Sports

Smith’s Impact Goes Beyond UNC, Basketball After His Death

Published

10 years ago

February 9, 2015

Charlotte Hornets players pause with the Indiana Pacers and the crowd for a moment of silence in honor of former North Carolina head coach Dean Smith before an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Aaron Beard, ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP)—Dean Smith accomplished so much on and off the court during his time as North Carolina’s coach, leaving a lasting influence both on the game and the world around him.

He preached the value of team play and turned the Tar Heels program into a family, inspiring fierce loyalty in the countless players and coaches who came through Chapel Hill during Smith’s 36-year tenure there. Away from the bench, Smith took stands on societal issues — most notably in civil rights — that resonated in the once-segregated South.

The retired Hall of Fame coach died “peacefully” Saturday, his family said in a statement released by the school Sunday. He had kept a lower profile amid health issues in recent years, with his family saying in 2010 he had a condition that was causing him to lose the memory that was once unshakeable.

But his legacy never wavered. Here are some of the ways that Smith’s presence will be felt at UNC, in college basketball and beyond for years to come.

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FOUR CORNERS: Seeing Smith hold up four fingers meant the Tar Heels were ready to work the clock. That “Four Corners” offense was a slowdown strategy to control the game and lure the defense out to chase the ball. Most notably, UNC went to it in the 1982 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament final against Virginia and 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson and turned a game between highly ranked teams into a crawl — the kind of moment that helped ultimately lead to the adoption of the shot clock.

POINT TO THE PASSER: The rule was simple: when you score, point to the guy that passed you the ball to set up the basket. It was the epitome of Smith’sattempts to deflect credit for all those wins — 879, making him the sport’s winningest coach when he retired in October 1997 — to his players throughout his career.

CIVIL RIGHTS: Under Smith, Charles Scott became the first black scholarship athlete at the school in 1967 and one of the first in the South. It was just one example of why President Barack Obama honored Smith with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, saying Smith “pushed forward” the civil rights movement. But his efforts started early, with a teenage Smith even attempting — unsuccessfully at the time — to desegregate his high school basketball team in Topeka, Kansas. “He stood on solid footing, whether it was popular or not,” former UNC player Eric Montross said, “because he believed in it.”

SHAPING STARS: More than 50 of his players went on to play in the NBA or ABA — none bigger than Michael Jordan, who called Smith “my mentor, my teacher, my second father.” But the list of great players coached by Smith includes Phil Ford, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison — not to mention many others who had lower-profile careers or played overseas. “There are so many things I could say about Coach Dean Smith,” Worthy tweeted Sunday, “but simply put, he is the greatest man I’ve ever known.”

COACHING TREE: Smith’s coaching tree of former players and assistants starts with a pair of Hall of Famers in current UNC coach Roy Williams and SMU coach Larry Brown. But there have been other disciples such as George Karl, Jeff Lebo and Eddie Fogler who have led college or pro teams in the years sinceSmith’s retirement. Still others, such as Mitch Kupchak, have gone on to NBA front-office jobs. And that means Smith’s legacy continues to last with many players who were too young to see him coach a game. “He gave me a chance but more importantly, he shared with me his knowledge,” Williams said, “which is the greatest gift you can give someone.”

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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

5 days ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

3 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

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Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

3 months ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok