Kenny Smith says next UNC basketball coach needs to make key decision

[ASFN Admin]

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the talk of college basketball right now. Five days after collapsing against VCU in the Sweet 16, UNC fired Hubert Davis as head coach.

North Carolina is targeting several high-profile names for its next boss, such as Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden and Arizona's Tommy Lloyd. Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger was in consideration, but he withdrew his name on Thursday.

Whomever the Tar Heels' next leader is, Kenny Smith said that coach needs to want to retire a Tar Heel.

“I will say this – Dean Smith retired as a Tar Heel," Smith said. "Roy Williams retired as a Tar Heel. Hubert Davis was going to retire a Tar Heel. Whoever will be coming in, they have to want to retire a Tar Heel." I don’t know what that means, you have to want, you know what I look for oh what JJ Redick has done in LA…to retire a Tar Heel."

Smith was an All-American at UNC, playing under Dean Smith's guidance from 1983-1987 and leading his team to a pair of Elite Eight runs. Smith played 10 NBA seasons, mostly with the Houston Rockets – and you can now catch him in the studio on basketball broadcasts.

Another candidate to watch is Vanderbilt head coach Mark Byington, who led James Madison to its first NCAA Tournament win in 40 years. The Commodores struggled greatly under former Tar Heel Jerry Stackhouse, but now have two straight Big Dance appearances.

Regardless of the next man up for North Carolina – as Smith said – retiring a Tar Heels should be a strong part of his consideration.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Kenny Smith has one wish for next head coach

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