In addition to those 879 victories, Smith won two championships while coaching at UNC, in 1982 and 1993. Former Tar Heel Dante Calabria, a member of the 1993 championship team, shared his letter from Coach Smith online. It said to “enjoy a dinner out compliments of Coach Dean Smith.” While Smith’s former players have said this was a surprise, it’s hardly unexpected behavior from a coach who has always had his team’s best interests in mind. His players had a 96.6% graduation rate during his tenure, and he helped bring an end to segregation in North Carolina by recruiting the university’s first African-American player. And in a shocking twist, the NCAA actually supports this move. They tweeted out a message regarding questions about Smith’s gesture: “Contrary to inaccurate media reports, Dean Smith’s generous gift to former student-athletes is NOT an NCAA violation.” One of the players to receive $200? Michael Jordan. As the only professional baller to ever reach billionaire status, this is a small ripple in the water for him. But who knows? Invest that $200 and maybe Jordan will see a trillion dollar net worth someday. Or more likely, he’ll just enjoy a nice steak and lobster with the money. Both are very commendable choices.
