Larry B.

Photography by Julia Thompson

If you’re reading this, you can go fast alone but you can go far with others.

A Letter from Coach Larry Brown:

Dear Students,

“Every journey matters.” So, I hope your spring semester in Chapel Hill, whether it is the last semester of your senior year or the second semester of your freshman year, has been meaningful and enjoyable – even if you may not realize it until later.

When I was a senior in high school in New York, little did I know that deciding to attend UNC would set the course for the rest of my life. I was fortunate to get recruited to play basketball in Chapel Hill by the legendary Coach Frank McGuire.  Coach McGuire taught me a great deal about basketball, but equally as important, he taught me many important life skills, such as how to be a good person, how to treat others, and how to pay back and pay it forward.

Coach McGuire’s assistant, Coach Dean Smith, was hired to be the head coach at UNC after Coach McGuire took a job in the NBA. I was fortunate to play on Coach Smith’s first team at UNC. Coach Smith went on to become the all-time winningest NCAA coach and to establish himself as one of the greatest coaches in any sport.  Most people, however, remember him best for what he did for others and how he treated everyone with respect. He believed in “The Golden Rule”: treat others the way you want to be treated. When it came to basketball, Coach Smith taught me the importance of “The Team Concept”: the importance of a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. Both Coach McGuire and Coach Smith instilled in me the value of relying on others and being relied upon.  Later, I realized how important it was to have mentors and to be a mentor to others. We’ve all had others believe in us and offer us a hand in some way and I believe we are called to do the same for others. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Coach Smith or at least something he taught me during my life.

I remember vividly when I was coaching the Philadelphia 76ers and Coach Smith called to tell me I was going to hire Phil Ford, Dave Hanners, and Pat Sullivan. I wasn’t looking for new staff members, but Coach Smith was clear it was important to “pay forward” by helping these young, talented coaches. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that decision would help my career immensely and also create some of the most meaningful relationships I have had in my life. 

Coach Smith was known as a disciplinarian, but I venture to say that everyone he had a relationship with knew the most important thing was that he truly cared about them and wanted them to succeed. Coach Smith always said, and he believed, that good people are happiest when something good happens to someone else.
 

I have always loved any sport with a ball. I learned at a young age that having like-minded teammates always helped our teams get better and execute at a higher level. I hope that your time on campus has introduced you to "teammates" that you have relied on and that have relied on you. As a basketball coach, I learned early on that losing can take its toll and therefore we must view a loss or mistake as an opportunity to learn and get better. Failure does not come from losing or falling short of your goals, but from not trying. Michael Jordan missed 25 game winning shots, but he also has the highest number of game winners in NBA history with 9.

I was taught that to whom much is given much is expected. I am hopeful that I have passed on what was taught to me. Also, I am hopeful that each of you have great mentors in your life, and that you honor them by paving the road ahead for those that will come behind you at UNC and in life. As you go on to do great things in the world and if you are reading this, remember you can go fast alone, but you can go far with others. Wishing you all the best and much success.

 Larry Brown 

UNC 1963

Larry B., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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