🏀 “From Chapel Hill to Kansas Glory: Did Roy Williams Secretly Coach the Greatest College Team Ever Without a Crown to Show for It?”
Ranking the 9 Powerhouse Squads That Defined Roy Williams’ Dynasty—And the One That History Might Have Underestimated Most
Roy Williams may have retired with three NCAA championships and over 900 wins, but his impact on college basketball extends beyond banners and trophies. Across 33 seasons at Kansas and North Carolina, Williams consistently built juggernauts—teams that blended experience, elite talent, and relentless pace. But which of his squads were the best, and is it possible that one of his most dominant teams never even cut down the nets?
Let’s dive into a ranking of Roy Williams’ nine best teams and explore how one near-perfect season might have quietly gone down as the greatest “almost” in NCAA history.
1. 2004–05 North Carolina (33–4)
The blueprint for Williams’ first championship at UNC. In just his second year back in Chapel Hill, Williams transformed a talented yet underachieving roster into national champions. With Sean May, Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants, and Marvin Williams, this team overcame an early stumble to Santa Clara to go on a 14-game win streak and defeat top-seeded Illinois in the title game. It was the ultimate redemption arc for a core that had missed the tournament just two years prior.
2. 2008–09 North Carolina (34–4)
Arguably the most dominant of his title-winning teams. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green led a squad that cruised through the NCAA Tournament, defeating five AP Top 25 teams in the process. UNC’s margin of victory in March was jaw-dropping—winning every game by at least 12 points. This was Williams’ most NBA-ready team and perhaps the peak of his Carolina tenure in terms of polish and firepower.
3. 2007–08 North Carolina (36–3)
The same core as 2009—Hansbrough, Green, Ellington, Lawson—but one year younger and one step short. This team went on a tear, earning the No. 1 overall seed before running into eventual national champions Kansas in the Final Four. In many metrics, including win percentage and SRS, this squad was nearly identical to their championship successors. They just happened to peak a year too early.
4. 2016–17 North Carolina (33–7)
A story of redemption. After losing the 2016 title on Kris Jenkins’ buzzer-beater, the Tar Heels returned with grit, size, and purpose. Justin Jackson and Kennedy Meeks led a veteran squad that muscled through tight games in the NCAA Tournament, edging Oregon and then Gonzaga in a gritty national championship game. This was vintage Roy—tough, balanced, and smart in the clutch.
5. 2001–02 Kansas (33–4)
And here’s where the debate begins.
This team—featuring Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, and Kirk Hinrich—went undefeated in Big 12 regular-season play, beat ranked teams in every round leading up to the Final Four, and led the nation in scoring. They were a well-oiled machine that just happened to run into Maryland’s magical title run. Still, their blend of chemistry, balance, and top-tier NBA talent remains one of the most underrated achievements in Roy’s career.
Many argue this was the best team he ever coached. The only thing missing? A ring.
6. 2015–16 North Carolina (33–7)
The heartbreak squad. Marcus Paige hit a miracle shot to tie the game… only for Villanova’s Kris Jenkins to answer with the greatest buzzer-beater in NCAA title game history. Paige, Brice Johnson, and Joel Berry led one of Roy’s most offensively fluid and defensively tenacious teams. If not for that one final play, they’d be remembered alongside the all-time greats.
7. 1996–97 Kansas (34–2)
This team had Paul Pierce… and still didn’t make it past the Sweet 16. Coached to near-perfection during the regular season, the Jayhawks entered the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed. But a red-hot Arizona team, which beat three No. 1 seeds en route to the championship, ended Kansas’ dream run. Still, the .944 win percentage speaks volumes.
8. 2002–03 Kansas (30–8)
Roy’s last ride with Kansas ended with a national championship loss to Syracuse and Carmelo Anthony. Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich were again the heart and soul of the team, and their run through the tournament included huge wins over Duke and Arizona. The only thing standing in their way? A freshman phenom and Boeheim’s zone.
9. 2006–07 North Carolina (31–7)
This was the coming-out party for the core that would win it all in 2009. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green were young, electric, and aggressive. They lost a heartbreaker to Georgetown in the Elite Eight but made it clear that a new Tar Heel dynasty was forming.
The Takeaway: Which Team Was Really the Greatest?
If you go by raw dominance, 2008–09 Carolina probably wins. If you measure cultural impact, it’s the 2004–05 squad. But if you ask those who were there, the 2001–02 Kansas Jayhawks may be the biggest “what if” of Roy’s career.
That team had the experience, the pros, the numbers—and the momentum. But sometimes, the best team doesn’t win the trophy. Sometimes, all it takes is one off night. One cold half. One unexpected opponent. And that’s what makes this list so fascinating.
Because in the end, Roy Williams’ legacy isn’t just about what he won. It’s about the how — and the who — that defined him.
