Roy Williams Discusses Kansas' Hate

One of the underlying stories this week at the Final Four will be Roy Williams facing off against his old team, Kansas.

Since Williams left five years ago, many Jayhawk fans have labeled him a traitor. In 2000, Williams was offered the UNC job but elected to stay ... even saying that he wanted to be at KU forever. Forever ended three years later.

"Hopefully, it will die down,'' Williams said Monday as he fielded several questions about his link to Lawrence, Kan., during a news conference. "There were things said and done that hurt at first, but time has a way of healing things. I gave 15 years of my heart, body and soul [to Kansas]. It's my second favorite school. Six years ago it was my favorite school."

North Carolina and Kansas have a weird history when it comes to coaching. Dean Smith played at Kansas and was on their 1952 National Championship team. Smith, of course, went on the North Carolina to coach for 36 years ... piling up 879 victories.

Kansas' only other title was in 1988, when Larry Brown ... who played at North Carolina ... was their head coach. He left and Roy Williams, an assistant under Smith at UNC, took over.

Williams brought with him Matt Doherty, who played at UNC on the 1982 National Championship squad. In 2000, Doherty would become the head coach at Carolina.

Williams replaced Doherty in 2003 ... bringing with him Jerod Haase and C.B. McGrath to be assistants. Both played for Williams at Kansas.

New Kansas coach, Bill Self, knows a lot about what Ol' Roy will be going through. When Williams left for North Carolina, Self took his vacant spot, leaving Illinois.

"Fans will make a big deal out of it,'' Self said Monday. "People were upset about his leaving, but it was a backhanded compliment. I would think everybody would be proud of the time he spent here. He gave this place 15 years of excellence. Five years is long enough to let a few things go."