Dale Brown, who built LSU's program and mentored Shaq, dies at 90

Dale Brown, the former head coach of the Louisiana State University men's basketball team, died on Friday, Oct. 23. Brown was 90 years old and died eight days before his 91st birthday. He was born on Oct. 31, 1935, in Minot, North Dakota.

Brown coached LSU for 25 seasons between 1972 and 1997. He recorded 448 victories, the most in school history. During his tenure, the Tigers won four Southeastern Conference regular-season titles. The team advanced to the NCAA Tournament 13 times and appeared in the Final Four in 1981 and 1986.

LSU announced on Wednesday that Brown had been selected to receive the 2027 John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award. The honor recognizes his influence on college basketball. Brown earned the Associated Press National Coach of the Year award in 1981. He also received the SEC Coach of the Year award four times.

Notable players under his guidance included Shaquille O'Neal, Rudy Macklin, and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Brown arrived in Baton Rouge in 1972 to build the program. He traveled across the state to promote the team. In 1979, LSU captured its first SEC regular-season championship since 1954.

Brown’s family issued a statement describing him as a humanitarian who prioritized others. They said he always led with his heart. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry posted on X that Brown put LSU basketball on the map. Sports journalist Marc J. Spears also used X to call Brown an extraordinary human.

In a 2025 interview with WAFB reporter Chris Nakamoto, Brown recalled a game against undefeated Kentucky. Five starters had fouled out, and Brown told the remaining players they were now backups. LSU won the game. Brown credited his mother with teaching him to do what is right and to avoid polishing his image.

Brown was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2022, the court inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center was named for him. In 2023, the court was renamed Dale Brown/Sue Gunter Court to honor both former coaches.