Back in 2015, after Dean Smith passed away at 83, his former players got one more letter from him. Smith coached North Carolina basketball for 36 seasons, from 1961 to 1997. Before he died, he had already arranged what would happen next. His trust sent a $200 check to every single letterman who ever played for him. Roughly 180 players in all. The letter that came with it read, in part, "Each player was important and special to Coach Smith, and when he prepared his estate plan, Coach wanted to reach out to each of his lettermen." The instructions were simple. "Enjoy a dinner out, compliments of Coach Dean Smith." The trustee handling the estate put it plainly. "This is the kind of man that he was. It's one more example of his thoughtfulness." Smith coached Michael Jordan, James Worthy, and dozens of future NBA players across two national championships. He was also known, maybe more than anything, for making sure every player who ever wore a UNC uniform for him knew he cared, whether they started every game or never got off the bench. He made sure of it one last time, after he was already gone. For more stories like this, follow us on any platform @thesportsontap