SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame celebrates the life and mourns the passing of legendary University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith. Smith was known for being highly respected among his coaching peers and for developing one of the most impactful coaching trees in the game of basketball.
“The Basketball Hall of Fame joins the entire basketball community to mourn the passing of Dean Smith, one of the most extraordinary coaching icons in the history of the game,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Coach Smith was a man of great integrity who influenced the game of basketball in such a positive manner. He had such an impact on the lives of hundreds of his players and coaches as well as so many others that he reached on and off the court during his lifetime.”
Dean Smith was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983. Smith coached the University of North Carolina Tar Heels from 1961 to 1997, leading them to eleven Final Four appearances and two NCAA championships (1982, 1993). He retired as the winningest coach in college basketball after his teams won at least 20 games for 27 years straight. He also coached the 1976 U.S. National team to Olympic gold.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
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