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Sean Gregory May is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant basketball coach at the University of North Carolina. May played for the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team from 2003 to 2005, leading the team to its fourth national championship in 2005. After graduating from the University of North Carolina in 2009, May went on to play in the NBA and later for various international basketball teams. In 2021, May became an assistant coach for UNC, working alongside head coach Roy Williams. Maye's leadership and expertise are expected to help guide the team to success in the upcoming season.
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Sean May, former UNC basketball player and current assistant coach
Sean Gregory May, born on April 4, 1984, in Chicago, Illinois, is a former American professional basketball player and the current assistant basketball coach at the University of North Carolina. May grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, and attended Bloomington High School North, where he was a three-time all-state selection and was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana in 2001. He was also a teammate of future NBA player Jared Jeffries during his high school career.
May's impressive performance continued at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he chose to attend despite expectations that he would stay in Indiana. In 2004, he became the first sophomore to lead the ACC in rebounding since Tim Duncan in 1995, earning second-team All-ACC and second-team All-America honors. May's success extended beyond rebounding, as he averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds during his junior year, earning him Sports Illustrated's National Player of the Year award.
May's performance in the 2005 NCAA Tournament further solidified his outstanding reputation. He averaged 22.3 points and 10.7 rebounds during Carolina's march to the national title, including a 26-point, 10-rebound performance in the championship game against Illinois on his 21st birthday. May's 48 points in the 2005 Final Four remain a standout achievement, making him the first Tar Heel to win Most Outstanding Player honors and later become an assistant coach for Carolina.
Following his stellar college career, May entered the NBA Draft after his junior season and was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2005. However, injuries plagued his NBA career, limiting him to 119 games over four seasons. Despite these setbacks, he had notable performances, such as scoring a career-high 32 points against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic during the 2006-07 season.
After his playing career, May transitioned into coaching and currently serves as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina. He is highly regarded for his understanding of people management and his approach to recruiting, which involves observing how potential recruits interact with current players. May's passion for basketball and his dedication to continuous learning are evident as he pursues the second phase of his career in coaching.
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Luke Maye, UNC basketball player, son of former UNC quarterback
Luke Maye is an American professional basketball player for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins of the Japan Professional Basketball League (B.League). He was born in Cary, North Carolina, on March 7, 1997, and played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, winning the 2017 national championship. Maye is the son of Mark Maye, a former quarterback for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Amie Maye (née Sockwell), a standout basketball player at West Charlotte.
Mark Maye was a celebrated high school athlete in North Carolina in the early 1980s. He was a three-sport star at Independence High School, excelling in baseball, basketball, and football. In his senior year, he passed for 2,353 yards and 19 touchdowns in 11 games, and finished his high school career with 4,435 passing yards, setting a Mecklenburg County record. Mark went on to play quarterback for the University of North Carolina from 1984 to 1987, leading the ACC in 1986 with 1,401 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. However, his career was derailed by injuries to his thumb and throwing shoulder.
Luke Maye, on the other hand, played high school basketball at William A. Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, where he made the Associated Press' All-State team twice. He also played baseball for four years. Maye committed to the University of North Carolina without knowing if he would receive a scholarship. He was a bench player during his first two seasons with the Tar Heels, seeing limited playing time. However, he had a breakout season as a junior in 2017-2018, averaging 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in his first nine games. He ended the season averaging 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, leading the team in rebounds. Maye was named to the All-ACC Tournament team and was the ACC's Most Improved Player in 2018. He also excelled academically, earning Second-Team Academic All-America honors and the Skip Prosser Award as the ACC's top scholar-athlete in men's basketball.
After his senior year at UNC, Maye declared for the NBA Draft but went undrafted. He signed with the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks' G League team, and played for them in 2019 and 2020 before playing overseas for the Ibaraki Robots in Japan. Maye currently plays for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in Japan.
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2005 NCAA tournament win
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team won the 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, defeating the University of Illinois by a score of 75-70. This was their fourth national championship.
