Before every game of the 2020-21 college basketball season, the University of North Carolina coach Roy Williams (Roy Williams) played and sat on the bench alone, watching his team warm up.
In these moments on the field, Williams stood firm and showed off his large number of Jordan shoes. After he announced his retirement, he tied the shoes in the last season of his 33 years as a head coach in 903 games. band. On April 1.
Last summer, when UNC was preparing to spend a season in the coronavirus pandemic, Williams decided to change the script of his traditional game attire, replacing his jacket, tie and formal shoes with a jacket, slacks and a pair of Jordan shoes.
Williams told reporters in February: “I said,̵
“Except for my loyalty to the Jordan brand, I didn’t do anything else.”
Williams was an assistant to the UNC coach in 1985. His mentor was the legendary head coach Dean Smith. At that time, the former Tar Heels became the superstar of the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan obtained his first pair of signature sneakers-Air Jordan 1 from Nike. During the 1999-2000 college basketball season, his air alma mater became the first team in the NCAA sponsored by Jordan Brand. In 2003, after 15 seasons in charge of the University of Kansas basketball program, Williams became the head coach of UNC, where he led the Tar Heels to three wins in 2005, 2009 and 2017. For the national champion, his team wore the Jumpman logo on their uniforms and sneakers.
In 2017, Jordan Brand gave the UNC head coach a pair of unique “Pinnacle” Air Jordan 1 Lows, autographed by Jordan himself and stored in a custom oak box to celebrate his 800th anniversary .day A career victory. And in 2019, Williams broke the Internet when he wore designer Virgil Abloh’s college blue Off-White x Air Jordan 1s to coach the game.
AP pictures
Two years ago, Williams broke the Off-Whites night, laying the stage for the 2020-21 season-his last game at UNC, which is especially memorable in the sports shoe industry. In 29 games this season, Williams rocked 29 different pairs of Jordan shoes, including the crazy spinning UNC Player Exclusive (PE), a silhouette that pays tribute to the 1982 Championship champion and has been placed in his closet. Nearly 15 years of top low-top shoes.
This is the first 12 pairs of Air Jordans worn by Williams before the season, ranked by The Undefeated sneaker culture writer (and UNC alumnus) Aaron Dodson.
12. “UNC” Air Jordan 4
March 19, against Wisconsin
Not surprisingly, Williams received a pair of early “UNC” Air Jordan 4s six weeks before the scheduled release in late April (especially reminiscent of the 2002 print ad, wearing North Carolina Jordan). It is worth noting that UNC 4s is the sneaker he wore in the last game of his coaching career-in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the University of Wisconsin lost to the University of Wisconsin by a score of 85-62. Regardless of the result, Williams is outdated.
11. “Black Cement” Air Jordan 11 Low IE
On February 24, at home against Marquette
Williams took a break from the regularly scheduled Carolina basketball game (yelling to rapper Jay-Z) and prepared the “Black Cement” Air Jordan 11 Low IE to pay homage to Black Cement 3s. This is one of the most classic 3s. The highly regarded Air Jordans. Coincidentally, Jordan (Jordan) launched Black Cement 3s in 1988. In the same year, Williams (Williams) started his first head coaching job in Kansas.
10. “UNC” Air Jordan 11 Low
December 2, 2020, against Texas
Although we commend Williams for his decision to make his debut in 2001 and then return to the world in 2017, after which he decided to swing the “UNC” Air Jordan 11 Lows, the real praise is that he was the UNC champion in the Maui Invitational. Diamond-shaped socks worn by shoes.
9. Air Jordan 1 Low PE
January 20 vs. Wake Forest
Williams announced his retirement a few weeks before the release of the “Hyper Royal” Air Jordan 1 Highs. Despite the name of the color scheme, it looks like a pickled Carolina Blue. As early as January, Williams participated in a pair of Air Jordan 1 PE matches similar to Hyper Royals, but these shoes were low-cut. UNC fans selected the shoes for Williams through the @UNC_Basketball Twitter poll, pairing the award-winning low-top Air Jordan 1s with a pair of low-top Air Jordan 23 PEs. The point is, Coach really loves some of his low-top shoes.
