Wes Miller North Carolina's Next Head Coach?
Last week Roy Williams retired from coaching.
Roy Williams college coaching career began in 1988 as the Head Coach of Kansas where he was coach for fifteen seasons.
Kansas hired Williams on July 8, 1988. Williams coached a number of the finest Kansas players in history, including Mark Randall, Adonis Jordan, Rex Walters, Greg Ostertag, Scot Pollard, Jacque Vaughn, Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Drew Gooden, Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich.
Kansas averaged 27.9 wins per season, including 35 in 1997-98. He also won 30 in 1989-90, 34 in 1996-97, 33 in 2001-02 and 30 in 2002-03. The Jayhawks reached the Sweet 16 nine times and the Final Eight on five occasions.
In seven years of Big 12 Conference play, his teams went 94-18, capturing the regular-season title in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2003 and the postseason tournament crown in 1997, 1998 and 1999. In 2001-02, KU became the first Big 12 team to go 16-0 in league play. From 1995-98, Kansas was a combined 123-17 – an average of 30.8 wins per season.
Overall Roy Williams 519 wins to 418 losses.
After Kansas he became the Head Coach of North Carolina where he had an overall record of 648 and 485. “according to Roy Williams Coaching Record | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com (sports-reference.com)
Roy Williams was Inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007
• Fourth all-time in wins by a Division I coach with 885, behind only Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim and Bob Knight
• Second-winningest coach in UNC history and third in Kansas history
• Only coach with 400 wins at two schools
• Sixth-highest winning percentage (.778) in NCAA history
• Led UNC to three NCAA championships (2005, 2009, 2017)
• Consensus National Coach of the Decade (2000-09)
• Led UNC and Kansas to nine Final Fours, fourth most all-time
• Second in NCAA Tournament wins (79), second in No. 1 seeds (13), second in games (105), third in NCAA Tournament winning percentage (.752) and tied for fourth in NCAA championships
• Eight wins over AP No. 1 ranked teams are an NCAA record
• Second in NCAA history in 30-win seasons (12) and tied for fourth in 20-win seasons (29)
• Tied for fifth all-time with 18 regular-season conference championships
• Has 885 wins after 32 seasons – 110 more than any other coach in NCAA history
• Second-highest ACC road winning percentage all-time (.621) and third-most ACC road wins (90)
• Third in regular-season wins by an ACC coach (202)
• 32 NBA first-round draft picks (22 at UNC, 10 at Kansas)
• Cole Anthony will be his 52nd former player to play in the NBA
• Four National Players of the Year, six ACC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, 10 consensus first-team All-Americas, 17 first-team All-Americas and three Bob Cousy Award winners
• Only coach to coach two Academic All-Americas of the Year (Jacque Vaughn at Kansas, Tyler Zeller at UNC)
Hall of Famer Roy Williams won his 879th game as a college head coach when the Tar Heels beat Yale on Dec. 30, 2019. It moved Williams into a tie for fourth place all-time in wins by a Division I head coach with Dean Smith, under whom Williams served as an assistant at Carolina for 10 seasons from 1978-88.
When he was asked to stay at midcourt after the teams shook hands so Tar Heel captains Garrison Brooks and Brandon Robinson and Smith’s son, Scott, could present the coach a framed portrait of Smith and Williams in recognition of the milestone, Williams was visibly uncomfortable and more than mildly upset.
The reasons illustrate why he is widely regarded as the perfect choice to be Carolina’s head coach and one of the sport’s best-ever coaches: first, any mention of Williams tying and eventually surpassing his mentor’s win total makes him cringe, because, regardless of the facts and figures, Williams feels undeserving of such high praise; and second, on that December night, his only priority was to rush off the court and check on freshman guard Anthony Harris, who had seriously injured his knee in the second half. Harris had missed most of his high school senior season due to a knee injury, and the initial diagnosis indicated he had just torn the ACL in his other knee.
Achievements, awards, photo ops and cheers from the Tar Heel faithful aside, all Williams wanted to do was to go hug his fallen player and help him deal with the disappointment and pain of another rehab he almost certainly faced.
“The only thing I’m thinking about right now is that young man,” Williams said in his postgame news conference. “He’s worked his tail off to get back in this position. My team is hurting for him right now.”
