University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Getting the Story
April 12, 2005 | Men's Basketball
April 12, 2005
By Adam Lucas
In the journalism world, there's always lots of talk about "getting the story."
Did you get the story? What's the story? Don't come back without getting the story.
Please forgive this personal observation, but my guess is that on Wednesday morning, most of the media will tell you the story from Carolina's basketball banquet on Tuesday night was about the underclassmen who are considering going pro. All the primary folks involved spoke to the media, and when Roy Williams met with journalists after the event, the vast majority of the questions he received had something to do with the NBA. That, it seemed, was becoming the story of the night.
Except it wasn't. Those players--Marvin Williams, Sean May, Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants--will have their day in the sun (McCants's will come first, Wednesday at 2:00). When they do, they'll be the story.
Tuesday night, Jawad Williams was the story. Jackie Manuel was the story. Melvin Scott was the story. And yes, Charlie Everett and C.J. Hooker were the story.
They were seniors making their last public appearance as Carolina basketball players. None made it through the night without shedding a tear.
Manuel broke first, as the 35-minute video review of Carolina's season caused him to become emotional. All those wins, those few losses, but most importantly, those teammates.
"That was tough," Manuel said in a back hallway of the Smith Center, holding items from his locker that he'll have to clean out one day soon. "It's emotional knowing that it's over. It really hit me. That was the first time it hit me that hard."
I think that's the story.
It looked like maybe it wasn't going to hit Melvin Scott. The designated jokester for the Tar Heels wisecracked his way through the opening five minutes of his senior speech. No teammate was sacred, no coach left unzapped by the quick Scott wit.
But there has always been another side to Melvin Scott, one he keeps hidden from all but his closest friends. It's the Melvin who leaves inspirational messages on his cell phone voice mail, the Melvin who was baptized about two months ago. He tried to talk about his mother, but couldn't do it. "Her strength and love..." he said, and then he couldn't finish. Then his head was in his hands and the generous crowd of Tar Heel fans was growing hushed and his mother was saying, "Take your time, baby."
And you looked up at the podium where the team was sitting and there were 19 pairs of eyes locked on Melvin Scott--14 players and 5 coaches. There were two pairs of eyes not visible, because Jawad Williams and Jackie Manuel had their heads in their hands too.
I think that's the story.
Jawad Williams went last and somehow that seemed exactly right. We have watched him be so strong over the past four years. He has always had that presence. He is the first one to put wins and losses in perspective, the first one to dismiss any big games as "just another game."
Tuesday night, we watched it wash over him. He knew. He began crying in the middle of Charlie Everett's speech and never really stopped, an unusual outpouring of emotion from one usually so stoic.
"That's the first time it hit me since we won," Williams said. "It's over. I don't get to run out of this tunnel anymore. It was emotional, but I hope I was able to touch a lot of people."
There will be other stories about Carolina basketball in the days and weeks to come. Tuesday night, though, we saw Jackie, Jawad, and Melvin together again for the last time as Tar Heel basketball players. We saw a chapter--not just any chapter, but one of the greatest chapters, one of the most ridiculously unbelievable storybook chapters ever--of Carolina history close.
And I think that's the story.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. His book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about the book, click here.
