CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) The United States Basketball Writers Association has chosen one of Dean Smith's close friends - former Georgetown Hall of Fame coach John Thompson - as the first recipient of the award named for the late North Carolina coach.
The association will honor Thompson at a dinner in Chapel Hill on Nov. 10 benefiting the Dean E. Smith Opening Doors Fund, which aids low-income students in attending college and those pursuing advanced degrees in education and social work.
The USBWA announced the award in June to honor an individual who embodies Smith's values and spirit. Smith retired in 1997 as the winningest coach in Division I history and was known for stands on social issues such as racial equality and opposition to the death penalty.
Smith died in February at age 83.
