Kentucky's John Calipari Congratulates Roy Williams After Retirement from UNC

Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IIApril 1, 2021

Kentucky head coach John Calipari, left, and North Carolina head coach Roy Williams speak before the first half of the South Regional final game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 26, 2017, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Kentucky men's basketball head coach John Calipari congratulated former Kansas and UNC men's hoops coach Roy Williams on his retirement, which was announced Thursday:

John Calipari @UKCoachCalipari
Congratulations to Coach Roy Williams on a Hall of Fame career! So happy for him and his wife, Wanda. I am so thankful for his friendship. He will go down as one of the greatest coaches of all-time! pic.twitter.com/ElWufXZTdt

The 70-year-old Williams won three national championships and 903 games during a head-coaching career that spanned from 1988-2021.

He took Kansas to two national championship appearances before leaving in 2003 for UNC, his alma mater (class of 1972). Williams then guided the Tar Heels to an additional four national title game appearances (three wins).

Williams' teams only missed the NCAA tournament three times, and all but two finished with 20 or more victories.

His retirement press conference was held on Thursday afternoon at the Dean Smith Center:

Carolina Basketball @UNC_Basketball
“No one has ever enjoyed coaching like I have.”#CarolinaFamily pic.twitter.com/HzuvYelkOs

Per Chris Fisher of CatsPause.com, Calipari went 6-4 against Williams' Tar Heels since 2009, when he took over the Kentucky program.

Williams won the biggest game between the two legendary coaches, though, when his 2016-17 Tar Heels beat the Wildcats in the Elite Eight en route to a national title win.

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