Scott Smith told Williams his father would have been happy to have Williams match his total. “I think Coach Smith would be. I’ve been very fortunate,” Williams said. “I have been able to stay relatively healthy and I’ve had really good kids who made me look good for a long time and I’m very appreciative of them.”
Carolina’s 94-71 win over Miami on Jan. 25, 2020, gave Williams win No. 880 and sole possession of fourth on the wins list behind only fellow Hall of Famers and national championship-winning coaches Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim and Bob Knight.
Williams enters the 2020-21 season, his 33rd as a college head coach, with an overall record of 885-253. He is 15 wins from 900 and 18 from passing Knight for third place.
The Asheville native and 1972 Carolina graduate has led his alma mater to national championships in 2005, 2009 and 2017 and two other Final Four appearances. A 2007 inductee in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Williams is second among active coaches and sixth all-time in winning percentage (.778), second in 30-win seasons (12), fourth in 20-win seasons (29), has the most wins ever over No. 1 ranked teams in the AP poll (8) and has averaged more wins per season (27.7) than any coach with 800 or more wins.
Among ACC coaches all-time, he is second in winning percentage on the road in league play (.621), third in wins by an ACC coach (467), third in ACC regular-season and Tournament wins (229) and third in regular-season ACC titles (9).
On Feb. 25, 2020, Carolina beat NC State for his 200th regular-season ACC win in 287 games. He reached 200 wins in the second-fewest games in ACC history (Smith won his 200th in 278 games).
Roy Williams was f the most successful coaches in NCAA Tournament history, standing second in games (105), wins (79) and No. 1 seeds (13); third in appearances (29), winning percentage (.752), Final Four wins (9) and championship game appearances (6); and fourth in titles (3) and Final Fours (9). Over the last 19 years, spanning his last two seasons at KU and 17 in Chapel Hill, Williams’ teams have 54 NCAA Tournament victories, more than any other coach in the nation. Carolina’s 45 NCAA Tournament wins in the Williams era are more than any other school has in that 17-year span (Kansas is second with 38).
His North Carolina teams earned 10 No. 1 or No. 2 seeds, won three ACC Tournament championships and averaged more than 27 wins and nearly 12 ACC wins per season. In the last 17 years, the Tar Heels have produced 11 Associated Press top-10 finishes, 21 All-Americas, 17 first-team All-ACC selections, 21 first-round NBA Draft picks, six ACC scholar-athlete of the year awards and seven Academic All-America honors.
Carolina beat Syracuse in 2017 for his 800th victory. That came in his 1,012th game in his 29th year. The previous record for 800 wins was 33 seasons by Smith and Krzyzewski; Rupp is the only coach to reach 800 wins in fewer games (972).
He is the only coach in college basketball history to win 400 games at two schools – 467 at Carolina and 418 at Kansas. He is second in wins at UNC and third at KU.
On Aug. 24, 2018, the University of North Carolina officially named the playing floor at the Dean E. Smith Center, home of the Tar Heels, as Roy Williams Court.
Roy Williams was one of the one of the greatest coaches of all-time, and in a society that judges things by counting championships, he’s right there on the top shelf with the greatest of all-time,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said after the Tar Heels won the 2017 national title, UNC’s third in a 13-year span.
“according to his biography on goheels.com”
With Roy Williams retiring last week to begin this week I am talking about who could possibly replace Roy Williams and become the next head coach of North Carolina.
The first name that comes to mind is Wes Miller!
Why?
Because he is a former North Carolina player who played on the hardwood for Roy Williams for three seasons.
When?
From 2004 -2007 where Wes Miller helped North Carolina National Title in 2005 two Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championships and one ACC Tournament title. He was team captain as a senior in 2006-07, leading UNC to 31 wins and the NCAA Elite 8 as well as the ACC regular-season and tournament titles, and a final No. 3 national ranking.
As a junior, Miller shot 44.1 percent from the 3-point line, which was seventh-best in a single season in the UNC record book. His 64 treys that season ranked eighth in the ACC. He earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player awards that season, as well.
And he has head coaching experience because he is currently the Head Coach Of The University Of North Carolina @Greensboro.
Wes Miller’s program at the University Of North Carolina at Greensboro values defense first and his teams share the ball, run and pressure opponents. Wes Miller has also shown an ability to adapt to the University Of North Carolina @ Greensboro’s playing style to his personnel and willingness to embrace analytics and the three point shot.
