Remembering Mike Cooke: Witness to Greatness

Cooke reflects on his time playing for Dean Smith in the early years of the legendary coach's tenure at UNC

Feb. 12, 2026 at 8:55am

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Mike Cooke, a former UNC basketball player in the early 1960s, reflects on his time playing for legendary coach Dean Smith in the first years of Smith's tenure. Cooke discusses Smith's innovative coaching style, his ability to adapt to different generations of players, and the lasting impact Smith had on the Carolina basketball program and its players.

Why it matters

Cooke's firsthand account provides a unique perspective on the early days of Dean Smith's legendary coaching career at UNC. It offers insight into Smith's coaching philosophy, his relationship with players, and the foundation he built that would lead to decades of sustained success for the Tar Heels.

The details

Cooke was recruited to UNC by coach Frank McGuire in 1960, but McGuire left for the NBA shortly after. The young Dean Smith, just 30 years old at the time, took over as head coach. Cooke describes Smith as a "disciplinarian" and "innovative" who had to compensate for the team's weaknesses through strategic defensive schemes. Cooke highlights Smith's first "huge" win over Adolph Rupp's Kentucky team in 1962 as a breakthrough moment. He also credits Smith's ability to adapt his coaching style and recruit high-character players as keys to the program's long-term success.

  • Cooke arrived at UNC in 1960 as a freshman.
  • McGuire left UNC to coach in the NBA in 1961.
  • Dean Smith took over as head coach in 1961 at age 30.
  • Cooke's UNC teams played from 1960-1964.
  • Cooke's senior season was the 1963-64 campaign.

The players

Frank McGuire

The former UNC coach who recruited Cooke to Chapel Hill before leaving for the NBA's Philadelphia Warriors in 1961.

Dean Smith

The young assistant hired by McGuire who took over as UNC's head coach in 1961 and went on to become a Hall of Fame coach.

Mike Cooke

A former UNC basketball player who played for Dean Smith in the early years of his tenure as head coach from 1960-1964.

Larry Brown

A guard who played with Cooke at UNC and later became a legendary NBA coach.

Donnie Walsh

A player who was on campus during Cooke's time at UNC and later became an NBA executive.

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What they’re saying

“McGuire came into our house and was just the slickest, coolest guy I'd ever seen. He had everything – he was two years removed from winning the national championship – he was so well-dressed and very convincing. McGuire's the reason I went to Carolina.”

— Mike Cooke, Former UNC Basketball Player

“We had to compensate for our weaknesses by forcing the baseline. We'd pick up a handful of charges each game just by bringing weak side help over to the other side. We had four main defenses and would throw teams off by switching all the time. Dean really handled the situation he inherited as well as you can.”

— Mike Cooke, Former UNC Basketball Player

“That was a breakthrough game for Coach Smith, without question. We played the box-and-one on their star 'Cotton' Walsh all game. What a win that was for Dean.”

— Mike Cooke, Former UNC Basketball Player

The takeaway

Cooke's reflections on his time playing for Dean Smith in the early years of his legendary tenure at UNC provide a unique window into the foundation Smith built for the program's sustained success over the next three decades. Smith's innovative coaching, ability to adapt, and focus on recruiting high-character players laid the groundwork for the Tar Heels to become one of college basketball's most dominant programs.