Dean Smith, the legendary coach of UNC Men’s Basketball team, has passed away at age 83.

Smith led the Tar Heels for more than three decades, retiring in 1997 with 879 victories to his name – the most in college basketball history at the time. He led the Heels to national titles in 1982 and 1993, and eleven appearances in the Final Four.

Smith pioneered the “four-corners” offense, a strategy for running out the clock while in the lead. Many of those he coached at UNC went on to prominent careers in the NBA, including Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Larry Brown and Sam Perkins.

Throughout his career, Smith was known for his integrity as well as his athletic triumphs. He was proud of the 96 percent graduation rate for his players.

Amongst his colleagues Smith promoted the concept of the “Carolina Family”, the idea that anyone associated with Tar Heel Basketball deserved the unconditional support of his peers.

Off the court he was known as a champion of progressive causes, fighting for desegregation in the 1960’s, nuclear disarmament in the 1980’s, and repeal of the death penalty in the 1990’s. He also spoke out in favor of gay rights and against the Iraq War.

Smith offered a scholarship to Charlie Scott to join the men’s basketball team in 1966. When Scott accepted and arrived on campus, he became the first African-American scholarship student-athlete at UNC.

Born in Kansas in 1931, Smith grew up watching his father coach high school basketball. Smith was a collegiate athlete himself, playing as a reserve guard on the University of Kansas basketball team, but even as a young man his interest was in coaching. Prior to arriving in Chapel Hill, Smith worked as an assistant coach at Kansas and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Smith is one of only three coaches to have coached teams to an Olympic gold medal, an NIT championship and an NCAA championship. He was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.

In 2013, Smith received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an award that his wife accepted on his behalf from President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony.

A statement from UNC says that Coach Smith passed away “peacefully the evening of February 7 at his home in Chapel Hill, and surrounded by his wife and five children.”

Listen below for memories from long-time UNC play-by-play voice Woody Durham:

Listen below for reflections on the life of Coach Dean Smith from Carolina Panthers play-by-play voice, and former color analyst on the Tar Heel Sports Network, Mick Mixon:

Listen below for thoughts from current UNC play-by-play voice Jones Angell:

Listen below for comments from Eric Montross, color anaylst for UNC men’s basketball and member of the ’93 National Championship basketball team coached by Dean Smith:

Listen below for thoughts from Hubert Davis, played at UNC from 1988 – 1992 and currently is an assitant coach for the Tar Heels under Roy Williams:

Listen below for memories from legenday UNC Point Guard, and Olympic Gold Medalist, Phil Ford:

Listen below for comments from Jerry Bell, who co-authored “The Carolina Way” with Coach Smith:

Listen below for thoughts from UNC Senior Associate A.D. for Communications Steve Kirschner:

Listen below for thoughts from WCHL contributor Freddie Kiger:

In November of 2013, Coach Smith was honored by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom: