PHOTO: Dean Smith's high school basketball team circa 1945
Throwback Thursday has come a day early. A photograph of Dean Smith, former head coach of the UNC Tar Heels, and his high school basketball team has emerged via the SI Vault.
Dean Smith's 1945 high school basketball team photo. Guess where he is. @UNC_Basketball pic.twitter.com/hYNc3XWBDf
— SI Vault (@si_vault) May 13, 2015
Smith was born in Emporia, Kan., in 1931. His passion for basketball was in his DNA, as his father, Alfred, coached the Emporia High Spartans basketball team to the 1934 state title.
The younger Smith became an assistant coach at The University of North Carolina in 1958, and eventually took the head-coaching reigns three years later.
After 36 years at Chapel Hill, Smith retired, leaving an impressive legacy behind. Throughout his three-plus decades as the Tar Heels' coach, he led the team to two NCAA Championships, 11 Final Four appearances and 13 ACC Tournament Championships. He was named NCAA Coach of the Year four times and became one of only a few coaches to ever coach in a stadium named after himself.
Over the course of his career, Smith coached a long list of players who went on to have successful pro careers, including Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Jerry Stackhouse, Sam Perkins, James Worthy and Michael Jordan.
Smith passed away at the age of 83 on Feb. 7, 2015.
Bill Guthridge, who served as Smith's assistant for 30 years and took over as head coach after Smith retired in 1997, died Tuesday.