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University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: J.D. Lyon Jr.
Lucas: Day One
October 3, 2017 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Behind the scenes with the Tar Heels on the first day of practice.
By Adam Lucas
Late on Monday afternoon, near the end of the first practice of the 2017-18 season, Roy Williams delivered another important lesson to his young team.
"What's the worst thing I can say?" he asked a Carolina veteran when one practice drill didn't go as the coach would expect.
The wide-eyed freshmen looked on with just a touch of horror. What might it be?
"My wife's not at home!" the coach bellowed. "That's the worst thing I can say. I have nowhere else in the world to be than right here."
It's a good thing that Wanda Williams is with the couple's new grandson, born in the wee hours of Saturday morning. She wouldn't have seen much of her husband on Monday, the first day of practice for the Tar Heels this season. Don't worry—the coach still got in his dose of baby time. Roy Williams spent 45 minutes with his new grandson asleep on his chest at the hospital on Sunday night. "Cutting down the nets in Phoenix was pretty good," he said Monday morning. "But it doesn't get much better than those 45 minutes."
Williams returned to Chapel Hill in time to host the annual Fast Break Against Cancer breakfast on the floor of the Smith Center on Monday morning. The event has become his official signal that a new season is beginning. In addition to keynote remarks from Judge Carl Fox, the morning included an auction of several one-of-a-kind pieces of Carolina sports memorabilia, with some items coming straight from Williams' den.
The Fast Break breakfast has become one of the most important days of the year for Williams, who takes the success of the event very personally. The 2017 edition (including the ongoing live auction, with multiple rare items available for bid now) is expected to raise approximately $200,000, which will take the 13-year total for the event to $2.5 million.
The assembled crowd was treated to a UNC basketball highlight video during breakfast—even six months later, Luke Maye's game-winning jumper against Kentucky still gets audible cheers and applause—and heard some insight from Williams about his new team.
He was on the court with that new squad a few hours later. The afternoon session was a vivid reminder of the youth of this group. Even the most basic pre-practice drills required some explanation and leadership from the coaches and upperclassmen. The Tar Heels had a handful of summer practices, but that's not complete preparation for the tempo of an Oct. 2 session. With eight newcomers—seven who will play this year plus transfer K.J. Smith, who will sit out this season—the normal fast break drills that open practice required occasional reminders.
There are some details to finalize. During one drill, with both Brandon Huffman and Brandon Robinson on the court at the same time, Williams barked an instruction at "Brandon," only to have both snap to attention. "I'm going to call Brandon 'Brandon,' and I'm going to call B-Rob 'B-Rob,'" Williams decides. "That OK, B'Rob?"
It is, of course, and the drill proceeds. Huffman is busy leading the rollercoaster life of a freshman on his first official day as a Tar Heel. Within a span of about an hour, he misses a dunk during the fast break drill and has to do push-ups, nails the thought for the day, and then is reprimanded for not getting the ball out of the net quickly enough after a made basket.
"We don't do anything," Williams reminds his team, "that doesn't relate directly to the game of basketball." Kentucky, which still rues Kennedy Meeks' quick inbounds pass after the Wildcats' game-tying three-pointer in the regional final, can testify to the importance of speed after a made basket.
Meeks is mentioned by name during a portion of practice that includes three stations, with one of them devoted to boxing out. "There's no Kennedy Meeks," Williams tells his team. "No Isaiah Hicks. No Tony Bradley. Every guy on this team has to box out."
The newly minted seniors and upperclassmen are adapting to their new responsibilities. Theo Pinson is a vocal leader, offering instructions in each drill to the freshmen. Joel Berry is quieter but just as important.
Williams demonstrates a very basic defensive slide drill to his team and calls Berry to the front of the line. "Watch Joel Berry," the coach says, "and try to learn something."
As practice ends, Luke Maye brings water to a freshman who was gassed at the end of post-practice conditioning. The exhausted Tar Heels stretch and adjourn to the locker room.
Practice number two is Tuesday. Someone check on the whereabouts of Wanda Williams.
