GoHeels Exclusive: Hard Work

By Pat James, GoHeels.com

Kenny Williams sat inside the Smith Center press room Thursday, alongside Cameron Johnson and Luke Maye, carefully pondering the question that had just been posed.

Up until then, the trio had navigated the first 11 minutes of their pre-Senior Day press conference with relative ease. Each had cracked a few jokes and remained composed. But when asked how they thought their class' legacy should be defined, they paused, searching for the right answers to a question so broad yet also so meaningful.

Ultimately, Williams broke the silence. And as Johnson and Maye turned to him, he provided an answer as well-thought-out as any that he's given in earning the media's respect.

"We weren't really highly touted," he said. "We weren't five-stars. (There was) not a lot of media attention about us. … We just came in and we did our work, and that's how we became the players we are today. Every day we came in and we worked on our game. We worked to improve. And I think that attitude and that mood will be our legacy."

The results of Williams' hard work haven't been as tangible as they've been with Johnson and Maye. That's been especially the case this season, during which his offensive production has dipped and his fellow seniors are contending for national and ACC honors.

But Williams has continued doing what he's always done – and that's whatever North Carolina has needed of him. At times over the past three seasons, it's been scoring. Typically, it's been his energy, defense and hustle.

And on Saturday night, in his final game at the Smith Center, Williams delivered on all those fronts, helping the Tar Heels beat Duke 79-70 and claim a share of the ACC regular-season title.

On defense, Williams was spectacular, drawing four offensive charges. Three were against R.J. Barrett, putting the Blue Devil star in foul trouble for most of the game. That alone would've been quite the achievement. But on top of that, Williams erupted for 18 points on four 3-pointers, both season highs, while tallying six rebounds and three assists.

"That was exactly what I wanted to do," he said. "I didn't come out saying, 'I need to hit a certain amount of threes.' But to go out the last game and have it be one of the better games of the season, it means a lot to me."

On Thursday, Williams said his goal for his senior speech was to make all 21,000 people in the Smith Center cry. But he didn't even make it out of the pregame ceremony tear-free. Eventually, he settled down, though, and started concentrating on the unenviable task of defending Barrett.

A surefire top-five pick in June's NBA Draft, Barrett entered Saturday averaging 23.3 points. He was also the only major conference player in the country to score at least 13 in every game.

Barrett continued that streak against UNC with 26 points. But with Williams draped on him for most of the game, Barrett needed 27 shots to reach that mark. Williams persistently frustrated the freshman, beating him to spots and drawing two of Barrett's three first-half fouls.

"We knew he wanted to go left and he was strong left," Williams said. "If you let him get to his left, he'll eat you alive. He got one or two dribbles going left, but after that, I wanted to cut it off and make him go right.

"He ran me over, and I was in the right position."

Each time Williams went down, he sprung to his feet. And the more charges he took, the more extravagant his celebrations became and the louder Smith Center grew.

Williams' last charge came came with 8:04 left, when he drew Barrett's fourth foul. He immediately hopped up and started high-stepping down the court, pumping his right fist along the way. As he did, cheers of "Kenny" echoed throughout the arena's upper deck.

Such plays have often gone unappreciated by fans throughout Williams' career. But they've always been instrumental.

"That's what he does," Johnson said. "He makes those plays all the time, and he is a guy you really want on your team. It sucks playing against him. I can tell you that and know that firsthand and have seen it from (the other) perspective. I love playing with him and having him as a teammate."

As deafening as the Smith Center was after Williams' last charge, it roared even louder, perhaps its loudest all season, just a few minutes later.

After Carolina scored five unanswered points following Williams' charge, Maye grabbed an offensive rebound. He then kicked the ball out to Williams at the top of the key, where Williams drained his fourth and final 3-pointer. The bucket pushed the Tar Heels' lead to 75-60 with 6:47 left. It also proved to be his last in Chapel Hill.

Duke didn't quit, going on a 10-0 run. And with 56 seconds left, Barrett elevated for a 3-pointer that would've cut UNC's lead from five points to three. But there was Williams, able to get a hand on the shot and seal Carolina's 32nd ACC regular-season title.

Moments later, Williams walked out to midcourt for his senior speech. During it, he thanked Roy Williams, who re-recruited him after he'd de-committed from VCU in the wake of head coach Shaka Smart's departure for Texas.

"God made a way and Coach gave me a chance again," Kenny Williams told the crowd. "I wouldn't trade these four years for anything in the world. This is the greatest university that I could ever go to."

Roy Williams' declaration that the Tar Heels were "going to cut down the frickin' net" shortly followed. Kenny Williams accomplished the task effortlessly. But that wasn't the case for Coby White, who froze when he got up on the ladder.

"Everybody was getting mad at me, but I didn't know what to do …" White said. "I didn't know where to cut it."

So White turned to Williams, whose college resume now features two Final Four appearances, one national title, an ACC Tournament championship and three ACC regular-season crowns.

"He's done it a lot," White said. "Kenny kind of told me what to do. When I got up there, I felt overwhelmed by everybody because they were rushing me, but I didn't know what to do and I don't think they understood that."

Williams affirmed that, jokingly saying he couldn't understand how White was confused after watching each of his teammates previously climb the ladder and snip off a piece of the net. Yet, Williams assisted White anyway. He then ascended the ladder once again. This time, he removed the last strand, which he wore around his neck as his postgame interview began.

The most popular interview subject and consequently the last to leave the players' lounge, he eventually placed the net on the table he sat on. But he never let go. Even when senior manager Tyson Creech came up behind him to cut off a piece, Williams initially tugged the net back, afraid someone was trying to snatch it from him.

"I'm keeping this," Williams later said.

Where he keeps it remains to be seen. He said he'd figure that out when he moves from Chapel Hill, a reality that never felt more impending than in the aftermath of his final home game.

By then, Williams couldn't think about his post-Carolina life anymore. Exhausted just as much emotionally as he was physically, he planned on going directly to bed. Any sort of celebrations could wait. And hopefully, he said, there are still plenty more.

"Tonight, we accomplished our first goal as ACC regular-season champions," he said in his senior speech. "But we're not done. We've got a lot more work to do."

Kenny Williams would know. Hard work is all he's ever been about.

Players Mentioned

Cameron Johnson

Luke Maye

Coby White

Kenny Williams

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