8. Air Jordan x Converse Pro leather PE
February 27 vs. Florida
In the 1982 National Championship game between UNC and Georgetown, a 19-year-old Michael Jordan wore a pair of Converse Pro Leather sneakers and hit the winning jumper. Fast-forward 35 years until 2017, when the assistant coach Williams of 82 championship teams led UNC to his third (and now final) national championship. In 2018, the Jordan brand collaborated with Converse to design Williams and his team’s limited edition Pro Leathers, each pair with the university blue Jumpman logo to celebrate the two sounding history of 3.5 years apart . Williams has brought some championship swaggers with his double pair of Air Jordan x Converse Pro Leather PE this season.
7. Air Jordan 1 Low PE
February 17 vs. Northeast
During UNC’s 82-62 defeat of Northeastern University in February, Williams paid tribute to former Georgetown coach and college basketball legend John Thompson Jr., who died in August 2020 at the age of 78. The towel on the right shoulder is engraved with “Big John” and two pairs of Air Jordan 1 Low PE soft blue suede, with a golden lace cap. From a giant of the college basketball team to another college basketball team, a graceful tribute (elegant kick).
6. “University Blue” Air Jordan 21 Low
December 30, 2020, against Georgia Institute of Technology
The “College Blue” Air Jordan 21 Lows was released only once, in July 2006, the second year after UNC defeated the University of Illinois in the 2005 National Championship. Raymond Felton rocked Air Jordan. In the 10s, Marvin Williams was wearing Air Jordan 13s and Sean May was wearing Air Jordan 19s. In the last game of UNC in 2020, Williams broke his nearly 15-year-old Air Jordan 21 Lows and tied them up like they dropped on the SNKRS app that week. If you are reading this article, coach-what else do you get from that closet that day? 👀
5. Air Jordan 2 Low PE
January 23 vs. NC State
Before the Tar Heels broke into the 2016 National Championship (they lost heartbreakingly to Villanova with a shocking three-point shooting in overtime), Jordan Brand ) A pair of specially designed Air Jordan 2 PE was provided to the program. When each pair of shoes is placed side by side, the diamond-shaped lining and translucent sole form the school’s interlocking “NC” logo. In the January matchup with the NC State University District crossover opponent, Williams reminded us that only elite companies can do this.
4. Air Jordan 13 Low PE
November 25, 2020, against Charleston
In the season when UNC lost to Villanova in the 2016 National Championship, Tar Heels returned to the NCAA Championship, this time with the Air Jordan 13 Low PE, and was finally redeemed after defeating Gonzaga to win the 2017 championship. Williams started the 2020-21 season with a lucky 13 PE, setting the tone for the final season full of fireballs.
3. Air Jordan 3 PE
On February 20th, at home against Louisville
Remember the “UNC” Air Jordan 3s launched in the retail market in March 2020? Well, these are not those. In the February game against Louisville, Williams showed the “NC” logo on the shoes worn by the “Roy Williams Field” in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Of course, Williams owns a pair of Air Jordan 3 PEs made for the UNC football team in 2018. (If he also has a retail pair, he wouldn’t be surprised.)
2. Air Jordan 1 High PE
On February 6, at home vs. Duke University
In the biggest competition in one of the most legendary venues of college basketball, Williams led the UNC Tal high heels to defeat Mike 91-87 in the final game held at the Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 6. The Duke of the Blue Devils of Krzyzewski. The most exquisite UNC theme Air Jordan 1s. This pair of Carolina blue, navy and white PE leather with reptile and stingray patterns. Although these shoes were prepared for the UNC football team, these sneakers eventually fell under the feet of the school’s chief basketball coach .
1. Air Jordan 5 PE
On March 6, Duke vs. Duke
By UNC’s 2020-21 season, there may actually be only a glimmer of hope that will end with Williams’ retirement: Tar Heels defeated the rival Duke not once, but twice this year. UNC defeated the Blue Devils 91-73 in their hometown on March 6 and completed the victory against Duke in February, thus ending the regular season. After the game, Williams knelt on the center court and kissed the hardwood before leaving the floor at the Dean E. Smith Center. He experienced this moment on the Air Jordan 5 PE (he wrinkled unconsciously in the world), which was designed for the UNC football team with a Carolina blue elephant pattern affixed to the upper. The pair he tied up in the final game with Duke and the home pair that had his name on his name should retire like him. Williams (Williams) Air Jordan 5s belonged to a museum to celebrate his legendary coaching career, but then he was disappointed.
