GoHeels Exclusive: Pre-Duke Notebook

By Pat James, GoHeels.com

Thirty years removed from celebrating his first senior day as a head coach, back at Kansas in 1989, Roy Williams still remembers the emotions he felt.

That group of seniors, Williams said, gave him a chance. And in that way, they'll always be unique. But after watching 29 more senior classes depart – and with another preparing to play its last home game Saturday against Duke – he said senior day never gets easier.

"It's still emotional, it's draining," Williams told reporters during his pre-Duke, pre-senior day press conference on Thursday. "You think back to so many good times and some bad times. But it's the toughest day of the year for me because it is usually a big game, usually a big rivalry … I realize it's the last time I am going to coach those kids in a home game and that's emotional for me. So far in my career, I've never had any seniors I was glad to see leave. So that's good.

"It's the toughest day of the year for me because of all the emotions and the emotions that they have and the emotions that their families have. I have an emotional attachment to them. And I think – I hope – that most of them will say that it wasn't just about winning with me."

Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye and Kenny Williams would likely agree. That was evident Thursday, when the trio spoke with the media about their time at North Carolina and the emotions they're experiencing ahead of their last game in the Smith Center.

Here are five notes from the press conference, leading up to Saturday's 6 p.m. game against the Blue Devils:

Maye's progression
As he's often done, especially over the last three seasons, Roy Williams mentioned Thursday how Maye earned scholarship offers from several other noteworthy programs coming out of Hough High School in Huntersville, N.C. So, he never really considered Maye a walk-on.

Roy Williams said he'll remember how Maye chose to attend UNC over those other schools, despite not receiving a scholarship from the Tar Heels until shortly before he enrolled. Roy Williams also won't forget Maye's work ethic.

"The thing that I will always remember for the rest of my life, which I hope is more than a couple of weeks," the head coach said, "is how far the kid came, how hard he worked, that desire and that determination, the belief in himself. I really appreciate that part. It wasn't a lark; he didn't just work. He knew that if he did it the way he wanted to that he'd get a chance.

"I take a lot of pride in the fact that he knew I would give him a chance if he deserved it and got to that level. The more of it is admiration. I am proud of him for what he's accomplished."

After averaging 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds as a junior, Maye is averaging 14.9 points and 10.3 rebounds this season. He's currently on pace to become the first Tar Heel to average a double-double in back-to-back seasons since Mitch Kupchak in 1975 and 1976.

"Growing up and having both of my parents (Mark and Aimee) come here, it was definitely already in my mind that I would like to come here," Maye said. "But I wanted to go through the college experience of being able to choose my own place. Obviously, coming to games and watching games growing up really helped when Coach came, that I already was a huge fan. But I have enjoyed it more than anybody, I think.

"It's really given me a sense of gratitude for the players I have played with and the coaches I have had the pleasure to be under and also the fans and students that I have come into contact with. It's been a very special four years for me."

'Pretty doggone important'
Initially, Kenny Williams, from Midlothian, Va., committed to VCU. But when Shaka Smart took the head-coaching job at Texas in April 2015, Williams reopened his recruitment.

Roy Williams said Thursday he watched Kenny Williams, who he'd previously been impressed by, draw a charge on consecutive possessions and then follow that up with a made jumper in an AAU game. At that time, Roy Williams said he thought, "yes, that guy can play for me."

In many ways, what Roy Williams saw that day is what Kenny Williams has provided over the last four years.

"Kenny Williams has been pretty doggone important to our club for four years, particularly the last three years," Roy Williams said. "I think he's meant more to our team than anybody thought he was going to when we signed him. He's meant so much mentally, emotionally and physically on the court, as well."

At times, Kenny Williams was tested. He made only one 3-pointer in 122 minutes of playing time as a freshman, and then after entering the starting lineup as a sophomore, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in February.

But he said he grew from those experiences.

"I think that is the reason I am who I am today," he said. "Those first two years were really a struggle. Between not making shots and turning around and finally starting to get in my groove and not being able to play, I had to lean on something else. And that's when my faith really was grounded."

Johnson's acclimation
Roy Williams recalled Thursday when Johnson, then at Pittsburgh, scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers in Carolina's narrow home win over the Panthers in 2017. That shooting display immediately came to Williams' mind when Johnson reached out a few months later about transferring to UNC.

After being hampered by injuries during his first season in Chapel Hill, Johnson has demonstrated his shooting touch consistently this season. He enters Saturday averaging 16.9 points and shooting 47.9 percent on 3-pointers, the third-highest percentage in school history.

But that's not all that's stood out about him.

"He's such a good kid," Roy Williams said. "People enjoy him, and he was really easy to get involved. He lost himself in the team. He didn't say anything or act any different way."

Maye and Kenny Williams assisted Johnson with his transition. They invited him to live in their house after Justin Jackson left for the NBA after three seasons.

"When you have a comfortable living situation that you've been in for a couple of years, you never know what you're going to get," Johnson said. "For them to so easily allow me to join in with them and join in with their class and their living situation, that was a moment when I was like, 'These are some special guys.' And it really did mean a lot to me."

Defining their legacy
The only members of the Tar Heels' 2015 recruiting class, Maye and Kenny Williams were ranked as the No. 155 and No. 96 overall prospects, respectively, according to 247Sports.com. But they've proven to be one of the most best classes in school history.

Entering Saturday, Maye and Kenny Williams are 117-30 overall, 54-17 in ACC regular-season games and 56-6 at home. Their 117 wins are tied with the 1984 class of Matt Doherty, Cecil Exum and Sam Perkins for the most by a class in a four-year span. They were also on the 2017 national championship team.

"You are proud of those two because neither one of those guys were McDonald's All-Americans, Jordan All-Americans or anything," Roy Williams said. "They were All-Americans in their home, and that was about it. But I wouldn't trade those two guys for anybody else in that class who were McDonald's All-Americans.

"I think they know that and I think they understand how important they have been to our program. What they have done and been able to be a part of is one of those truly good stories."

Johnson, ranked as the No. 224 overall recruit in the Class of 2014, embraced a similar mindset as Maye and Kenny Williams in finding success.

"We weren't five-stars, not a lot of media attention about us," Kenny Williams said. "And then you throw Cam in there and we know that he wasn't really highly recruited out of high school. 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. I think that attitude and that mood will be our legacy."

Duke preparation
Among the biggest questions entering Saturday's game is if Duke freshman Zion Williamson – who is averaging 21.6 points and 8.8 rebounds this season but hasn't played since sustaining a knee injury against Carolina on Feb. 20 – will be active.

Roy Williams said Williamson's status won't affect his team's approach.

"You don't have to do a lot," Roy Williams said." I push, push, push, push a lot of our games because, 'Let's focus, let's do this.' But it is Duke and North Carolina, so a lot of that takes care of itself. We prepared before going over there to be playing against Duke's full team, including Zion, who had been having as phenomenal a year as any freshman I've ever seen. And we're still preparing like Zion's going to play."

With a win, UNC can claim a share of the ACC regular-season title and secure at least the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament. It would also give the Tar Heels' their first regular-season sweep of the Blue Devils since 2009.

But perhaps just as importantly, it would provide Maye, Johnson and Kenny Williams one last fond memory of the Smith Center.

"It's already sweet to beat them here," Kenny Williams said. "But to go out with our last game in the Smith Center beating them, I think it would be a little step above that. If we win on Saturday, I'm sure the celebration will be big. I don't know if I'll be able to control myself for a little bit."

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Cameron Johnson

Luke Maye

Kenny Williams

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