“I think the real free person in society is one that’s disciplined. It’s the one that can choose; that is the free one.” Dean Smith

Although athletic ability is important, basketball mental toughness is truly what separates good from great. Coaching young talent is never an easy task, as it requires a thorough understanding of basketball psychology and the mental game of basketball.

Passing away recently was one of the all-time great college basketball coaches, Dean Smith. Smith who lived to be 83 was a long-time coach for the UNC Tar Heels from 1961-1997 who won two NCAA championships as his time as a coach.

Winning 879 games in his head coaching career was Smith who helped improve his players’ basketball mental game during their tenures in Chapel Hill. Training players to be mentally tough is not simple, but Smith did an excellent job helping out his players mentally as well as physically.

Molding young minds like Michael Jordan and James Worthy, Smith helped a number of players in college build basketball mental toughness– so much so that they went on to be successful players at the next level.

Even for those of his players who did not make it at the next level, Smith helped them out with mental toughness on and off the court. Smith was invested in the whole player. 96.6% of the players who played under him ended up getting their degrees, showing that he ran a quality program.

An advocate of desegregation, Smith showed basketball mental toughness while being criticized when going after African-American players early in his career. Bringing Charlie Scott in on scholarship, the first African-American basketball player to receive a UNC basketball scholarship, Smith would take any young, respectable gentlemen who could help out his team.

Not only did Scott grow as a player at UNC improving his mental game in basketball, but he later thrived in both the ABA and NBA. In his NBA career, Scott was a three-time All-Star who helped lead the Boston Celtics to an NBA championship in the 1975-1976 season.

Known as a players’ coach, Smith understood basketball psychology and knew what he had to do to help his players thrive in such a competitive environment. Treating his players with kindness and respect, he was able to establish himself as one of the top college coaches in all the land. Everyone wanted to play for Coach Smith.

Back in 1997, Coach Smith unexpectedly retired stating that he felt as though he could no longer give the same enthusiasm as usual. Coaching for 37 seasons, he showed toughness in each and every one, able to give his team a chance at winning year-in and year-out.

Showing his humble side when stepping down as a coach, Smith still had influence over the team for years following his retirement– helping to improve the mental game of basketball at Chapel Hill.

Sticking with it through thick and thin, Coach Smith earned his spot in the College Basketball Hall of Fame and Basketball Hall of Fame after years of establishing the Tar Heels as one of college basketball’s top teams in the nation.

Coach Smith you will be truly missed – RIP