A Coach's Life : My Forty Years in College Basketball

by Dean Smith, Sally Jenkins, John Kilgo

When Dean Smith retired from the University of North Carolina in 1997 as the most successful college basketball coach in history, he left behind a long list of staggering statistics, including seventeen Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season titles, thirteen ACC tournament championships, twenty-three consecutive NCAA tournament bids, two national championships, NCAA records for twenty-five-win seasons and consecutive trips to the tournament Sweet 16 (thirteen), an Olympic gold medal, and twenty-four first-round NBA draft picks. A special panel assembled by ABC and ESPN named him one of the seven greatest coaches of the twentieth century in any sport. Another measure of Dean Smith's legacy is his profound impact on the lives of the players he coached. From Michael Jordan to the last man on the bench of his least gifted team, Dean Smith's players all credit him with forging in them the values of discipline, respect, camaraderie, and fortitude that laid the groundwork for their success in basketball and in life. Ninety-eight percent of his players earned college degrees, and a high percentage went on to graduate and professional schools.

In A Coach's Life , for the first time, Dean Smith tells the full story of his fabled career. With warmth, humor, and unflinching candor, he gives readers the best seat in the house—the view from the bench—for all of the memorable games, players, coaches, and teams, including North Carolina's fierce rivalries, their darkest hours, and their greatest triumphs. He explains his basketball philosophy and its sources, the origins of his many innovations to the game, and his thoughts on the issues and challenges facing college basketball today. He talks about his roots in family and faith, the source of much of his strength in taking controversial stands on social issues over the years, such as desegregating the Carolina basketball team in the early 1960s. He relates incisive leadership lessons distilled from five decades of showing young men how to win the right way, on the court and off.

A Coach's Life is a book about basketball filled with wisdom about living. To read it is to understand why Dean Smith made everyone around him better, and to see that even in the most competitive of arenas, doing good and doing well can be one and the same thing.

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir

350 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[LemonLinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for older Carolina basketball fans as it goes through the years of Dean Smith as head coach and I can reminisce and easily recall all of the beloved players. Some of my favorite stories included the game against Duke when we were down by 9, I think, with 17 seconds and yet won and that was before 3 pointers and the years of '82 and '93 when we won the national championship in the Smith years.

He also addressed his commitment to social justice and spoke to his recruitment of Charlie Scott breaking that racial barrier at UNC. I loved it but it is probably only for those hard core UNC basketball fans.

[Natalie Nolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up a Tarheel fan at the tail-end of the career of Coach Smith. Throughout my life, I’ve seen his foundation and fingerprints all throughout Carolina Basketball. The coaching career of Roy Williams reflects the principles, rituals, and beliefs of Coach Smith in every regard. To hear from Coach Smith himself in these pages was to color in the outline of the Carolina Family. Coach Smith was a legendary leader and upright public figure because he disciplined himself first in his private life. We need more leaders with his intellect and discipline.

[Katy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love UNC basketball you need to read this!! I enjoyed the audiobook because it felt like he was telling me a couple of stories.

[Brian Eshleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dean Smith provides a bird's eye view of contemporary college basketball and how it came to be so, all through the prism of his long and distinguished career. This book would mean the most, obviously, to a Tar Heel fan, which I am not, but it was still good reading. Smith seems to be targeting the reader for whom former players' names jump off the page and provide a flood of nostalgia. Not being that connected to the program, I noticed more thoroughly drawn out scenes to make me a part of the era Smith was writing about.

Furthermore, there seemed to be fairly obvious "filler" involved. The author seems to know that season after season similarly described was growing old, and he tried to wax philosophical without much connection to the history he was telling.

[David A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come on, like I would give anything Dean does fewer than 5 stars.

[Brett Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a North Carolina fan, coach, player, or just a fan of basketball in general, pick this up. Great chapters on schemes and ways to win, along with great UNC game recollections.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in NC in the 90’s, I quickly learned how big of a deal college basketball was. I chose the Tarheels as my team to cheer for and always loved watching them and Dean Smith. Learning about how he grew up and became a coach as well as his philosophy on the game as well as being a mentor to so many was very interesting. I loved getting to know more about his life!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

just moved to NC, so thought better late than never. I love bball, never NC, but I am old school so enjoyed reading about old school Coach Smith. its a little too detailed about games and names. but wish there were more coaches like him.

[Jane Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book written by one of my heroes. It drags a little in the middle but part of the problem is that I read it as if he were speaking! I'm so proud to be a Tar Heel! Dean was an amazing coach and an even better man!

[Laura Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

With March Madness approaching, I thought an autobiography on my favorite college coach was the perfect reading material. The photos and list of all the UNC players to play for Dean Smith through the years is a classy touch.

[Taylor Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was kind of all over the place and got repetitive in some places, but overall I enjoyed it. Favorite chapter was "The Carolina Way" about his coaching philosophies and such which is what I had been looking for more of, but this book takes on more of a biographical role.

[Brian O'Leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read, but too basic, many other coaching books that are out there are better that offer you stuff you can take away from them and use.

[Jon Pessah]

Terrific inside look at a trailblazing coach, a little Democrat in Chapel Hill, in the 1960a, helping to integrate the South.

[Aaron Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book about Dean Smith. This man was a teacher, mentor be and coach.

[Joey Richter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story on one of the best college basketball coaches of all time. The writing felt like it was a little scrambled at times and took the long way around to get to a point.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about Dean Smith, the man and the coach. It also spotlighted the great UNC basketball teams.

[Holly Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give anything five stars. As an alumna and a huge basketball fan, I found this book to be magical. I also loved it for reasons beyond just sports. It’s a history lesson that spans 50+ years. Starting out with Dean Smith growing up in a segregated Kansas. It also teaches many life lessons that Dean held as part of his value system for both his teams and life. I felt I learned so much and gained a lot of perspective from reading this book. Dean Smith was a great mind and I’ve come to know that even more now after reading this. Although he is clearly a humble man, he is a legend and I’m glad to have gotten to know this at a deeper level.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a basketball fan, this book is a must read. No other college basketball coach has ever had as much success while maintaining such high integrity on and off the court. This is a biography of one of the most successful coaches ever, talking about the people who influenced him, as well as the tributes of those who he influenced.

Any sports fan or coach would gain a lot from reading this book.

[Toni Buechler · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books that I have read about coaching and life. Dean Smith tells his story as well as the stories of those around him over the years. I think he was affected by his players as much or more than he affected them. I highly recommend this story of a coach who taught more than just X's and O's.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carolina fans will devour this book like grits and redeye gravy. Others will find the story of a truly wise, religious, and caring man who changed countless lives through his position of UNC head coach.

[Bap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Granted this is not a tour de force in writing but Deano comes off as a decent man who cares about his players, the larger issues of society, and built a terrific program at Carolina. Anyone who is a Carolina basketball fan should read this book.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all UNC fans. I've always admired Dean Smith's personal stands and while I take a few theological exceptions on some key points in chapter 10, there is no denying that he is a man who has lived a genuinely good life and is the most exemplary of all coaches.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carolina rules!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Carolina Way.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about Coach Smith and the way he treated the game, his family and his players.

[Trey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much a must-read for Tar Heel die-hards.

[Sharron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it the first time around; a very interesting man. Rereading it now.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great coach and an even better man. Great Book for Carolina fans!!!!

[Steve Bergelin]

Great start to a read about a Hall of Fame college basketball coach!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a really good book. A lot of history and information.. Took me a super long time to read though. I took a break in the middle (like a five month break).