As we head into March Madness, the longtime News & Observer sports photographer shares what it’s like to document basketball’s best moments.
as told to Addie Ladner | photographs by Robert Willett

“We have some of the best college basketball in the country right here — if you’re a fan, this is your month,” says The News & Observer photographer Robert Willett. He’s been covering sports for the N&O for more than 40 years and has witnessed some epic moments in that time. Among the highlights: being on Hillsborough Street to cover the reaction when North Carolina State University won its second NCAA title in 1983, narrowly beating Houston with a Hail Mary shot right as the buzzer dinged. “I was out there from 7 p.m to 7 a.m.; I remember my editor biking over to pick up my film,” says Willett. He was in New Orleans in 2022, the only time rivals Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have played each other in a Final Four tournament (it was also Coach K’s last game). “I never thought I’d get to experience that,” he says. Here, he shares some insights on how he works — and some memorable shots throughout this career.

Tell me about your job specifically and how you go about photographing basketball? 

The N&O assigns a photographer to cover each of our three college basketball schools and I cover UNC-Chapel Hill. It’s important to our readers what I do and I know it. 

How long have you been doing this?

My whole life, which means I’ve been to a lot of Final Fours.

Do you do a bracket?

Not really. I used to, but haven’t in a long time.

Is it not hard to have a favorite team?

My daughter graduated from NC State, and I’ve lived in Raleigh for 40 years so I feel like they’re my home team, but I don’t really have loyalty to anyone in particular. I’m happy if whoever I am shooting wins, but I have to be objective and accurately report the events of the game, no matter who wins or loses. 

What are some of the most memorable moments in basketball you’ve covered?

So many. I’ve covered the careers of Roy Williams, Dean Smith, Jim Valvano, Mike Krzyzewski. What’s interesting is that most of my images, or the ones that stand out, are reaction and not action.

Can you speak more about that? 

Action is action such as shooting the ball, rebounding, and chasing. But when you capture the emotion of the players, coaches and fans, you can equally tell the story without having the leading score. I am always looking for emotion, and I think readers respond to that.

What is it like photographing now versus earlier in your career?

I could speak for hours about this. I can now send images directly from my camera to the paper, which is an incredible thing. Before, I had to process the film. What it boils down to is that technology enables me to give the best photos to readers that tell the story in color immediately. Before, you had great photos, but they might not mean anything; digital has enabled us to work in real time. 

How many photographs do you think you take per game? Walk me through the process.

A couple of thousand, and I edit as I go on the back of my camera. At half time, as quickly as I can, I add captions and upload them. My editor is working on the backend, moving the photos and our reporter is writing the story in real time.It’s really fast and continuous. 

You must know so much about the sport and the players.

Yes, tonight, for example, Caleb Wilson is still hurt, so he will be out. So I’ll go to the pre-game warm-up and capture him before the game. My ear is to the rail all the time and I have to understand what’s going on and capture visuals that illustrate that.

What’s the biggest moment you’ve witnessed?

I’ve now been able to photograph all three of our teams in the Final Four over my career, which is remarkable. I was on Hillsborough Street documenting the reactions of the crowd when NC State won the championship in 1983. I photographed Duke and Carolina when they played each other in the Final Four in 2022 and when NC State played Duke in 2024 to advance to the Final Four. I knew I was witnessing and documenting history. 

What’s it like photographing basketball here where it reigns supreme? 

It’s crazy here. We have some of the best college basketball in the country. It’s a testament that all three of our teams have been in the Final Four the past three years. Out of the last 10 years, I’ve been to 6 Final Fours. If you are a college basketball fan, you’re in the right place, and if you’re not, it’s only a matter of time.

 

This web exclusive article was originally published on February 23, 2026 on waltermagazine.com