Netflix Reveals Release Date for Deeply Emotional Dean Smith Documentary, “More Than a Coach”
In an announcement that brought tears, cheers, and a flood of Tar Heel blue to social media timelines, Netflix has officially revealed the release date for its highly anticipated sports documentary, More Than a Coach, chronicling the life and legacy of legendary UNC basketball coach Dean Smith. Set to premiere globally on February 29, 2026, the film promises a moving, intimate, and unfiltered look at the man who didn’t just build a basketball dynasty—but shaped lives, challenged social norms, and became the moral heartbeat of an entire sport.
The announcement, delivered in a short but powerful teaser narrated by Michael Jordan himself, included never-before-seen footage of Smith’s final championship locker room speech, home videos from the 1980s, and testimonials from former players like James Worthy, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, and even Roy Williams.
“Dean didn’t coach players,” Jordan says in the teaser, voice filled with reverence. “He coached men. And he changed lives.”
Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay and produced in partnership with UNC’s athletic department and the Smith family, the documentary spans five decades of Dean Smith’s impact—starting from his humble beginnings as an assistant in 1958, his 879 wins, two national titles, and ending with his quiet battle with Alzheimer’s disease, which ultimately claimed his life in 2015.
What makes More Than a Coach truly special, however, isn’t just the wins. It’s the behind-the-scenes footage: Smith recruiting Black athletes in the South during the peak of segregation, boycotting restaurants that refused to serve his players, and personally paying out of pocket for scholarships after players left early for the NBA.
The documentary is structured in six thematic episodes, each bearing a single-word title: Justice, Family, Fire, Legacy, Faith, and Home—reflecting Smith’s holistic approach to coaching and life.
One never-before-released clip shows Smith in 1983 having a quiet moment with a freshman Michael Jordan in the Dean Dome, long before MJ became a global icon. The camera catches Smith saying: “Michael, the game will never be bigger than your integrity. Never let it be.”
UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz called the documentary “a necessary national story.”
“Dean Smith was more than our coach—he was a civil rights activist, a father figure to hundreds, and a quiet revolutionary. Netflix has done something powerful here. They’ve honored the truth of his legacy,” Guskiewicz said during the press conference.
With an early premiere scheduled at the Dean E. Smith Center on February 21 for alumni, former players, and students, More Than a Coach is expected to be both a tribute and a cultural event.
As the trailer fades to black, Jordan’s final words echo: “He didn’t just win games. He won hearts. And he never lost sight of what mattered most.”
Release Date: February 29, 2026
Streaming on: Netflix
Rating: PG (for historical themes, emotional content)
