news-record.com

CHAPEL HILL -- Looking tan and trim from a summer of playing "some of the worst golf on some of the best courses you could possibly have," a relaxed Roy Williams met the media for an off-season news conference Tuesday afternoon at the Smith Center.

While North Carolina's basketball coach spoke, down the hall Will Graves of Greensboro worked out in the Tar Heels' weight room, trying to get back to playing the game he loves and wearing the uniform of the only school he's ever wanted to play for.

Graves averaged 4.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game as a redshirt sophomore last season. The former Dudley star and News & Record high school player of the year played in 20 games off the bench for North Carolina's national championship team.

The first 20.

Graves sat out the 21st as a healthy scratch at N.C. State. Immediately after the 22nd -- a 108-91 home victory over Maryland on Feb. 3 -- word came that the versatile 6-foot-6, 245-pound guard/forward had been suspended for the rest of the season for violating team rules. No one from North Carolina elaborated about just what rule Graves broke.

For the rest of the season, he watched from the bench in uniform, but he didn't play. He practiced with his teammates, but he didn't play. He traveled with his team, but he didn't play.

He watched the postseason run to the national championship from behind the bench in street clothes -- including two games played at his hometown Greensboro Coliseum -- because NCAA rules limit the number of players in uniform and coaches allowed on the bench.

Look closely at the photo of the trophy presentation in Detroit. There's Will Graves, over broadcaster Jim Nantz's shoulder, smiling and celebrating.

So what now? What's Will Graves' status? Has he been reinstated?

The question caught Williams just a tad off guard.

"Uh &ellipses; I guess if you've been suspended, you have to be reinstated," Williams said, turning to assistant sports information director Matt Bowers. "Is that right?"

Williams regrouped quickly.

"That's the reason they call me 'head coach,' " he said. "I don't know. We haven't discussed it. He's just got some conditions he's got to take care of, and if he takes care of those conditions then he'll be on team October 15th or 16th, whatever that Friday is (when practice officially begins).

"I have no plan to (officially) reinstate him," Williams added. "What I did was, I said to Will, 'you are suspended for the rest of the season,' if I remember right. And so, I'm under the assumption that he's going to do what I told him he has to do, and that he'll be out there in October."

And what is Graves doing this summer?

"He's doing what I told him to do," Williams answered. "It's pretty easy. He had two courses (in the first session of summer school) and made great grades in both of those courses. He's down in the weight room right now. He's doing exactly what he's supposed to do."

Bowers said Graves won't meet with the media for interviews until after school starts in the fall.

In the meantime, the junior from Dudley will keep putting in the work his coach wants to see, trying to win back a spot on the only team he's ever wanted to play for.

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com