Dark cloud gone, Williams, UNC all smiles on picture day

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (WTVD) -- The defending champs look picture perfect in October. Also visible on Tuesday, the upbeat mood of head coach Roy Williams now finally free and clear of NCAA punishment.

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Tired of talking about it, he obliged the assembled media one more time.

"Whether it was vindication or not. That never really came to mind. I was just happy it was over with," Williams said.

That dark cloud kept many top recruits from Chapel Hill.

Senior Joel Berry thinks about what could have been. Friday's news prompting this tweet suggesting the team get two banners this year.

"The other night when the banner dropped I had tears in my eyes because through all that we could see the bigger picture," Berry said. "Now there's nothing people can say. We've lost recruits because of that and we're still able to win national championships here."

For the upcoming season, Berry is a known quantity along with Theo Pinson and to some degree, junior Kenny Williams. The big guys in the paint need seasoning and are subject to Roy's jokes.

"I am really confident with some guys we have on the perimeter. Not as bad as I was sitting in the infractions committee, but I'm scared to death of those big guys."

Happy days are here again at the Smith Center. And every reason to smile and crack jokes.