Roy Williams, who was the head coach of the University of North Carolina basketball team, or UNC, from 1926 to 1952, is regarded by many as one of the best college basketball coaches of all time. As head coach of North Carolina for 21 years, he accumulated…

Roy Williams is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished college basketball coaches ever, best known for his long-standing role leading the University of North Carolina men’s basketball program.

According to reports, Williams served as the Tar Heels’ head coach from 1926 to 1952. Over an impressive 21-year stretch at UNC, he compiled a remarkable record and guided the team to numerous championships, cementing his place as a legend in the sport.

In a surprising twist that shocked the basketball community, news emerged that Williams was retiring—a revelation many initially believed to be a fabrication. From the start of his career in 1926, Williams had been synonymous with UNC basketball, and the notion that he would step away felt implausible to many.

Rumors quickly surfaced suggesting that the retirement news was, in fact, an elaborate prank orchestrated by a group of former players. According to sources familiar with the matter, the idea behind the stunt was to honor their coach with an unforgettable tribute. This plan involved a sequence of staged announcements that eventually led to the headline-grabbing “retirement.”

The ruse began to fall apart when current Tar Heel RJ Davis publicly expressed his disbelief during a press conference. “I thought it was a prank at first,” Davis admitted. “Coach Williams has always been the heart of this program, and the idea of him stepping away just didn’t seem real.”

His remarks ignited a flurry of speculation among fans, journalists, and analysts, who began questioning whether the retirement announcement had any basis in reality.

As the story picked up steam, social media platforms erupted with reactions. Fans, former players, and commentators chimed in, some expressing sadness at the thought of Williams leaving, while others praised the creativity of the tribute. “If this really was a prank, it’s one of the most incredible I’ve ever seen,” tweeted a former UNC athlete. “Coach Williams deserves every ounce of appreciation, and this was such a powerful way to show it.”

The energy around Chapel Hill was electric. Students and alumni united to honor Williams’ impact, while many called for him to remain at the helm. Local businesses even joined in, offering special deals to anyone wearing Carolina blue, and a petition demanding that Williams continue as head coach collected thousands of signatures within days.

As the hoax played out, it became clear the gesture had resonated deeply with the UNC community, highlighting just how beloved Roy Williams remains.