‘Something we’re really looking forward to’: Roy Williams says of return to KU
Roy Williams says he’s looking forward to sitting back, relaxing and watching the Kansas-Iowa State men’s basketball game with his wife, Wanda, on Tuesday night in Allen Fieldhouse — a building in which he led the Jayhawks to 201 victories against just 17 defeats in 15 seasons as KU coach.
“This is not a casual thing. I’m so excited to see a game in Allen Fieldhouse, hopefully get to visit with some former players and people who have been so nice to our family. This is something we’re really looking forward to,” Williams said Monday night in a phone interview with The Star.
Williams, who was to fly from North Carolina to Kansas with Wanda on Tuesday morning, explained the circumstances behind his coming to Lawrence to see his first KU game in person since the 2002-03 season. He’d been busy coaching the North Carolina Tar Heels the past 18 years.
Williams now has some free time. He retired on April 1 after coaching the past 33 years (15 seasons at KU; 18 at UNC).
“I went to Springfield, Massachusetts for Paul’s induction into the (Naismith Memorial Basketball) Hall of Fame,” Williams said of former Jayhawks forward Paul Pierce’s induction last Sept. 11. “Some people from KU came up to support Paul. I had dinner with Greg Gurley, Terry Nooner and Wayne (Simien, who all played at KU for Williams).
“They talked me into coming back for a game. They got me excited about coming back. Greg Gurley said it’d be great to come to the Missouri game and have Norm come back as well — that it’d be something,” Williams added of MU legend Norm Stewart.
“We couldn’t swing it at that time. I looked at the schedules. I’ve been trying to go see some different teams play.”
Williams recently planned on attending a game of Monmouth University coach King Rice, a former North Carolina Tar Heel. The trip had to be called off at the last minute when COVID forced cancellation of the Monmouth game.
His scheduled trip to see former Jayhawk Jerod Haase’s Stanford team also was called off because of COVID in the Cardinal program. Ditto a game at High Point where Williams planned on watching longtime friend Tubby Smith’s team play.
“I’m hoping I don’t get a call Tuesday that the (KU) game is called off,” Williams said with a laugh. He conducted the interview with The Star while also watching the third quarter of the Alabama-Georgia College Football Playoff championship game.
“I’m going to see KU Tuesday, then Michigan State to see Tom Izzo’s team Wednesday (for game against Minnesota). Wes Miller (former Tar Heel player) is at Cincinnati now. That’s a place I want to see a game. I was going to see Lon’s team play, but he retired before I did,” Williams added of former Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger, who announced his own retirement on March 25.
“But really,” Williams continued, “it’s those guys (Gurley, Simien, Nooner) getting me excited to see the game. I always loved Allen Fieldhouse. All the great memories, the games and crowds. I’m excited about that (being back in fieldhouse) but also seeing a great game. Bill (Self, KU coach) has a great club. They have a chance to be a really great team by the end of the year. And Iowa State is much improved after last year (from 2-22 to being ranked No. 15; KU is No. 9).”
Williams said his first opinion of the fieldhouse as KU coach was, “it’s an old gym and I love old gyms.” The fieldhouse became much more than that to him through the years, he said.
“This (fieldhouse) is the greatest homecourt advantage I’ve seen. The fans won’t let you lose,” Williams said.
Williams said he’d need a few hours of reflection to come up with his favorite fieldhouse memory. He recalls Senior Day in 1997 when Scot Pollard hit the only three of his college career in his only attempt as one of the top moments in 15 seasons.
Williams said he thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the “60 year celebration of Allen Fieldhouse” held on Oct. 27, 2014. Williams was a guest speaker along with Self, Larry Brown and Ted Owens. It was the last time Williams stepped foot in the fieldhouse, albeit for a dinner and ceremony, not a game.
The game comes Tuesday.
“That’s the only time I’ve been back,” Williams said. “I remember I came back one year to help Kim (daughter) move. Other that that it was the fieldhouse birthday celebration which was a great, great event.”
Williams, whose teams won three national titles at Carolina said, “yes no question,” when asked if he misses coaching. But the 71-year-old Hall of Famer quickly added: “I made the right decision (to retire) — for the right reasons for me.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 7:37 AM with the headline "‘Something we’re really looking forward to’: Roy Williams says of return to KU."
