Dale Brown built LSU's basketball dynasty and passed away at 90

Dale Brown, the former head coach of the Louisiana State University men's basketball team, died on Friday, Oct. 23. He was 90 years old. His death occurred just 48 hours after the university announced he would receive the 2027 John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.

Brown coached the Tigers for 25 seasons from 1972 to 1997. During that tenure, he compiled 448 wins, the highest total in school history. He guided the team to four Southeastern Conference regular-season championships and secured 13 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. LSU advanced to the Final Four under his leadership in 1981 and 1986.

The program reached its peak shortly after Brown arrived in Baton Rouge in 1972. He spent years traveling the state to build a fanbase. In 1979, the team captured its first SEC regular-season title since 1954. Two years later, the squad reached the 1981 Final Four. Brown earned the Associated Press National Coach of the Year award in 1981 and was named SEC Coach of the Year four times.

His roster included several professional standouts. Among them were Shaquille O'Neal, who later entered the NBA Hall of Fame, and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Rudy Macklin also played under Brown during his time at LSU.

Brown's family released a statement describing him as a humanitarian who prioritized others. They stated, "We have lost the most loving and most loved man any of us has ever known." The family noted that he "always led with the heart" and loved Louisiana. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted on X that Brown "put LSU Basketball on the map." Sports journalist Marc J. Spears also paid tribute on X, calling Brown "an extraordinary human."

In a 2025 interview with WAFB reporter Chris Nakamoto, Brown discussed his coaching philosophy. He recalled a game against top-ranked Kentucky where all five starters had fouled out. He told his bench players, "From now on you are not substitutes, you are backups," and the team won. Brown credited his mother for teaching him to stand up for what is right.

Born on Oct. 31, 1935, in Minot, North Dakota, Brown died eight days before his 91st birthday. LSU renamed the court inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in 2023 to Dale Brown/Sue Gunter Court to honor both former coaches. He is also a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.