To the editor,
What do Carolina and Duke basketball have in common, other than enthusiastic fans, multiple ACC and NCAA championships and Hall of Fame coaches?
Morgan Wootten — a high school coach in the Naismith Hall of Fame who coached at DeMatha Catholic High School for 46 years and never had a losing season.
Morgan was born at Duke Hospital because his folks were visiting his grandmother Bayard Wootten, the photographer for the UNC Yackety Yack who lived on Cameron Avenue in Chapel Hill.
Morgan was close friends with UNC coach Dean Smith and Duke coach Vic Bubas. He sought advice from Bubas when N.C. State offered him the head coaching position that ultimately went to Jim Valvano. Dean Smith was a valuable mentor.
Former DeMatha players Danny Ferry, Joe Kennedy and Kenny Blakeney all became stars for Duke, while Ray and Billy Hite would play both basketball and football for UNC.
Mike Brey was assistant coach at Duke, and Adrian Dantley was the star of the Dean Smith coached 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Team. Both were coached by Morgan in high school.
Morgan served as chairperson of the McDonald's All-American selection committee, so that connects him to every McDonald’s All-American who ever went to Carolina or Duke.
Both Coach K and Roy Williams have ties to Morgan Wootten and were featured in the film “Morgan Wootten: The Godfather of Basketball.” Morgan’s legacy spans the basketball world, but his connections to Carolina and Duke are ever present.