“according to an article by Joe Sirera on greensboro. com”
Wes Miller helped them secure their their fourth straight 20-plus win season in 2019-20, finishing 23-9 (13-5) and reaching the Southern Conference tournament quarterfinals. UNCG student-athletes set multiple individual program records during Miller's ninth season, while the team's 14 wins at home are the third most any Spartan contingency has had in a single year. The Spartans led the nation in turnover margin (+6.4), while ranking sixth in turnovers forced per contest (18.03), total steals (299) and steals per game (9.3). UNCG held conference bests in all of those statistical categories, in addition to leading the SoCon in blocked shots per game (4.3), field goal percentage defense (42.2), offensive rebounds per game (12.88) and total blocks (138). The Spartans' 299 steals are the second-most any UNCG squad has had in a single season. Junior guard Isaiah Miller received both SoCon Player of the Year and SoCon Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20 becoming the first player to do so in Southern Conference history. He also set a new program record with 241 career steals, while his 1,410 points sitting 10th in UNCG history. Senior James Dickey also became the first SoCon player in history to accrue 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks in a single career under Coach Miller, finishing his four years with 1,015, 1,060 and 222 respectively. Miller and Dickey both earned All-SoCon honors, while guard Keyshaun Langley received both All-Freshman honors and Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. The Spartans tallied one of their biggest wins of the past decade in a 65-61 victory at Georgetown (11.30), and came within a buzzer beater of NC State (12.15), reaching as high as the top-50 of the national RPI.
Miller guided UNCG to its winningest season in program history in 2018-19, as the Spartans finished the year at 29-7. After narrowly missing the first at-large bid in school history, UNCG earned the No. 1-overall seed in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) where the Spartans defeated Campbell in the first round. Along with the 29 victories, UNCG also set new program records for consecutive home victories (17) and non-conference victories (11) while tying the benchmark for SoCon victories (15). Additionally, UNCG reached a double-digit road win mark (11) for just the second time in school history. Three Spartans earned postseason recognition, highlighted by sophomore guard Isaiah Miller winning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year along with being a first-team All-SoCon selection alongside senior Francis Alonso.
During the 2017-18 season, Miller led the Spartans to a then-program-record 27 victories and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, the team’s first since 2001. UNCG won a program-record 16 home games during the regular season along with a SoCon record of 15-3. In December of that season, the Spartans recorded their first victory over one of North Carolina’s four ACC teams and just the third win all-time against the ACC by defeating North Carolina State 81-76 on the Wolfpack’s home court.
After winning the SoCon regular season title for a second consecutive season, UNCG defeated The Citadel and Wofford in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the SoCon Tournament before defeating No. 2 seeded ETSU 62-47 in the final for the program’s first SoCon Tournament title in 17 years. The Spartans earned the No. 13 seed in the West Regional and faced No. 4 seed Gonzaga in the first round. UNCG had Gonzaga on the ropes with less than two minutes remaining but suffered a heartbreaking 68-64 defeat. On March 28, 2018, Miller received a contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
During the 2016-17 campaign, Miller led the Spartans to the program’s third SoCon regular season title in program history and the first-ever No. 1 seed in the SoCon Tournament. He guided UNCG to a 25-10 overall record and a 14-4 mark in SoCon play. UNCG advanced to the SoCon Tournament Championship game for the third time in program history and the first time since 2005. The Spartans and ETSU played one of the best championship games in program history with UNCG falling in the final seconds.
Miller led the Spartans to their second-straight postseason appearance and just the fifth appearance in program history as UNCG earned the SoCon’s automatic bid into the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Spartans made their second appearance all-time in the NIT and first since 2002 when they traveled to Atlantic Coast Conference foe Syracuse.
The 2016-17 Spartans set a program-record with a nine-game winning streak, the longest winning streak for UNCG at the NCAA Division I level. Additionally, the Spartans became the first UNCG team to post three winning streaks of at least six or more games. UNCG posted a 7-2 record on the road in SoCon play, marking the best record of any team on the road in league play that season and setting a new UNCG record for road wins in league play at the NCAA Division I level.
