Legendary LSU men’s basketball coach Dale Brown, who famously recruited Shaquille O’Neal to play for the Tigers, has died at 90 years old, the school announced on Friday.
“The LSU Basketball family is saddened to announce the passing of legendary coach Dale Brown at the age of 90,” LSU Basketball wrote on its official X account.
Brown coached LSU for 25 years, from 1972 to 1997, leading them to Final Four appearances in 1981 and 1986.
“Dale Brown, who coached LSU to two Final Four appearances and whose players included Shaquille O’Neal and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, has died at the age of 90,” ESPN wrote on its official X account.
Brown famously encountered O’Neal for the first time on a military base where the future Basketball Hall of Famer’s father was stationed when he was in junior high school.
“Shaq was just 13 when he met Dale Brown at a U.S. Army base in Germany,” Old Skool BBall wrote on its official X account. “Brown initially mistook the towering teenager for a soldier. That chance encounter sparked a lifelong bond and eventually brought Shaq to LSU. One meeting that changed basketball history forever.”
We will always remember the impact Dale Brown had in his 25 years as the all-time winningest coach in program history.
Tributes Pour in for LSU Head Coach Dale Brown
Brown was a fixture in American sports for more than two decades as LSU’s head coach—and became known as much for winning and for recruiting Shaq as for his legendary fiery temper and disdain for the NCAA.
“Saddened to hear the news of Coach Dale Brown’s passing,” Louisiana governor Jeff Landry wrote on his official X account on Friday. “He put LSU Basketball on the map and his impact will be felt for decades to come. Sharon and I join the Brown family and the LSU community in mourning this monumental loss. While we will miss him, I’m confident that his legacy will be carried on both on and off the basketball court. May he rest in peace.”
In 2022, LSU renamed its basketball court “Dale Brown Court” in his honor.
Only One Head Coaching Job: LSU
Brown, a North Dakota native, held only one head coaching job in his illustrious career: LSU. He joined the Tigers after six seasons as an assistant at Utah State and Washington State.
In 25 seasons at LSU, Brown was named National Coach of the Year once, in 1981, and was a 4-time SEC Coach of the Year. He led LSU to the NCAA Tournament 13 times and finished with a career record of 448-301 — that included four consecutive losing seasons to close out his career.
“Dale did an outstanding job in raising the level of LSU basketball to the status of equality to anyone in the country,” UCLA head coach John Wooden once said of Brown. “Also, if heads of states throughout this troubled world of ours had real concern and consideration for others as Dale Brown, I doubt if our racial, religious, and political problems would be a major issue.”
Legendary LSU Coach Who Recruited Shaquille O’Neal Dies