Clem Haskins facts for kids
Haskins as a senior at WKU
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | July 11, 1943 Campbellsville, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| High school | Taylor County (Campbellsville, Kentucky) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Western Kentucky (1964–1967) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1967 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1967–1976 | |||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1977–1999 | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||
| 1967–1970 | Chicago Bulls | |||||||||||||
| 1970–1974 | Phoenix Suns | |||||||||||||
| 1974–1976 | Washington Bullets | |||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||
| 1977–1980 | Western Kentucky (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 1980–1986 | Western Kentucky | |||||||||||||
| 1986–1999 | Minnesota | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 8,743 (12.8 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 2,087 (3.1 rpg) | |||||||||||||
| Assists | 2,382 (3.5 apg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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Clem Smith Haskins (born August 11, 1943) is an American former basketball player and coach. He made history in 1963 by becoming one of the first Black athletes to join the Western Kentucky University (WKU) basketball team. This was a big step for college basketball in the South.
Haskins later coached the University of Minnesota's men's basketball team for 13 years (1986–1999). However, his coaching career ended early due to problems that happened with the team at the University of Minnesota.
Contents
Early Life and School
Clem Haskins was born and grew up in Campbellsville, Kentucky. He was one of eleven children in his family. His parents worked as sharecroppers, farming land owned by others.
When he was younger, Clem went to Durham High School, which was an all-Black school. This was because schools in the South were often separated by race back then. In 1961, Clem became the first African American student to attend Taylor County High School. His younger brother, Merion, also became a great basketball player.
College Basketball Career
In 1963, Clem Haskins and his teammate Dwight Smith joined the Western Kentucky University basketball team. They were the first African-American athletes to play for the school. This was a very important moment for college sports in the South.
Under coach John Oldham, the team won the Ohio Valley Conference championship two years in a row. Clem was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in 1966. In 1967, even after breaking his wrist, his team won the Ohio Valley Conference again.
Playing in the NBA
After college, Clem Haskins was chosen by the Chicago Bulls in the 1967 NBA draft. He also had an offer from the Kentucky Colonels in another league.
Clem played nine years in the NBA for three different teams. He played for the Chicago Bulls, the Phoenix Suns, and the Washington Bullets. He had to stop playing in 1976 because of knee injuries. During his NBA career, he scored a total of 8,743 points.
Coaching Basketball
After his playing career, Haskins returned to Western Kentucky University. He started as an assistant coach in 1977 and became the head coach in 1980. As head coach, he led Western Kentucky to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
In 1986, Haskins took over the men's basketball program at the University of Minnesota. He helped the Gophers achieve a school record of 31 wins in 1997. That year, they reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. He also led Minnesota to win the NIT twice, in 1993 and 1998.
Clem Haskins also coached the United States men's basketball team. He was part of the coaching staff that won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
At Minnesota home games, Haskins was known for sitting on a four-legged bar stool. This was because the court at Williams Arena was raised, and it was easier on his knees.
Life After Coaching
After his coaching career ended, Clem Haskins did not return to coaching. He moved to his large ranch near Campbellsville, Kentucky. There, he raises cattle. He has also worked as a commentator for Western Kentucky basketball games, sharing his knowledge with fans.
Awards and Honors
- High School Scholastic All-American, 1963
- Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year, 1966, 1967
- First team All-American, 1967
- Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year, 1982
- Associated Press Coach of the Year, 1997
Images for kids
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Haskins as a senior at WKU
