Why UNC coach Roy Williams stood by his ‘least-gifted team’ comments after Pitt loss
Roy Williams stood by the comments he made on his radio show Monday that this was the “least-gifted team” he’s coached since returning to North Carolina.
Williams, who was previously an assistant under Dean Smith, became the Tar Heels’ head coach in 2003. He has 879 wins in 32 seasons as the head coach at Kansas and UNC, which is tied with Smith for fourth-most all-time.
Williams also said he wasn’t trying to motivate his team or send a message through his comments.
“I didn’t make that for any reason other than I was telling the truth,” Williams said after UNC’s 73-65 loss to Pitt on Wednesday.
At the time he made the comments, Williams was speaking about his frustrations with the Tar Heels’ effort in their loss to Georgia Tech last Saturday. In that game, the Tar Heels didn’t score their first field goal until 6:49 left in the first half. At one point, UNC trailed 30-6. Williams felt his team did not give enough effort in the first half.
He said because this team didn’t have as much talent as some of his others, this team would have to bring its “A-game” every night.
Williams’ comments on Monday drew a lot of attention from fans, whether they agreed or disagreed.
But he maintained that he was telling the truth.
“With the team I (put) out there on the floor, I’ve got one McDonald’s All-American out there, because Cole (Anthony) is not playing, and we’ve had some teams that have had a lot more than that,” Williams said. “So I stand by that. Anybody that wants to make a big deal about that, that’s their prerogative.”
“I’m not going to be perfect, never have been perfect, and don’t really care to be perfect.”
The Tar Heels are not as gifted as they’ve been in the past, and are losing as a result. They’ve lost six of their last eight games, and are 8-7 through their first 15 games. It’s their worst start since Williams became head coach.
The theme this season has been the Tar Heels’ inability to score and injuries. Anthony, who has missed the last six games with a knee injury, was the Tar Heels’ leading scorer, and the only player who has shown he can create his own shot.
Without him, everything appears to be a struggle in the halfcourt. The Tar Heels are taking wild shots late in the shot clock, turning it over at high rates, and missing badly.
Senior Brandon Robinson and freshman Armando Bacot both said they weren’t bothered by what their coach said. They instead tried to use it as motivation against Pitt.
UNC jumped out to a 14-point lead midway through the first half, and led by nine points at halftime. For one half, they were playing one of their best games without Anthony.
But the lead eventually evaporated as Pitt knocked down 3-pointer after 3-pointer in the second half. Pitt sophomore guard Trey McGowens and freshman Justin Champagnie combined to shoot 7 of 9 from behind the 3-point line in the second half.
Most of those 3’s were wide open.
“I mean, I feel like that’s why we came out so hard in the first half,” Bacot said of Williams’ comments. “Obviously we didn’t win the game, but it definitely motivated us.
“But I don’t think coach (meant) no harm in it. He still believes in us. He’s just coach. That’s how he is. He keeps it real.”
Said Robinson: “It’s just his opinion.”
The Tar Heels play Clemson on Saturday at home, and their 59-0 record against the Tigers in Chapel Hill is on the line. Robinson said the Tar Heels will keep playing and won’t worry about the criticism.
“He’s been around a lot of great teams,” Robinson said of his coach. “We can be the least talented he had, but if we go out here and win, I don’t think it really matters.
“So I’m not paying no mind to it, and we’re not paying no mind to that.”
This story was originally published January 8, 2020 at 11:30 PM.
