Tar Heels’ Williams having too much fun to quit

Given all that he has accomplished, had Roy Williams walked away from coaching basketball, no one would have begrudged him.

Imagine having the luxury of playing golf every day. Or going fishing. Or traveling the world. One day, Williams promises he will permit himself all of those opportunities. Right now, he's too busy winning games to even remotely consider retirement.

Barring anything unforeseen, Williams expects to be walking the sideline for North Carolina until 2015 after signing a four-year contract extension last spring. The fact he has won a national championship, gone to five Final Fours, helped guide dozens of players to the NBA and is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with 527 victories is irrelevant to him.

"I'm having too much fun," Williams said, quickly quashing any notion that he's ready to walk away from the game. "I'm still afraid that someone is going to wake me up and tell me I can't do this anymore."

It doesn't hurt that he's coaching the nation's top-ranked team. The Tar Heels, who are off to a 3-0 start, will be on display at 9 p.m. today at the Orleans Arena as they face Old Dominion in the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational. Should North Carolina win and Louisville defeat Brigham Young in the 6 p.m. game, it will set up an early-season showdown between the Tar Heels and the No. 6 Cardinals at 8 p.m. Saturday.

It is the third time in the last four years that the nation's No. 1 team has played in Las Vegas, following Florida last year and Illinois in 2004. However, ticket sales this year have been slow, and getting in won't be a problem. Be warned that tickets are sold only as a two-day package, and they're pricey, ranging from a low of $94 to as much as $168 per seat.

But Williams is glad he brought his team here, even if many North Carolina fans opted to stay home in Chapel Hill.

"Playing here in Vegas helps give us a chance to get ready for our conference," Williams said of the always-tough Atlantic Coast Conference. "Being in a big-time tournament like this early in the season gives our young guys a taste of what they can expect later in the year. I like coming to Vegas, and I like the format."

North Carolina already has defeated South Carolina State (110-64) and Iona (107-72) in the tournament's first two rounds, which were played on the Tar Heels' home court at the Dean Smith Center. Led by All-America forward Tyler Hansbrough, who is averaging 22.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game; sophomore guard Wayne Ellington, who averages 17.7 ppg; and junior swingman Danny Green, who is averaging 13.7 ppg, the Tar Heels are versatile offensively, a team that is unselfish and willing to share the ball.

"It's a wonderful group of kids who work hard and care for each other," Williams said. "I think they realize how important defense is, and they're working hard at becoming a good defensive team."

It's the kind of talented group that has helped Williams gain entry into the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. He had five months to think about what it would be like to become a member, but it wasn't until he was on the stage in September for his induction that it hit him.

"What made it special was having so many of my former players there to share it with me and my family," Williams said. "I've always felt like I had two families -- my wife and kids, and my basketball family. It was an incredible experience to be inducted."

Williams says he still has work to do. Despite averaging 27 wins over the 19 seasons he has been a head coach and winning a national championship with North Carolina in 2005, Williams doesn't want to leave the relationships he shares on a daily basis with his players.

"I'd like to think I'm still a hard-working person who has gotten a little smarter over the years," he said.

But just in case he needs a reminder of why he coaches, he needs only to look on his desk where a glass paperweight sits. On it is the inscription, "Statistics are important but relationships last a lifetime."

"My daughter (Kimberly) gave that to me," Williams said. "I hope my players know I care about them more than points and rebounds."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.