WASHINGTON — Dean Smith, the legendary men’s basketball coach who led the University of North Carolina to two national titles and multiple NCAA tournament appearances, died Saturday night.

He was 83.

Smith is considered the architect of the “Four Corners offense,” a methodical technique in which four members of one team stand in the corners of the offensive half-court while the point guard dribbles in the middle.

In its heyday, this was an effective strategy for slowing the game’s pace — and in many cases — it secured victories and stalled the other team’s momentum.

During his 36-year coaching tenure at UNC, Smith coached several future NBA stars, including James Worthy, Bob McAdoo and Michael Jordan, who’s widely acknowledged as the greatest professional basketball player ever.