Miller also led the Spartans to individual success in 2016-17 with senior guard Diante Baldwin and sophomore guard Francis Alonso earning Second Team All-SoCon honors while senior center R.J. White was named Third Team All-SoCon. Alonso set a UNCG single-season record with 102 made 3-pointes while freshman forward James Dickey was named to the league’s All-Freshman Team. Miller, the 2012 Southern Conference Coach of the Year during his interim season, has led the Spartans to double digit wins in six out of the last seven years breaking a streak of three straight seasons with eight or less wins (2008-2011). When he took over during the 2011-12 season, he led the Spartans to a 10-8 SoCon record and the SoCon North Division title as he was 11-11 overall that year.
In 2015-16, he led the Spartans to a 15-19 overall record – their highest win total since the 2007-08 season. He guided UNCG to just its fourth postseason appearance in program history as the Spartans took part in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), advancing to the quarterfinals. UNCG picked up its first-ever postseason win in program history with a 69-65 win over Houston Baptist at home at the Greensboro Coliseum
The University Of North Carolina @Greensboro finished the regular season with a 10-8 record in SoCon play, matching their win total in the league from 2011-12. UNCG was especially strong at home posting a 12-4 record, the highest win total since moving to the Greensboro Coliseum and the top mark for home wins since the 2000-01 season (12-6).
Wes Miller led the Spartans to 14 wins in 2013-14, their highest-win total since 2007-08. Included in that mark was the program’s first victory over an ACC school since 2007 and just their second victory all-time against the conference with a come-from-behind win at Virginia Tech. Freshman Tevon Saddler was named as the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2013-14, the Spartans first such honor since Kyle Hines won the award in 2005.
“according wes miller’s biography on uncgspartans.com”
But would he leave the University Of North Carolina @Greensboro to become the head coach of his alma mater if he was to get an interview with Director Of Athletics Bubba Cunningham and they chose him to be the next Men’s College Basketball Coach at North Carolina?
Right I don’t know the answer to that question but what I do know is that Wes Miller is familiar with the program.
Why?
Because as stated above he is a for North Carolina Basketball player Because he is a former North Carolina player who played on the hardwood for Roy Williams for three seasons.
When?
From 2004 -2007 where Wes Miller helped North Carolina National Title in 2005 two Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championships and one ACC Tournament title. He was team captain as a senior in 2006-07, leading UNC to 31 wins and the NCAA Elite 8 as well as the ACC regular-season and tournament titles, and a final No. 3 national ranking.
As a junior, Miller shot 44.1 percent from the 3-point line, which was seventh-best in a single season in the UNC record book. His 64 treys that season ranked eighth in the ACC. He earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player awards that season, as well.
And he has head coaching experience because he is currently the Head Coach Of The University Of North Carolina @Greensboro.
Wes Miller’s program at the University Of North Carolina at Greensboro values defense first and his teams share the ball, run and pressure opponents. Wes Miller has also shown an ability to adapt to the University Of North Carolina @ Greensboro’s playing style to his personnel and willingness to embrace analytics and the three point shot.
“according to an article by Joe Sirera on greensboro. com”
Wes Miller helped them secure their their fourth straight 20-plus win season in 2019-20, finishing 23-9 (13-5) and reaching the Southern Conference tournament quarterfinals. UNCG student-athletes set multiple individual program records during Miller's ninth season, while the team's 14 wins at home are the third most any Spartan contingency has had in a single year. The Spartans led the nation in turnover margin (+6.4), while ranking sixth in turnovers forced per contest (18.03), total steals (299) and steals per game (9.3). UNCG held conference bests in all of those statistical categories, in addition to leading the SoCon in blocked shots per game (4.3), field goal percentage defense (42.2), offensive rebounds per game (12.88) and total blocks (138). The Spartans' 299 steals are the second-most any UNCG squad has had in a single season. Junior guard Isaiah Miller received both SoCon Player of the Year and SoCon Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20 becoming the first player to do so in Southern Conference history. He also set a new program record with 241 career steals, while his 1,410 points sitting 10th in UNCG history. Senior James Dickey also became the first SoCon player in history to accrue 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks in a single career under Coach Miller, finishing his four years with 1,015, 1,060 and 222 respectively. Miller and Dickey both earned All-SoCon honors, while guard Keyshaun Langley received both All-Freshman honors and Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. The Spartans tallied one of their biggest wins of the past decade in a 65-61 victory at Georgetown (11.30), and came within a buzzer beater of NC State (12.15), reaching as high as the top-50 of the national RPI.
