LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Roy Williams received a standing ovation when he returned to Kansas for an awards banquet Thursday night, and not even the lone cry of "traitor'' from the audience could spoil his evening.
A tearful Williams appeared at the team ceremony three days after resigning as coach of the Jayhawks and taking the job at his alma mater, North Carolina.
"I know that this night is not about me,'' Williams told a group of about 2,000 people. "It's about the 2002-2003 Kansas basketball team.''
It was still about Williams for some, although large-scale protests never materialized.
When Williams was introduced, several people rattled newspapers in front of their faces, as fans at Allen Fieldhouse do during the announcement of an opponent's starting lineup. As the ovation died down after Williams' remarks, a man in the second balcony of the concert hall yelled, "traitor!''
Dave Collison, father of star forward and team MVP Nick Collison, drew cheers when he stood and told the protester, "You should be ashamed of yourself!''
Nick Collison defended his former coach during the ceremony.
"This is the same man I said all those nice things about on Senior Night,'' Collison said. "I still feel the same way.''
Williams, who flew to Chapel Hill on Monday for the announcement that he was the Tar Heels' new coach, returned Wednesday after receiving an invitation to the ceremony and banquet from Kansas chancellor Robert Hemenway.
The annual parade honoring the Jayhawks was scheduled for Thursday, but the players voted to cancel it.
"I will admit that it's difficult,'' said Williams, who appeared increasingly relaxed as the evening went along. "The easy way out would have been not to come, but I would never do that to these players, because that would not show the respect for these players and what they did and what they mean to me.''
The players, many of whom looked grim when Williams was introduced, hugged him after his speech.
"I ain't going to lie,'' point guard Aaron Miles said. "I was kind of mad at first ... but everyone's got dreams and goals, and you going to North Carolina is a dream of yours. I wish you well, but it's unfortunate you're not going to be a part of this special program anymore.''
The Jayhawks (30-8) advanced to the NCAA title game before losing to Syracuse. It was the fourth Final Four appearance for the school in Williams' 15 seasons there.
Some Kansas fans viewed Williams' return to Lawrence as a class act. Others called it another slap in the face of the players.
"People say, 'He's just out to get attention,''' Williams said at a news conference after the awards ceremony. "Anyone who says that doesn't know Roy Williams.''
On Internet fan sites, some fans were angered about Williams' decision to attend the ceremony, contending he wanted to woo Jayhawks recruits to North Carolina.
Some suggested booing Williams, who turned down the Tar Heels three years ago, whenever he attempted to speak. Others suggested greeting him with silence or walking out when he was introduced.
But Thursday night, there was little sign of protest when the buses carrying Williams and the team arrived at the university's Lied Center for the Performing Arts.
Several of Williams' former players lined up to greet him with hugs, and the only sign was carried by Carla Ingraham of Prairie Village. It read, "Thanks for 15 years.''
The tone for the evening was set early when the Rev. Virgil Brady mentioned Williams and his family in his invocation.
"We are grateful for the ride we have enjoyed with them,'' Brady said, "and we send them forth with our continued love and prayers.''
Still, Williams was nervous when he sat down.
"When I walked in, I was sort of a chicken,'' he said. "I wanted to come in in the middle of the players because I didn't think people would boo the players.''
