Remembering Hall of Fame Coach: Denny Crum

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Basketball has become a popular sport with millions of fans and spectators all over the world. While many leagues exist, college basketball is a particularly exciting part of the sport. It is considered a start-up for coaching legends and future NBA stars with a long list of excellence.

College basketball has made some of the biggest names in the history of the sport. From Lebron James to John Wooden to Michael Jordan, just to name a few. These persons have undoubtedly inspired long generations of players as well as have left a mark on the game.

In this article, we will focus on the outstanding career of Denny Crum, an icon and a well-known name in college basketball. So, whether you're a fan of Denny Crum or just a curious fan of the sport, this article will provide a detailed look into the exciting life of Denny Crum.
 

Life of Denny Crum

Denny Crum was a great college basketball coach who retired with a record of 675 games in 30 seasons at the great n Louisville University. He was then inducted into the memorial basketball hall of Fame (Naismith) in 1994.

Danny was born in California, San Fernando, in 1937. He played basketball at UCLA and was a two-year starter. And he assisted a team called Bruins and won the national championship in the year 1958. After graduation, he went on to serve in the U.S. Army for two years.

Denny Crum began his coaching career in 1961, he was an assistant at the University of San Francisco. In 1964, he became the head coach of the Cardinals when he moved to Louisville And quickly, he turned Louisville into a powerhouse, where he led the Cardinals to the finals six times. The Cardinals also got into the national championships’ final in 1980 and 1986 and in the year 1980 and 1983 he was named national coach.

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Denny Crum was known for his calm and humble nature and the ability to bring out the best in all his players. Louisville became one of the most famous college basketball winners under Denny Crum as he was also dubbed a master of strategic planning. Denny Crum retired in 2001 and he is regarded as one of the biggest college basketball coaches ever seen. Crum was also a huge fan of poker games such as Texas Holdem and played regularly with family and friends, and he has some tournament winnings in games.
 

Denny Crum’s Achievements

Highlighted below are a few of his achievements:

  1. Having a total o 675 wins in 30 seasons in Louisville
  2. Two national championships between the years 1980 and 1986
  3. Six final appearances
  4. 11 conference tournament championships and 12 regular conference championships
  5. Dubbed national coach between the years 1980, 1983 and 1986
  6. He was an inductee of the Naismith memorial basketball hall of Fame in 1994

Denny truly impacted the world of college basketball. He helped raise the bar of Louisville basketball and made the Cardinals a national treasure. He also contributed to popularizing the game of basketball in Kentucky.

Denny Crum’s coaching style revolved around fundamentals and discipline. He emphasized on rebound and defence and he made sure his players played unselfishly. His teams were always well-prepared for each game. Crum's coaching style was based on discipline and fundamentals. Crum was truly an icon of college basketball. He was a great man as well as a great coach and he will be remembered by many for his achievement and his great impact on the game.

Denny Crum’s Mantra

Denny Crum's simple mantra, when it came to college basketball, was: "Play hard, smart and play together". He had the belief that if his players followed those things, they would always come out successful.

Crum's coaches and players have said that he was a great motivator and teacher and was able to get the most out of his players and he always created a positive environment in which they could thrive:

Here are some quotes from Crum’s coaches and players about his coaching technique:

  • "He represented who a coach should be: he cared deeply about his players, he worked frantically for his university, he preached and lived the right values, and he lived every day for his family," UofL Athletic Director Josh Heird.
  • "He was a good man who devoted his life to the game of basketball. He was a great coach but most importantly a great mentor and teacher" -Rick Pitino, former Louisville coach.
  • He was sweet and had a great sense of humour, but he was a competitor who wanted to win every game." John Calipari, coach for the archrival Kentucky Wildcats
     

Conclusion

Crum was truly a legend of college basketball. He was a great man and a great coach and he will surely be remembered for years for his many achievements and the effect he had on college basketball.