- Robert Hughes won five Texas state championships during his coaching career
- He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame seven years ago
Hall of Fame basketball coach Robert Hughes has died at the age of 96.
Hughes, a legendary high school basketball coach in Texas, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
He coached at I.M. Terrell High School from 1958-73 before moving on to Dunbar High School in Fort Worth from 1973-2005, becoming the all-time winningest high school boys coach in the process (1,333 wins).
In a statement, The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame said it was ‘saddened’ by Hughes’ passing.
‘Coach Hughes’ record of success at Fort Worth Dunbar is unparalleled, and he opened doors for Black athletes across Texas,’ the organization wrote on X. ‘His contributions to basketball will live on in the lives of the young men he coached and at the Naismith Hall of Fame.
Hughes won a total of five state championships and 35 district titles in the high school ranks.
Under his tutelage, Charles Smith (who played for the Heat and Clippers) and Gary Collier (a 1994 second-round pick by the Cavaliers) developed into future pros.
Hughes’ Hall of Fame biography says he ‘made his impact in the record books and in the hearts of everyone fortunate enough to work with or play for him.
‘… 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.’