Dave Sez

Dean Smith And Jim Valvano

The friendship that developed between Jim Valvano and Mike Krzyzewski after Valvano retired from NC State is well chronicled. Coach K and his wife are still quite active in the various V Foundation activities in the area.

The boys at The Red and White From State have dug up a story that sheds a little light on the relationship between V and Dean Smith. Now, Smith was never a terribly social man and wasn't really a favorite of his coaching peers, but that didn't keep Valvano from asking for (and receiving) a big favor from Coach Smith. It's a cool little story.

BTW, Dean Smith was just chosen as one of the first five selections to the new National College Basketball Hall of Fame. If they are only going to pick five people a year (and that's the only reason why I can think of for why only five are in the first class), it's going to take them a while to get all of the worthy candidates in the Hall. Maybe that's the point, to help keep the inductions relevant for several years.