Former North Carolina coach Dean Smith died last month at the age of 83. For many, it meant that they were only going to be left with their memories of Smith. However this week, many of Smith’s greatest players began to receive interesting letters from Smith’s trust. In each letter was a check for $200 which Smith said was to “enjoy a dinner out compliments of Coach Dean Smith.”
It is something that has shocked many of the letter winners who got the checks. Some have seen that they will not cash the checks but will just keep them; others will donate the money while many will probably go out for the dinner from Smith. It is a gift from their former coach that can’t be described in words for many people.
Smith will be remembered in many different ways from his national championship teams in 1982 and 1993 to the 879 wins that he had as the coach of the Tar Heels. This gesture however may turn into Smith’s greatest contribution to his players. The $200 checks will all go somewhere special for each and every player but they will all know that Smith truly cared about them as more than just players.
