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(Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer) |
Smith, Krzyzewski and Yow—three Hall of Fame coaches who have combined for more than 2,500 victories at North Carolina, Duke and North Carolina State, respectively—were honored Wednesday night on “Basketball Day” in North Carolina.
Each point of the state’s Triangle was represented and celebrated during a ceremony presented by the state’s sports hall of fame, with each receiving Naismith Good Sportsmanship Awards for their contributions to the game by the Naismith International Basketball Foundation.
“You can’t bring those three entities together and not have it be an incredible night,” Krzyzewski said (complimenting everybody else and himself!).
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(Robert Willet/Raleigh News & Observer) |
“If anybody asked me who made ACC basketball, without a doubt, it’s Coach Smith,” said College of Charleston coach Bobby Cremins, a longtime rival of Smith’s and Krzyzewski’s from his time at Georgia Tech.
Then, he quipped: “I’m very proud of what I accomplished, and when I see what (Krzyzewski has) accomplished, I feel like a cockroach.”
The 80-year-old Smith, who rarely appears publicly, didn’t speak to the crowd and appeared on the stage for only about 10 minutes. Williams escorted him out and brought him to a seat between Krzyzewski and Charles Scott—the first black player in North Carolina history.
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