Robert Hughes
As the winningest coach in the history of high school basketball for boys, Robert Hughes made his impact in the record books and in the hearts of everyone fortunate enough to work with or play for him. From 1958-1973, Hughes was the head coach of I.M. Terrell High School, an all-black school in Fort Worth, Texas where he refused to let society dictate the future of his players, often placing otherwise forgotten young men in junior colleges in the era of segregation in the South. When the school shut down in 1973, Hughes landed the job at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School where he would stay for 32 years. In all, the tough-minded and beloved coach won 1,333 games with his fast-paced, full-court, high-flying brand of basketball. The show was above the rim, and Hughes pushed his most athletic players to the limit. The 2003 National High School Coach of the Year led his teams to five state championships and 35 district titles, but the greatest pleasure for Hughes was seeing his players work hard to experience success on and off the court.