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Dean Smith left $200 to all his ex-players for 'a dinner out'

Michael Jordan's next dinner out will be the rare time when someone else picks up the check.

North Carolina basketball's wealthiest alum received the same gift from Dean Smith as every other former varsity letterman who played for the legendary Tar Heels coach from 1961-1997.

Tim Breedlove, the Charlotte-based trustee of Smith's trust, told Yahoo Sports that Jordan was one of the roughly 180 ex-North Carolina players who received a $200 check in the mail this week along with a note that read "enjoy a dinner out compliments of Coach Dean Smith." Former North Carolina forward Dante Calabria tweeted out a picture of the letter he received on Thursday.

(via Dante Calabria)
(via Dante Calabria)

"It was Dean's idea and it was Dean's decision," Breedlove said. "It's a gesture of appreciation from him to his former lettermen."

That Smith would spend about $36,000 on his former players adds to his reputation as the ultimate player's coach. He was beloved among his former players for always making time to give them fatherly advice or encouragement no matter how many years removed from their playing days they were.

Lee Dedmon, a center for the Tar Heels from 1967-71, told Yahoo Sports last month that Smith negotiated his first pro contract for him and later advised him on how to act when he learned he was to be cut. Dedmon was a merely decent player at North Carolina and a margin pro, yet he could count on at least one hand-written letter from Smith every year before the coach was beset by dementia.

"You knew that you could dial that office number and if you didn't get him that second, it would be just a few minutes and you could talk to him," Dedmon said. "That really helped me and helped a lot of players, I'm sure. Just to know that person was there. Just to know you had another father figure who would listen to what you were saying and give you an honest assessment."

Smith died Feb. 7 at age 83. He led North Carolina to 11 Final Fours and two national championships in 1982 and 1993.

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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!