Hall of Fame hoops coach Pete Newell dies

Nov 18, 2008 - 1:32 AM BERKELEY, California (Ticker) -- Pete Newell, the Hall of Fame basketball coach who guided the University of California to the 1959 NCAA national championship, died Monday. He was 93.

The coaching icon passed away due to a long illness, California released in a statement but the school did not disclose any further details.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Newell passed away at the San Diego County home of Earl Shultz, one of the players from the 1959 national champion Golden Bears.

Newell had a malignant tumor removed from his lung in 2005.

"Pete was a great ambassador for basketball in general, a very gracious man," California coach Mike Montgomery said. "He was good to everybody, had time for everybody and has had a tremendous influence on the game of basketball. I think the game of basketball has lost a great friend."

Although his coaching career ended in 1960, Newell had become one of the top instructors in the game later in his life, becoming the premier coach for big men and a top tutor for a number of collegiate and professional coaches.

Newell even garnered the admiration of Bob Knight, the all-time leader in Division I wins.

"Three coaches had the most influence on college basketball in terms of tactics, both offensively and defensively," Knight once said. "Clair Bee, Hank Iba and Pete. And I think Pete had the greatest total grasp. He really studied it and kept abreast of it, both professional and collegiate. He was truly remarkable."

Newell compiled a 234-123 record over 14 seasons at San Francisco, Michigan State and California, also guiding the Dons to the NIT championship in 1949.

However, he was forced to retire at the age of 44 in 1960 due to his high-strung nature, existing mainly on coffee and cigarettes during the season.

Prior to that retirement, he also led the United States men's basketball team to the gold medal in Rome Olympics, a squad that included Jerry West and Oscar Robertson.

One of three coaches to win an NCAA, NIT and Olympic title, Newell became famous to a later generation when he established a "big men" camp in his namesake, going on to instruct the top forwards and centers in the game - including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Newell's career also intertwined with Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA, acquiring the player that would go on to become the league's leading scorer when he was the general manager for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1972-76. He also served in that role with the Rockets' franchise when it was in San Diego from 1968-72.

"Pete was one of the most brilliant teachers and coaches the game has ever known, and was also an exceptional front office man as the Lakers general manager from 1972-76," Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss said. "He was a great help to me when I first purchased the Lakers and he was very generous with his time and counsel.

"In addition to his great contributions to the basketball world, Pete was also one of the finest gentlemen we've known. Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the Newell family."

In 1979, Newell was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Born August 15, 1915, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Newell began his collegiate career as a player at Loyola Marymount before going on to serve in the Navy from 1942-46.

He began his coaching career with San Francisco in 1946 before winning the NIT crown in his third season. In 1950, Newell moved on to Michigan State for four seasons before returning to the West Coast with California in 1954.

At Berkeley, Newell led the Golden Bears to four straight Pac-8 titles and back-to-back appearances in the championship game of the NCAA Tournament starting in 1959.

After winning the school's lone national title the year before, California fell to Ohio State in the title game in 1960, a Buckeye squad that included Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and Knight.

Although his tenure with the Bears only lasted six seasons, Newell was a force in college basketball, even beating the legendary John Wooden and UCLA during their final eight meetings.

"In his time, I think he was one of the better coaches the game has ever seen," Wooden said in 2005. "When I think of the outstanding teachers of the game, he ranked up there with the very best."

In 1987, California honored the former coach by naming the playing surface at Haas Pavilion "Pete Newell Court."