University of North Carolina men's basketball coach Roy Williams told 12 of Hawai'i's finest graduating high school student-athletes last night, "You have to be with yourself the rest of your life, so make sure you're in good company ...

"Be humble, be somebody people want to be around."

He also echoed something Mayor Mufi Hannemann said earlier in the evening, telling them, "Every time you go on the field or on the court, some young person is watching, so make sure they see something positive."

Williams was the keynote speaker for last night's Advertiser Hawai'i High School Hall of Honor banquet, which featured the 12 senior inductees before a crowd of about 700 other guests at the Sheraton Waikiki Hawai'i Ballroom. The Advertiser is a title sponsor for the Hall of Honor, formerly known as the Nissan Hall of Honor.

Williams has won 80 percent of his games at Kansas and North Carolina, making five Final Four appearances, winning a national championship in 2005 and a record of at least one victory in the NCAA Tournament for 18 consecutive years.

He was the Associated Press National Coach of the Year in 1992 and 2006, ranks sixth all-time in NCAA Tournament victories and reached 500 career wins faster than any coach in NCAA history.

Two months ago, Williams received the ultimate honor when he was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

But Williams began his coaching career at Charles D. Owen High School in Swannanoa, N.C., where he coached basketball and boys' golf for five years, ninth-grade football for four years and served as athletic director for three years.

"I think every college coach should have to coach at the high school level first," Williams said in an interview before the banquet. "It's fantastic training. Every one of my players that tells me they want to get into coaching, I tell them they should go coach at a high school first. To me, it's the purest form of coaching there is."

Williams said when he learned of his election to the Hall of Fame, the first person he called to invite to the induction ceremony was his high school coach.

"He was the most influential person to me when I was growing up," Williams said. "He gave me confidence and made me feel good about myself. My dad was one of 13 brothers and sisters, and my mom had 10, so we had like 80 cousins. I was the first one in our family to go college, and it was because of my high school coach.

"When you are a high school coach, you have the power in your hands to influence young people."

Referring to recently retired Punahou coach/administrator Chris McLachlin, who was featured in yesterday's Advertiser, Williams said he was impressed by the fact that McLachlin spent only one year as a Punahou student yet gave 37 years of his life teaching and coaching there.

"He wanted to give back to his school right away," Williams said. "For me, everybody should want to do that."

Williams also is no stranger to Hawai'i high school athletic talent, having actively recruited former 'Iolani standout and 2004 Hall of Honor inductee Derrick Low for Kansas.

The night after Low led the Raiders to their third straight state title in 2004, Williams called his house and the conversation lasted 45 minutes.

Williams was soon hired at North Carolina, however, and the Tar Heels already were on track to sign another point guard. But Williams said he continues to follow Low's career at Washington State, where he led the Cougars to a top 10 ranking and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season.

"I'm real happy for him, especially after the (foot) injuries his first two years," Williams said. "I enjoyed my visits with him and his dad on the phone. Derrick is a guard who can make people better, and he competes hard and with a lot of poise."

Williams said he is interested in bringing his North Carolina team to play in Honolulu, perhaps in the Rainbow Classic, but the Tar Heels' schedule is mostly booked through the 2008-09 season.

He did say he was happy Bob Nash was hired to be the University of Hawai'i's head coach.

"I was extremely happy that Bob got the job," Williams said. "He's a man of high character, and I would have been dumbfounded if he didn't get the job after all the loyalty he showed."

This year's 12 inductees are Reece Alnas (Kamehameha-Hawai'i), Jazzmin Awa-Williams (Konawaena), Brandon Hardin (Kamehameha), Keisha Kanekoa (Honoka'a), Ashley Medcalf (Christian Academy), June Ann Lusk (Baldwin), Spencer McLachlin (Punahou), Hoku Nohara (Kamehameha), Miah Ostrowski (Punahou), Keone Reyes (Kaimuki), Scott Smith (Saint Louis) and Richard Torres (Kahuku).

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.