Late UNC Coach Dean Smith Left $200 to his Players for a ‘Dinner Out’

The late North Carolina coach Dean Smith wanted his players to know that he would never forget them.

Smith, who passed away at the age of 83 on Feb 7, had included all of his former players in his will. According to the will, which was posted on Twitter by Jim Dempsey, Smith wanted to give every single player that he coached during his 36 seasons at Chapel Hill a $200 check.

The picture of the letter, which was addressed to Dante Calabria, a member of the 1993 championship team, has gone viral.

"Each player was important and special to Coach Smith, and when he prepared his state plan, Coach wanted to reach out to each of his letterman," Tim Breedlove of the firm Miller, McNeish & Breedlove wrote in the letter, which has been authenticated. "Accordingly, Coach directed that following his passing each letterman be sent a two hundred dollar check with the message 'enjoy a dinner out compliments of Coach Dean Smith.'"

Breedlove told the New York Daily News that he was able to send around 180 letters to former students.

Smith coached the Tar Heels from 1961 to 1997. He has mentored 184 players, which included one of basketball's greatest - if not the greatest - player, Michael Jordan.

Head coach for the Sacramento Kings George Karl, who played under Smith between 1970 and 1973, said to USA TODAY Sports, "It just continues my amazement of (him). The combination of his humility, and just to do the right things and treat people the right way. He was a big meal guy. He liked sharing ideas over a good dinner at a good restaurant, and fortunately I was blessed to have many of those opportunities with him. I'm tearing up a little bit, to be honest with you. That's Coach Smith right there."

Throughout his legendary career, Smith won two National Championships, appeared in 11 Final Fours and won the ACC regular season 17 times.