don't know if it was that pretty, but it went down. Everybody was talking about it like it was some amazing feat.
**Harrity:** Hypothetical situation:
Your home is on fire. Your family is safe. What are five possessions that you would go back and get?
Washington: That's a great question. Anything that could not be replaced, that's the bottom line. Like pictures and sentimental jewelry that I could not replace. That's how it would work. It would be anything that I couldn't replace.
Harrity: Who was the celebrity you were most awestruck meeting?
Washington: I saw Patti LaBelle at an airport one time. I was always so in awe of her life and her talents.
I was just walking and this cart was
going in the opposite direction with all these people on it. And I turned around and there she was, sitting in the back of the cart. And I just said, "Patti." And she just started waving.
And also President Clinton. He's unbelievable. It's just a charisma about him. And he truly is a real caring person. It's not about just going through the motions with him. He's unbelievable.
**Harrity:** How do you feel about Clinton's situation?
Washington: I think he made a terrible mistake. It was personal, and I think it was really cruel how they went about trying to get him. It was very cruel. I try to put myself in people's shoes, and I can tell you that the way he was exposed and to the degree he was exposed was uncalled for. I mean, we didn't have to hear all the details over and over again. It's not right. I mean, they didn't spare us any details, and I think that was cruel. It was obvious that he made a mistake, but I think that they could have censured him and let the people decide what was going to happen after that. But, I think they went way over the line.
I really felt angered that he allowed himself to be in that position because he's been a great president. Just making a poor judgment in his personal life really put him in a position where people really forgot what the real issues were. I'm glad that he was acquitted, but I don't think that anybody could do any more to him than what's been done.
Harrity: Who is the best basket-
ball player ever?
Washington: Certainly Michael Jordan for men. And I would have to say, still, Lynette Woodard. I can tell you that I have a player right now (Lynn Pride) that has the potential of being one of the best ever. But the reason I'd say Lynette is because of what she's accomplished in her four years, and then some. No one ever has come close to matching what she's done. People don't know all that she's done every single year she's played.
Then to see her play, finally, at the age of 39 in the WNBA — you're not going to find many athletes that are able to do what she is still capable of doing at that age.
There was an attitude that Lynette had, that if I could take that attitude and give it to someone like Lynn. Lynn has the physical potential of being one of the most awesome players ever. But Lynette had
no fears. And if there's a separation, I'd say that's how Lynette stands apart.
Harrity: Who would win a one-on-one game between you and Lynn Pride?
remember when I played one-on-one with Lynette, and I beat her (in the late '70s). And it was because I was able to do some of things defensively I was able to do. I would say today, definitely Lynn. But I would try and talk Lynn out of her game.
Harrity: Who is your favorite musician of all time?
Washington: There would be lots of them, but if I was going to listen to one artist, it would be (gospel singer) Mahalia Jackson. And I'm into Yanni right now. Some of what he does is unbelievable. He has this violinist and, by God, he plays the violin like I've never heard before.
And another one is Andrea Bocelli. Luciano Pavarotti. Whitney Houston. I like very soullful music. Patti LaBelle. Aretha Franklin. Celine Dion. And Marvin Gaye was the best of them all for me when it comes to men. He was unbelievable — I loved him.
Harrity; Favorite movie?
Washington: Lots of them, I love all the Biblical ones. Of the current ones, I like Conspiracy Theory, L.A. Confidential.
I love all Fred Astaire movies. I love dancing, and he was unbelievable. He was so creative he could just do anything with anyone and create some kind of art.
Harrity: Back to basketball. Do you ever feel overshadowed by the men's team?
Washington: It never bothers me about the men's team. I'm always happy for them, and I'm very proud of them. I always talk about our unbelievable history and tradition here. It's just that I've always felt that there was room for both. That's the only frustration that I feel from time to time. It's happening, but it's still slow, for me.
I've always had the dream that this University would be one that really could show everybody how it's done. We have two really fine programs and I just think there's room for both.
Harrity: Have you ever parachuted or bungee jumped?
Washington. No. And I would never do it. I don't like heights.
Harrity: Would you ever consider coaching in the WNBA?
Washington: Well, sure. I've had people talk to me about it that last couple of years. It's just that where the WNBA is when it comes to coaches, we're not that far along yet in terms of security. It's still very new and most of the focus is on the players. I do believe that eventually it's going to be a very lucrative avenue.
Harrity: How many more years do you think you'll coach?
Washington: I don't know. I think that the players have kept me wanting to stay in this game at this level. Because I've been fortunate to bring in some great women. Not just competitors, but they've been great people, and they've become great friends of mine. When you're kind of down and out, and you're not sure you want to get back up and do it again, you think about doing it because someone will be looking for you. The athletes have really made this profession really special for me. They've given me some unbelievable memories. So when I do retire, I'm going to have a ball. I'm just going to have fun and enjoy my friends. There are so many things I'm still interested in and don't have a chance to do them. When it's time, I know that I'll know.
Word Association:
600 wins. "Unbelievable."
Lynette Woodard. "Greatness."
Allen Fieldhouse. "History."
Fred Astaire. "Wonderful, gifted,
gravelful."
rfamily. "Loving and necessary." Row Williams. "Great."
Winning. "I like the idea that it makes a lot of people happy, not just myself."
Final Four. "I pray that one day I can do that."
Edited by Jason Pearce
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