If a coach had an interest in working at N.C. State, it makes sense for him to call one person: Gary Williams. He’s a respected coach who worked under Wolfpack athletic director Debbie Yow for 16 years.
Why wouldn’t you call him?
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And what would you expect Williams to say?
But Yow came across as more than a bit immature in her comments Tuesday night, when she suggested — at her new coach’s news conference, for goodness sake — that Williams sabotaged the school’s search for a new basketball coach.
Maybe now you know why Sean Miller, Shaka Smart and other so-called hot names declined to interview for the job. Maybe Williams steered them away; maybe he didn’t. Sort of happens a lot with any job openings. But the fact that Yow brought it up in the manner she did at Mike Gottfried’s introductory presser is a bit, well, stunning. And telling, for that matter. She came across as more upset about the ones who got away than excited about the guy she hired. Good luck with that, Mike!
Here’s what else might have sabotaged the search: the school itself. It did some great things many, many years ago. But for the foreseeable future it will be the No. 3 school not only in the state but also in its own region. Perhaps N.C. State is more like the St. John’s of the south — a potentially good program capable of big things. Just like a lot of other programs in big conferences. Should Miller leave Arizona for that? If you’re Smart — and smart — is this the job you automatically jump to?
