North Carolina Tar Heels: the Roy Williams Formula (Sort Of)

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Apr 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) cuts the net after the win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. North Carolina defeated Gonzaga 71-65. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Have players flirt with the NBA the summer before and then come back

Each of these teams had players who could have bolted early to the NBA if they wanted to. The 2005 team was the one most restricted by draft rules of the time, but McCants could likely have jumped. The 2009 and 2017 cases are far clearer.

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In 2009, Ellington, Lawson, and Green all explored the draft but came back.

In 2017, Jackson and Meeks explored the draft but came back.

This seems to indicate that the talent on these teams was as good as it was going to get without losing it to the pros, and that each team had members who needed to prove themselves over the next year to the scouts.

Have a Presidential Election and Inauguration During the Season

George Bush retained the White House in 2004 and began his second term in 2005.

Barack Obama, who practiced with the team during the 2008 campaign and picked them to win his bracket, was inaugurated in 2009.

Donald Trump was elected in 2016 and began his first term in 2017.

The failure of the 2008 and 2016 teams was to just miss election years.

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