Miller guided UNCG to its winningest season in program history in 2018-19, as the Spartans finished the year at 29-7. After narrowly missing the first at-large bid in school history, UNCG earned the No. 1-overall seed in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) where the Spartans defeated Campbell in the first round. Along with the 29 victories, UNCG also set new program records for consecutive home victories (17) and non-conference victories (11) while tying the benchmark for SoCon victories (15). Additionally, UNCG reached a double-digit road win mark (11) for just the second time in school history. Three Spartans earned postseason recognition, highlighted by sophomore guard Isaiah Miller winning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year along with being a first-team All-SoCon selection alongside senior Francis Alonso.
During the 2017-18 season, Miller led the Spartans to a then-program-record 27 victories and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, the team’s first since 2001. UNCG won a program-record 16 home games during the regular season along with a SoCon record of 15-3. In December of that season, the Spartans recorded their first victory over one of North Carolina’s four ACC teams and just the third win all-time against the ACC by defeating North Carolina State 81-76 on the Wolfpack’s home court.
After winning the SoCon regular season title for a second consecutive season, UNCG defeated The Citadel and Wofford in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the SoCon Tournament before defeating No. 2 seeded ETSU 62-47 in the final for the program’s first SoCon Tournament title in 17 years. The Spartans earned the No. 13 seed in the West Regional and faced No. 4 seed Gonzaga in the first round. UNCG had Gonzaga on the ropes with less than two minutes remaining but suffered a heartbreaking 68-64 defeat. On March 28, 2018, Miller received a contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
During the 2016-17 campaign, Miller led the Spartans to the program’s third SoCon regular season title in program history and the first-ever No. 1 seed in the SoCon Tournament. He guided UNCG to a 25-10 overall record and a 14-4 mark in SoCon play. UNCG advanced to the SoCon Tournament Championship game for the third time in program history and the first time since 2005. The Spartans and ETSU played one of the best championship games in program history with UNCG falling in the final seconds.
Miller led the Spartans to their second-straight postseason appearance and just the fifth appearance in program history as UNCG earned the SoCon’s automatic bid into the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Spartans made their second appearance all-time in the NIT and first since 2002 when they traveled to Atlantic Coast Conference foe Syracuse.
The 2016-17 Spartans set a program-record with a nine-game winning streak, the longest winning streak for UNCG at the NCAA Division I level. Additionally, the Spartans became the first UNCG team to post three winning streaks of at least six or more games. UNCG posted a 7-2 record on the road in SoCon play, marking the best record of any team on the road in league play that season and setting a new UNCG record for road wins in league play at the NCAA Division I level.
Miller also led the Spartans to individual success in 2016-17 with senior guard Diante Baldwin and sophomore guard Francis Alonso earning Second Team All-SoCon honors while senior center R.J. White was named Third Team All-SoCon. Alonso set a UNCG single-season record with 102 made 3-pointes while freshman forward James Dickey was named to the league’s All-Freshman Team. Miller, the 2012 Southern Conference Coach of the Year during his interim season, has led the Spartans to double digit wins in six out of the last seven years breaking a streak of three straight seasons with eight or less wins (2008-2011). When he took over during the 2011-12 season, he led the Spartans to a 10-8 SoCon record and the SoCon North Division title as he was 11-11 overall that year.
In 2015-16, he led the Spartans to a 15-19 overall record – their highest win total since the 2007-08 season. He guided UNCG to just its fourth postseason appearance in program history as the Spartans took part in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), advancing to the quarterfinals. UNCG picked up its first-ever postseason win in program history with a 69-65 win over Houston Baptist at home at the Greensboro Coliseum
The University Of North Carolina @Greensboro finished the regular season with a 10-8 record in SoCon play, matching their win total in the league from 2011-12. UNCG was especially strong at home posting a 12-4 record, the highest win total since moving to the Greensboro Coliseum and the top mark for home wins since the 2000-01 season (12-6).
Wes Miller led the Spartans to 14 wins in 2013-14, their highest-win total since 2007-08. Included in that mark was the program’s first victory over an ACC school since 2007 and just their second victory all-time against the conference with a come-from-behind win at Virginia Tech. Freshman Tevon Saddler was named as the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2013-14, the Spartans first such honor since Kyle Hines won the award in 2005.
“according wes miller’s biography on uncgspartans.com”