Legendary Purdue coach Gene Keady earns spot in Basketball Hall of Fame
Former Purdue men’s basketball coach Gene Keady, who spent 25 years on the Boilermakers’ sidelines leading the program to six Big Ten titles and 17 NCAA appearances from 1981-2005) has become just the second Boilermaker men’s basketball coach in school history to be named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“What can I say, I am thrilled for him,” said Bruce Weber, who served as Keady’s assistant for 18 years at Purdue in addition to Western Kentucky and is at the Final Four in Houston. “All of us in the Purdue basketball family are happy as I have heard from many former players this (Saturday) morning.
“He encompasses coaching because he has done it at every level; high school, junior college, Purdue, USA Basketball and the NBA. There aren’t many guys that can say that. And he has been successful at every stop; he won a heckuva lot of games.”
Keady, who turns 87 on May 21, joins Ward “Piggy” Lambert, who was inducted in 1960, the same year that three-time All-Americans John Wooden and Charles “Stretch” Murphy were enshrined. Wooden was tabbed in 1973 as a coach, making him one of a handful to earn a spot in the Hall as a player and coach. Terry Dischinger, as a member of the 1960 Olympic team, is also a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
“I never thought it would happen,” Keady said during Saturday’s press conference. “I’m really honored and it was shocking. I really appreciate being honored for this. It’s the biggest honor I’ve ever achieved.”
Keady’s record at Purdue and more
Keady won 512 games as the Purdue coach and served two years as the head man at Western Kentucky before being hired by athletic director George King in April 1980. His biggest claim to fame was leading Purdue to its Three-Pete of undisputed Big Ten titles from 1994-96. Only Fred Taylor of Ohio State (1960-62) can claim such an accomplishment in the modern era of Big Ten annals.
Keady was also on coach Eddie Sutton’s staff coaching the famed “Triplets” to the Final Four in 1978. Keady is given much credit for recruiting the trio of Sidney Moncrief, Marvin Delph and Ron Brewer.
Also getting the Hall’s call for the 2023 class: the late former North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano, the 1976 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team, former Texas A&M women’s coach Gary Blair, longtime coach at Division III Amherst David Hixon, and Gene Bess – who won 1,300 games as a junior college coach at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Former NBA stars Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker have each been elected to this year’s HOF class, as have former WNBA star Becky Hammon and longtime NBA coach Gregg Popovich.
According to NBA.com, the class will get its jackets and Hall of Fame rings on Aug. 11 in Uncasville, Connecticut, then the ceremony and their speeches will come on Aug. 12 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
“I am glad this happened for him while he can enjoy it,” Weber said. “It would have been special for the family had it happened years from now, but it is extra special that he can experience it.”
More: Arni’s Birthday Zoom on Keady’s 85th birthday (May 21, 2021) | Basketball Hall of Fame list | More from Houston–Colvin finishes second in slam dunk contest | “This is Purdue” interview with Keady | Gene Keady (wiki)
