Roy Williams reacts to news of Jay Wright's retirement

Former North Carolina head coach Roy Williams had nothing but great things to say about former adversary, Villanova head coach Jay Wright, who announced his retirement Wednesday night after leading his team to a Final Four earlier this month.

“I love [Villanova Basketball] and Jay Wright. Admired him a great deal,” Williams said to Andy Katz Wednesday night. “One of the true giants in our game. I do believe Jay did everything with first class and integrity. He was a great ambassador for his university and our profession.”

Williams and Wright battled four times against each other as head coaches, all of which came during their times at North Carolina and Villanova, respectively. The Tar Heels won three of the four matchups, but the final one — in 2016 — is the one everyone remembers. Kris Jenkins nailed a pull-up 3-pointer at the horn to win the NCAA Championship for what would be the first of two titles in a three-year period for the Wildcats.

Wright, who led Villanova to their sixth 30-win season under his watch since becoming head coach in 2001, made his fourth appearance in the Final Four this past season after defeating Houston 50-44 in the Elite Eight last month. 

The Wildcats won the 2016 and 2018 National Championships under his watch. Since 2016, Villanova is 20-4 in the NCAA Tournament under Wright, currently the most in the nation.

The hall of fame coach finishes his coaching career with a 642–282 (.695) overall record, as well as a 34-16 record in the NCAA Tournament. His career got started in 1984 as an assistant at the University of Rochester before stints at Drexel, UNLV and even five seasons as an assistant at Villanova from 1987-to 1992.

“When looking for a successor, we wanted a candidate who could navigate the changing landscape of collegiate athletics and keep Villanova in a position of strength — now and in the future,” Villanova athletic director Mark Jackson said. “After meeting with several exceptional candidates, we found all those attributes and more in Kyle Neptune. Kyle quickly stood out for his basketball knowledge, recruiting savvy and natural ability to connect with student-athletes and coaches.”

Wright is staying on at Villanova away from the court, though. In the press release, the university announced he’ll serve as a special assistant to the president and help with fundraising, advising and education, among other duties.