Dean Smith - Basketball Coach, Family and Family
Dean Smith's Personal Details
Dean Smith was an American collegiate basketball coach
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | February 28, 1931 |
| Died on | February 7, 2015 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Sportspersons, Coaches, Basketball Coach |
| Spouses | Ann Cleavinger, Linnea Weblemoe |
| Known as | Dean Edwards Smith |
| Childrens | Kelly Smith, Kristen Smith, Sandy Smith, Scott Smith, Sharon Smith |
| Universities |
|
| Birth Place | Emporia, Kansas |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Alfred Smith |
| Net Worth | $10 million |
| Sun Sign | Pisces |
| Born in | Emporia, Kansas |
| Famous as | Basketball Coach |
| Died at Age | 83 |
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Dean Smith's photo
Who is Dean Smith?
Dean Edwards Smith was a former American collegiate basketball coach. He was known for his 36 year coaching stint at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He retired as the most successful men’s collegiate basketball coach with 879 victories, which was the NCAA Division I men's basketball record at that time. Smith fetched his team two national championship titles and was named as the National Coach of the Year four times in his coaching career and Acc Coach of the Year eight times. He was considered to be a wonderful mentor as 96.6% of his players received their degrees and many of them, including Michael Jordan and James Worthy, became the star players in the NBA. Other players such as Larry Brown and Roy Williams became distinguished coaches at the collegiate or professional level. Smith was also known for his strong dedication towards racial incorporation - he was one of the first white coaches in the South to recruit African-American players in the 1960s. For his efforts and brilliance, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. He wasi nducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame and was been named as a ‘coaching legend’.
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Childhood & Early Life
Dean Smith was born on 28 February 1931, in Emporia, Kansas. His father, Alfred Smith, was the coach of the Emporia High Spartans basketball team and his mother was a public school teacher.
Smith attended the Topeka High School and excelled in basketball throughout high school. He was named as all-state in basketball as a senior. He was also interested in other sports like baseball and football.
For his higher studies, he went to the University of Kansas and did major in mathematics and kept his involvement in sports alive by playing varsity basketball, varsity baseball and freshman football.
Career
After graduating from Kansas, Smith worked as an assistant coach at the university from 1953-54 and right after that, he served as a head coach of United States Air Force Academy’s baseball and golf teams, for a few years.
In 1958, Smith was hired by North Carolina coach McGuire to serve as an assistant coach. He worked at that position for three years and when McGuire was forced to resign, Smith became the head coach of the team.
Smith’s first season with the team in 1961-62 was his only losing season. Slowly and steadily, his team started winning consistently and by 1966 season, the team never finished worse than a tie for third.
Smith achieved first great success in the late 1960s––North Carolina won three back-to-back regular seasons and ACC tournament championships. But it took him seven trips to Final Four to get to his first national championship title.
In 1982, Smith earned the biggest high of his career by winning his first national championship. His team consisted of players like, Michael Jordan, James Worthy, etc. The team won the match playing against Houston in New Orleans.
Smith’s second national championship title came in 1993 - with team players like, George Lynch, Eric Montross, Donald Williams, Derrick Phelps, etc. They reached the finals by defeating Kansas in semifinals and finally won the title by crushing Michigan.
Smith abruptly announced his retirement in 1997, which came as a shock to everyone.
Even long after he retired, Smith continued to have the same impact on North Carolina’s major decisions. In 2003, he was contacted regarding the decision whether or not Roy Williams be made the coach of the team.
Smith coached North Carolina for 36 years and acquired in total 879 career victories and retired as the most successful men’s collegiate basketball coach.
Award & Achievements
Smith is known for achieving 879 wins in 36 years of coaching North Carolina basketball team. He is the 4th most in men’s college Division I basketball history and a winner of two national championship titles.
He also coached the US team to a gold medal at the Summer Olympics at Montreal in 1976. That makes him one of only three coaches to have coached teams to an Olympic gold medal, an NIT championship and an NCAA championship.
Smith was named the National Coach of the Year four times and ACC Coach of the Year eight times. In 1983, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Personal Ife & Legacy
Smith got married in 1954 to Ann Cleavinger. They had three children together - Sharon, Sandy and Scott. But the marriage ended in 1973 and the couple got divorced.
Smith got married for the second time in 1976 to Linnea Weblemoe and the couple had two daughters together, Kirsten and Kelly.
John Feinstein was planning to write a biography on Smith’s life but he abandoned the project in 2010 owing to Smith’s declining mental health. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and suffered with memory loss.
Dean Smith died on February 7, 2015, at his Chapel Hill home, at the age of 85.
Trivia
President Obama awarded Smith with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.
He was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.
He organized North Carolina basketball practices in North Carolina prisons and is a profuse opponent of death penalty.
Smith is the author of ‘Basketball: Multiple Offense and Defense’, ‘A Coach’s Life’, and ‘The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life of Coaching’.
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Dean Smith's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 0 | 1998 - Arthur Ashe Courage Award for the greatest American coaches | |
| 0 | 1999 - John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award for best coach | |
Dean Smith biography timelines
- // 28th Feb 1931Dean Smith was born on 28 February 1931, in Emporia, Kansas. His father, Alfred Smith, was the coach of the Emporia High Spartans basketball team and his mother was a public school teacher.
- // 1953 To 1954After graduating from Kansas, Smith worked as an assistant coach at the university from 1953-54 and right after that, he served as a head coach of United States Air Force Academy’s baseball and golf teams, for a few years.
- // 1954 To 1973Smith got married in 1954 to Ann Cleavinger. They had three children together - Sharon, Sandy and Scott. But the marriage ended in 1973 and the couple got divorced.
- // 1958In 1958, Smith was hired by North Carolina coach McGuire to serve as an assistant coach. He worked at that position for three years and when McGuire was forced to resign, Smith became the head coach of the team.
- // 1961 To 1966Smith’s first season with the team in 1961-62 was his only losing season. Slowly and steadily, his team started winning consistently and by 1966 season, the team never finished worse than a tie for third.
- // 1976He also coached the US team to a gold medal at the Summer Olympics at Montreal in 1976. That makes him one of only three coaches to have coached teams to an Olympic gold medal, an NIT championship and an NCAA championship.
- // 1976Smith got married for the second time in 1976 to Linnea Weblemoe and the couple had two daughters together, Kirsten and Kelly.
- // 1982In 1982, Smith earned the biggest high of his career by winning his first national championship. His team consisted of players like, Michael Jordan, James Worthy, etc. The team won the match playing against Houston in New Orleans.
- // 1983Smith was named the National Coach of the Year four times and ACC Coach of the Year eight times. In 1983, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
- // 1993Smith’s second national championship title came in 1993 - with team players like, George Lynch, Eric Montross, Donald Williams, Derrick Phelps, etc. They reached the finals by defeating Kansas in semifinals and finally won the title by crushing Michigan.
- // 1997Smith abruptly announced his retirement in 1997, which came as a shock to everyone.
- // 2003Even long after he retired, Smith continued to have the same impact on North Carolina’s major decisions. In 2003, he was contacted regarding the decision whether or not Roy Williams be made the coach of the team.
- // 2007He was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007.
- // 2010John Feinstein was planning to write a biography on Smith’s life but he abandoned the project in 2010 owing to Smith’s declining mental health. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and suffered with memory loss.
- // 2013President Obama awarded Smith with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.
- // 7th Feb 2015Dean Smith died on February 7, 2015, at his Chapel Hill home, at the age of 85.
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Dean Smith's FAQ
What is Dean Smith birthday?
Dean Smith was born at 1931-02-28
When was Dean Smith died?
Dean Smith was died at 2015-02-07
Where was Dean Smith died?
Dean Smith was died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Which age was Dean Smith died?
Dean Smith was died at age 83
Where is Dean Smith's birth place?
Dean Smith was born in Emporia, Kansas
What is Dean Smith nationalities?
Dean Smith's nationalities is American
Who is Dean Smith spouses?
Dean Smith's spouses is Ann Cleavinger, Linnea Weblemoe
Who is Dean Smith childrens?
Dean Smith's childrens is Kelly Smith, Kristen Smith, Sandy Smith, Scott Smith, Sharon Smith
What was Dean Smith universities?
Dean Smith studied at University of Kansas, Topeka High School
Who is Dean Smith's father?
Dean Smith's father is Alfred Smith
What is Dean Smith's sun sign?
Dean Smith is Pisces
How famous is Dean Smith?
Dean Smith is famouse as Basketball Coach