Roy Williams to attend KU game Tuesday night

LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - Former KU head men’s basketball coach and North Carolina three-time national champ Roy Williams will be in Allen Fieldhouse Tuesday night for a top-15 showdown between KU and Iowa State.

Bill Self said Monday Williams reached out to Kansas roughly three weeks ago.

“Roy contacted a couple guys within our department and said that he really wanted to come back to Allen Fieldhouse to see a game,” Self said. “Certainly, he’s more than welcome.”

Williams and his wife, Wanda, will watch No. 9 KU host the No. 9 Cyclones.

It will be the first game in Allen Fieldhouse for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer since leaving in 2003 to coach at his alma mater, North Carolina.

“This is the first, but hopefully it won’t be the last - and he’ll be very much like Coach (Larry) Brown and Coach (Ted) Owens and always feel welcome to come back whenever he wants to,” Self said.

Williams coached at Kansas from 1988-2003, leading the Jayhawks to four Final Fours and two national championship appearances.

Self said he anticipates a welcoming crowd of 16,300 fans.

“It’s a given that they will, our fans will pay homage and tribute him when he’s announced the way that he deserves for the 15 great years of service he gave this institution,” he said.

In addition to three national titles at UNC, Williams notched 485 wins in 18 seasons. He announced his retirement April 21, 2021.