Ex-KU coach Williams to enter Hall

Roy Williams tonight at the age of 57 receives coaching’s highest honor – induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Williams, an Asheville, N.C., native who enters this season with a 524-131 record in 15 years at Kansas University and four at North Carolina, readily admits tonight’s ceremony will be special.

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me it won’t hit me until I get there,” Williams said this week before heading to Springfield, Mass., where he’ll be joined by 85 to 100 friends, including 23 former KU and North Carolina players.

Included in the group will be former KU athletic director Bob Frederick, who hired Williams on Mount Oread. The two remain close personal friends.

“Right now as I think about it … the reason for this is a lot of great players who made me look good. And I’ve had great help along the way,” Williams said.

He cited KU grad and legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith, his mentor, as well as his high school coach, Buddy Baldwin, former Carolina coaches Eddie Fogler and Bill Guthridge, as well as his late mother, Lallage, whom Williams always has referred to as his “idol.”

“I’ve prepared three speeches in my entire life,” Williams said of tonight’s speech, as well as two commencement speeches at his alma mater, Asheville’s Roberson High.

“Regardless of whether it’s a motivational group or group of alumni, I’ll just write down a few notes. This is the toughest one. When I get to talking about my mom, it’ll be easier to read it than talk off the cuff. It’ll be a difficult time. I’m emotional about a lot of things.”

Williams is a member of the Hall’s Class of 2007 with Van Chancellor, Phil Jackson, Marvin Rudolph, Pedro Ferrandiz, Mirko Novosel and Texas Western’s national-title team.

Coaching legend Smith said he’s “amazed it took this long” for Williams, who led five teams to the Final Four including Carolina’s 2005 national-title team, to be named to the Hall.

“He was a 10-year assistant here and 15 brilliant years at Kansas,” Smith said. “Even the first year was brilliant to me (19-12 in 1988-89) because Danny (Manning) wasn’t there any more. He’s my Tiger (Woods) for basketball.

“He has it all. He goes in a home (recruiting) and is honest and straightforward and teaches extremely well in practice. Everything else is perfect except once in a while I see him look angry,” Smith added with a laugh. “He has a total package of a college coach, and most coaches you know would agree.”

Smith said he looked forward to many more years of excellence from Williams, who has said he has no plans to retire anytime soon.

“As long as we stay healthy,” Smith said.

“Yeah, as long as I keep where I’m not dizzy,” noted Williams, who suffers from vertigo.

Williams said he has heard from some folks with KU and Lawrence ties this week.

“My golf pro, Randy, called last night and said he’s so sad he can’t be there,” Williams said of Alvamar’s Randy Towner, who has an important prior commitment. “Another buddy called Sunday. A guy in the fundraising department called today. Former assistant AD Richard Konzem (Benedictine’s athletic director) called last week. He thought it was last Friday. He said congratulations.”