Photo: University of North Carolina / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Dean Smith is one of those rare figures whose stature has nothing to do with the scoreboard. Yes, he coached at North Carolina for 36 years, but the detail that moves me is his 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom paired with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Those honors recognize a man who fought against segregation off the court as fiercely as he competed on it. A former 178 cm player who became a builder of people, he embodied principle over ego. He passed in 2015, yet I believe he lives on in how his players carry themselves. I deeply admire this quiet giant.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dean Smith
- Name (Japanese)
- ディーン・スミス
- Reading
- でぃーん・すみす
- Born
- February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Goat
- Origin
- Emporia, Kansas, United States
- Height
- 178 cm
- Occupation
- basketball coach / basketball player / engineer
2. Background
- High school
- Emporia High School
- University
- University of Kansas
Awards & achievements
- 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Arthur Ashe Courage Award
- 2008 North Carolina Award for Public Service
- 1981 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
- FIBA Hall of Fame
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Dean Smith born?
February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015.
Where is Dean Smith from?
Dean Smith is from Emporia, Kansas, United States.
What does Dean Smith do?
Dean Smith works as basketball coach, basketball player, engineer.
How tall is Dean Smith?
Dean Smith is 178 cm.
Basketball coach — see all → · Basketball player — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.