"You have no chance" - Roy Williams reveals incident that turned Michael Jordan into best basketball player ever
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams and basketball legend Michael Jordan share a deep and storied connection that spans decades. Williams, who retired in 2021 after a Hall of Fame coaching career, played a pivotal role in the early development of Jordan, often regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time.
In a 2021 interview with Graham Bensinger, Williams recalled the first time he saw Jordan and how he seemed like the best high school player at his height
“Well, everybody missed, and we would have too, but I just saw him on a Sunday afternoon, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this may be the best 6-foot-4-inch high school player I've ever seen.’ But none of us…knew that he was going to be Michael Jordan. Right? But he was just gifted,” Williams said.
What set Jordan apart was his strong desire for greatness, and Williams remembered the moment that motivated Jordan to strive for even more.
“He had a desire that was different from everybody else,” Williams said. “He told me he wanted to be the best player ever at North Carolina. I said, ‘Well, got to work harder than you did in high school.’ And he said, ‘I worked as hard as everybody else.’I said, "Excuse me? I thought you told me you wanted to be the best. You have no chance, no chance.’"
“And two days later, he came back and said, ‘I want to talk to you.’ And said, "I'm going to show you. Nobody'll ever outwork me.’ And nobody ever has to this day.”
One of the most iconic moments of Jordan's college career came in his freshman year, when he made the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA championship game against Georgetown, securing the national title for the Tar Heels.
Jordan received numerous accolades, including being named to the NCAA All-American First Team in his sophomore and junior seasons and winning the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award in 1984.
After three seasons, Jordan decided to forgo his senior year and entered the 1984 NBA draft, where he was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls. His transition to the NBA marked the beginning of a transcendent pro career that would solidify his status as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Roy Williams calls Michael Jordan the GOAT
Roy Williams spent 48 years coaching, but he said none came as close to the greatest as Michael Jordan did.
“There's guys on the street corner that can run and jump. There's guys playing basketball that can shoot. There's guys doing so many things, and they are great players, but nobody's as great as Michael Jordan was,” Williams said.
“That expression, the GOAT, greatest of all time. He's the GOAT, and I've watched a lot of basketball. 71 years, nobody's done what Michael Jordan did. His desire, his passion, his focus, his work ethic, his competitiveness. Oh my gosh, it's off the charts.”
Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game in his NBA career, which saw him win five MVPs, six Finals MVPs and six NBA titles.