Tex Winter facts for kids
Winter with Marquette in 1953
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| Biographical details | |
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| Born | February 25, 1922 near Wellington, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | October 10, 2018 (aged 96) Manhattan, Kansas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1940–1942 | Compton JC |
| 1942–1943 | Oregon State |
| 1946–1947 | USC |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1947–1951 | Kansas State (assistant) |
| 1951–1953 | Marquette |
| 1953–1968 | Kansas State |
| 1968–1971 | Washington |
| 1971–1973 | Houston Rockets |
| 1973–1978 | Northwestern |
| 1978–1983 | Long Beach State |
| 1985–1999 | Chicago Bulls (assistant) |
| 1999–2004 | Los Angeles Lakers (assistant) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 453–334 (college) 51–78 (NBA) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
As coach:
As assistant coach:
As consultant:
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| Awards | |
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| Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2011 |
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| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2010 |
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Morice Fredrick "Tex" Winter (born February 25, 1922 – died October 10, 2018) was a famous American basketball coach. He was known for creating and teaching the triangle offense, a special way to play basketball. Tex Winter coached college teams for 30 years. Later, he became an assistant coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He helped coach Phil Jackson's teams, the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, to win nine NBA championships. Tex Winter was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 because of his amazing career.
Contents
Early Life and Learning the Game
Tex Winter was born near Wellington, Texas. His family later moved to California. This is how he got his nickname "Tex." When he was ten, his father passed away. Tex had to work to help his family. He collected boxes for a baker to get day-old bread.
In 1936, Tex and his sister moved to Huntington Park, California. He went to Huntington Park High School. While there, he worked as a ball boy for Loyola University.
College Sports and Military Service
After high school in 1940, Tex went to Compton Junior College. He was good at pole vaulting and earned a scholarship. He also played basketball and ran track at both Compton and Oregon State University. Tex was a talented pole vaulter. He was even considered for the 1944 Olympics. But the Olympics were canceled because of World War II.
Tex joined the United States Navy in 1943. He trained to be a fighter pilot. He stayed in the US during the war. After the war, he became a test pilot for new jets. He also played basketball for his Navy team.
Discovering the Triangle Offense
After the war, Tex went back to college. He studied at the University of Southern California. There, his coach, Sam Barry, taught him the triangle offense. This was a special basketball strategy. Tex also became an All-American pole vaulter at USC. He played basketball with future pro players like Bill Sharman.
College Coaching Career
After college in 1947, Tex Winter started coaching right away. He became an assistant coach at Kansas State University. He would coach basketball for 61 years!
Leading College Teams
In 1952, Tex became the head coach at Marquette University. He was the youngest coach in major college basketball. In 1954, he returned to Kansas State. He coached Kansas State for 15 years. His team won 261 games and lost 118. He holds the record for most league titles at Kansas State, with eight.
Tex led the Wildcats to the Final Four twice. This is where the best college basketball teams play. He was named UPI National Coach of the Year in 1958. His team beat Oscar Robertson's team to reach the Final Four. In 1964, his team made it to the Final Four again.
Sharing His Knowledge
In 1962, Tex Winter wrote a book. It was called The Triple-Post Offense. This book explained the triangle offense. After Kansas State, he coached at other universities. These included the University of Washington, Northwestern University, and Long Beach State. In total, he coached college teams for 30 years. His overall college coaching record was 453 wins and 334 losses.
Professional Coaching Success
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Tex Winter also coached in the NBA. He was the head coach for the Houston Rockets for two seasons (1971-1973). His record was 51 wins and 78 losses.
The Chicago Bulls and the Triangle Offense
In 1985, Tex joined the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach. He taught the triangle offense to the team. This included superstar Michael Jordan. Tex was hired by Jerry Krause, a friend from his Kansas State days.
When Phil Jackson became the Bulls' head coach in 1989, Tex's triangle offense was key. It helped the Bulls win six NBA championships. They won in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
Los Angeles Lakers and More Championships
Tex Winter then followed Phil Jackson to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers had amazing players like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Using the triangle offense, the Lakers won three more championships. These were in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Tex also worked as a consultant for the Lakers team that won the NBA championship in 2009.
Later Life and Legacy
In 2009, Tex Winter had a stroke. He lived in Manhattan, Kansas, near Kansas State. He passed away on October 10, 2018, at 96 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Tex Winter received many awards and honors for his coaching. He is in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. He is also in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He received the John Bunn Award for his lifetime achievements in basketball. In 2010, he got the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from NBA coaches.
In 2011, Tex Winter was finally elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This was a huge honor for his long and successful career. His son Chris gave a speech for him at the induction ceremony. In 2012, he was also added to the Compton Community College Athletics Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Winter with Marquette in 1953
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Winter in 2009
See also
- List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach
