UNDATED (AP) — North Carolina has announced that Hall of Fame basketball coach Roy Williams is retiring after a 33-year career that includes three national championships.
The decision comes two weeks after the 70-year-old Williams closed his 18th season with the Tar Heels after a highly successful run at Kansas. Williams won 903 games in a career that included those three titles, all with the Tar Heels, in 2005, 2009 and 2017.
UNC lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in his final game, which was Williams’ only first-round loss in 30 tournaments.
In other college basketball news:
—The University of Texas has hired Chris Beard away from Texas Tech to lead the Longhorns basketball program. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt says Beard informed him of his decision. Beard led the Red Raiders to an NCAA Tournament runner-up finish two seasons ago. He goes to Texas after Shaka Smart left the Longhorns for Marquette after six seasons.
— Michigan’s Juwan Howard is The Associated Press men’s college basketball coach of the year. Howard received 35 of 63 votes from a national media panel. Gonzaga’s Mark Few was second with 16 votes.
— Luka Garza of Iowa is The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound senior received 50 of 63 votes from a national media panel. Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois was second with six votes.
— Oklahoma State star freshman Cade Cunningham has announced that he will enter the NBA draft after a dynamic season that saw him named a first-team AP All-American. The 6-foot-8 point guard is expected to be a high pick — possibly No. 1 overall.
