Barnes was Williams' 'toughest' recruiting job

CHAPEL HILL -- When it comes to technology, North Carolina coach Roy Williams isn’t exactly what you would call an early adopter. To please recruit Harrison Barnes, Williams was willing to exit his comfort zone.

Barnes announced his decision Friday via Skype, which Williams had used in the past to connect with his son in London, but only a handful of times.

"I can stand there and sit there and talk, but if you expect me to set it up, there's no way I could do that," Williams said Saturday at halftime of North Carolina's football game against Miami.

Barnes, who chose the Tar Heels over Duke and four other schools Friday, becomes the centerpiece of an elite recruiting class that also includes Kinston’s Reggie Bullock. The 6-foot-6 forward from Ames, Iowa, is rated the No. 1 prospect in the country by scout.com.

Williams said the 16-month wooing of Barnes was the most diligently he has ever successfully recruited a single player in his career, at Kansas or North Carolina.

"I told him I recruited him harder than any player I've coached," Williams said. “I always felt Raef [LaFrentz] was the toughest, but now it's Harrison."

And why put in all that effort?

"You have to say everything," Williams said when asked what he liked about Barnes. "He's a great student. He's a big-time player. He's very focused. He has a tremendous amount of self-discipline. He's very talented. He's got a pretty good package to say the least.”

Williams said he had an inkling Barnes would choose the Tar Heels when the family told him to set up the Skype connection — which was handled by assistant coach Steve Robinson and video coordinator Eric Hoots — but didn't know if he was the only coach online or all six would-be coaches were connected.

“When he said, 'I’m going to go over and Skype the coach,' and his face showed up on our computer, it was a pretty good feeling," Williams said.