Adam Lucas is the co-author of Redemption, the official book of Carolina's 2017 national title. Signed copies are available here.
Late on Monday afternoon, near the end of the first practice of the 2017-18 season, Roy Williams delivered another important lesson to his young team.
"What's the worst thing I can say?" he asked a Carolina veteran when one practice drill didn't go as the coach would expect.
The wide-eyed freshmen looked on with just a touch of horror. What might it be?
"My wife's not at home!" the coach bellowed. "That's the worst thing I can say. I have nowhere else in the world to be than right here."
It's a good thing that Wanda Williams is with the couple's new grandson, born in the wee hours of Saturday morning. She wouldn't have seen much of her husband on Monday, the first day of practice for the Tar Heels this season. Don't worry—the coach still got in his dose of baby time. Roy Williams spent 45 minutes with his new grandson asleep on his chest at the hospital on Sunday night. "Cutting down the nets in Phoenix was pretty good," he said Monday morning. "But it doesn't get much better than those 45 minutes."
Williams returned to Chapel Hill in time to host the annual Fast Break Against Cancer breakfast on the floor of the Smith Center on Monday morning. The event has become his official signal that a new season is beginning. In addition to keynote remarks from Judge Carl Fox, the morning included an auction of several one-of-a-kind pieces of Carolina sports memorabilia, with some items coming straight from Williams' den.
The Fast Break breakfast has become one of the most important days of the year for Williams, who takes the success of the event very personally. The 2017 edition (including the ongoing live auction, with multiple rare items available for bid now) is expected to raise approximately $200,000, which will take the 13-year total for the event to $2.5 million.
The assembled crowd was treated to a UNC basketball highlight video during breakfast—even six months later, Luke Maye's game-winning jumper against Kentucky still gets audible cheers and applause—and heard some insight from Williams about his new team.
He was on the court with that new squad a few hours later. The afternoon session was a vivid reminder of the youth of this group. Even the most basic pre-practice drills required some explanation and leadership from the coaches and upperclassmen. The Tar Heels had a handful of summer practices, but that's not complete preparation for the tempo of an Oct. 2 session. With eight newcomers—seven who will play this year plus transfer K.J. Smith, who will sit out this season—the normal fast break drills that open practice required occasional reminders.
There are some details to finalize. During one drill, with both Brandon Huffman and Brandon Robinson on the court at the same time, Williams barked an instruction at "Brandon," only to have both snap to attention. "I'm going to call Brandon 'Brandon,' and I'm going to call B-Rob 'B-Rob,'" Williams decides. "That OK, B'Rob?"
It is, of course, and the drill proceeds. Huffman is busy leading the rollercoaster life of a freshman on his first official day as a Tar Heel. Within a span of about an hour, he misses a dunk during the fast break drill and has to do push-ups, nails the thought for the day, and then is reprimanded for not getting the ball out of the net quickly enough after a made basket.
"We don't do anything," Williams reminds his team, "that doesn't relate directly to the game of basketball." Kentucky, which still rues Kennedy Meeks' quick inbounds pass after the Wildcats' game-tying three-pointer in the regional final, can testify to the importance of speed after a made basket.
Meeks is mentioned by name during a portion of practice that includes three stations, with one of them devoted to boxing out. "There's no Kennedy Meeks," Williams tells his team. "No Isaiah Hicks. No Tony Bradley. Every guy on this team has to box out."
The newly minted seniors and upperclassmen are adapting to their new responsibilities. Theo Pinson is a vocal leader, offering instructions in each drill to the freshmen. Joel Berry is quieter but just as important.
Williams demonstrates a very basic defensive slide drill to his team and calls Berry to the front of the line. "Watch Joel Berry," the coach says, "and try to learn something."
As practice ends, Luke Maye brings water to a freshman who was gassed at the end of post-practice conditioning. The exhausted Tar Heels stretch and adjourn to the locker room.
Practice number two is Tuesday. Someone check on the whereabouts of Wanda Williams.
Adam Lucas is the co-author of Redemption, the official book of Carolina's 2017 national title. Signed copies are available here.
Players Mentioned
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