The Tar Heels were led by center Sean May, who scored 26 points on 10-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. May was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and was one of four Tar Heels to be selected as lottery picks in the 2005 NBA draft.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Illinois leading only twice early on and North Carolina holding a slim one-point lead at halftime. Illinois battled back in the second half, shooting 51.5% from the field and overcoming North Carolina's dominance inside the paint. With just under two minutes remaining, freshman Marvin Williams tipped in a missed shot to give North Carolina a 72-70 lead. Illinois had several chances to tie the game, but missed two three-point attempts on consecutive possessions. Point guard Raymond Felton then stepped up for North Carolina, stealing the ball and making three straight free throws to seal the victory.
The win was a testament to the team's motto for the season: "It's amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit." Head coach Roy Williams, who had previously reached the Final Four four times, also refused to take individual credit for the win, praising his players for stepping up and making big shots.
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2017 national championship win
The 2017 national championship win refers to the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship game, played on April 3, 2017, between the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels emerged victorious, defeating Gonzaga 71-65 to claim their sixth men's basketball national championship.
The road to the championship game was not without its challenges. In the second round of the tournament, North Carolina faced a tough test against Arkansas. They blew a 17-point first-half lead and found themselves trailing 65-60 with under three minutes remaining. However, Kennedy Meeks led a remarkable comeback, scoring 16 points, including a crucial tip-in with 44.2 seconds left, to secure a 68-65 victory and advance to the Sweet 16.
The Tar Heels then went on to defeat Miami (FL) in the ACC Tournament before losing to Duke in the semifinals. Despite this setback, North Carolina was selected as the top seed in the South regional. In the first round, Justin Jackson led the team with 21 points, cruising to a 103-64 win over Texas Southern.
The championship game itself was not without controversy. Many critics, including head coach Roy Williams, commented on the low quality of play. The media attributed this to the abundance of foul calls and poor offense, with some even labelling the game "unwatchable."
However, the victory cemented the Tar Heels' place in history, adding to their previous national championship wins in 1924, 1957, 1982, 1993, and 2005. This win also marked the first time since 1995 that the national championship game was played in a state in either the Mountain or Pacific time zones.
Interestingly, Sean May, a former North Carolina Tar Heels player (2003-2005) and current assistant coach, was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2005 NCAA tournament, which led to one of the Tar Heels' previous national championship wins. May and his father are one of four father-son duos to each win an NCAA basketball championship.
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Roy Williams, former head coach
Roy Williams is a legendary figure in college basketball and was the head coach of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team. Williams had a storied career at UNC, leading the Tar Heels to three national titles and two consecutive ACC regular-season championships. He was renowned for his successful coaching strategies, including a secondary fast break and stingy man-to-man defense.
Williams' impact on the court is undeniable, but his legacy extends beyond basketball. He and his wife, Wanda, are known for their generosity and support of educational opportunities for students from low-income families. They have donated millions of dollars to the University of North Carolina, with a significant portion backing the Carolina Covenant, which helps students graduate debt-free. Williams also showed his compassion during the COVID-19 pandemic, anonymously providing scholarships for athletes who missed out on their final season.
Williams' coaching career began as an assistant under Dean Smith at North Carolina for ten years. He then took up the head coaching position at Kansas University in 1988, leading the team to four Final Fours and the 1991 national semifinal game against his mentor, Dean Smith. In 2004, Williams returned to his alma mater, UNC, as head coach, and promptly won the national championship in 2005.
Williams' success continued throughout his tenure, and in 2017, he won his 800th game as a head coach. That same year, the Tar Heels won their third national title under his leadership. Williams' achievements were recognised with numerous accolades, including induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, and being named America's Best College Basketball Coach by Forbes in 2009. Williams retired in April 2021, leaving behind an impressive coaching record and a lasting impact on the UNC community.
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Frequently asked questions
Sean Gregory May is a former professional basketball player and current assistant basketball coach at the University of North Carolina. He played for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 2003 to 2005, leading the team to its fourth national championship in 2005.
Sean May is currently one of three on-the-bench assistant coaches for the UNC men's basketball team. He was promoted to this role in April 2021, after serving as the Director of Basketball Operations.
Luke Maye, Sean May's younger brother, played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels and won the 2017 national championship. Another notable player is Jared Jeffries, who played with May at Bloomington High School North and was a former NBA player.
