SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – Fred “Tex” Winter, enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, has passed away at the age of 96.
“The Basketball Hall of Fame family mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Tex Winter,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Tex was known for his innovative approach to the game, constantly tinkering with his offensive and defensive schemes, and ultimately masterminding an offense that led to historic success. The game is in a better place for having had him as a coach for more than sixty years.”
Fred “Tex” Winter was the architect of the famed triangle offense that produced nine NBA championships during Winter’s tenure with the Phil Jackson-led Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. The first championship, with the Chicago Bulls, came in 1991 – over 40 years after Winter began his collegiate coaching career in 1947 at Kansas State University, assisting Jack Gardner on two NCAA Final Four teams. Winter eventually succeeded Gardner as head coach at K-State, leading the Wildcats to two more appearances in the Final Four in 15 seasons. He was a student of the game and learned from the best, gleaning his basketball philosophy from Hall of Famers like Gardner, Pete Newell, Phil Woolpert, and Sam Barry at USC. Winter was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.