Roy Williams, a former North Carolina men's basketball coach, has seen the college landscape change rapidly in recent months. He told ESPN that changes in name, image, likeness rules and realignment have all permanently reduced the power of NCAA.
Williams told ESPN recently that the NCAA is changing so rapidly. "I believe the NCAA will not be the same. It is just not. It's not clear how this will develop. It's no longer the days when everyone follows the same pattern. Some of it is good and some not so much. They aren't the ones running the show anymore. It's a constantly changing world, and you never know what the future holds.
Williams surprised everyone when he retired on April Fools Day. He lamented the recent spate of conference realignment. The most recent round was initiated in July by Oklahoma planning moves to join the SEC.
"How about schools all at once deciding that I think I'll leave the conference and go here?" Williams stated. "I'm thinking, 'My gosh. "What's the deal with college athletics?"
It was speculated that Williams's descriptions of the changes were the reason he quit the game. Williams claimed that this is not true.
"You want to know about my name, image, likeness, and transfer portal. Although I was aware that there might be things I don't enjoy as much as in the past I did, I didn't believe it. He said that "The changes" had nothing to do.
Williams stated that he quit because he felt Tar Heels needed a new voice and added, "I didn't feel like I was the right person to do this job." I didn't feel that I had gotten my players to buy in as much in the past. I was certain that I didn't want to cheat my team or my school.
Williams, who has been playing a lot more golf since his retirement, is also spending time promoting the game. Williams is the ambassador for the 2021 Asheville Championship in Asheville (North Carolina), which starts Friday with Minnesota taking on Western Kentucky (6:30 pm. ET, ESPNU), followed by South Carolina against Princeton (9:30 PM, ESPNEWS).
Former coach says he is able to keep in touch with the game through his involvement with the Asheville Championship. He stated that he does not want to be a coach in college basketball, but he is open to the possibility of watching from afar.
Williams spoke out about his ambassador role. "I have told many people that there was never a morning when I didn't wake-up and wonder, 'Oh my god, what did you do?'
"... "... That's what I look forward to.
