| Wins against Kentucky - 1 | Losses against Kentucky - 3 |
Alma Mater: Southern California [1947]
Hometown: Huntington Park, CA
Date Born: February 25, 1922
Date Died: October 10, 2018
Overall Record: 453-334 [30 Seasons]
Date | Matchup | UK Result | Score | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
12/1/1975 | Kentucky at Northwestern | L | 77 - 89 | - |
11/30/1974 | Northwestern at Kentucky | W | 97 - 70 | - |
12/23/1966 | Kansas State at Kentucky | W | 83 - 79 | UKIT Championship |
12/23/1961 | Kansas State at Kentucky | W | 80 - 67 | UKIT Championship |
Obituary - Manhattan (KS) Mercury (October 11, 2018)
K-State great Tex Winter dies at 96
by Ryan Black
Tex Winter, one of the most well-known names in the basketball world, died Wednesday in Manhattan at the age of 96. Winter's death was confirmed by Kansas State athletics department officials.
An announcement on memorial services is pending.
Winter, a member of numerous basketball halls of fame, spent six decades around the game at the college and professional levels and is remembered for creating the "triangle offense." With that system as his offensive centerpiece, NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson, with Winter as an assistant on his staff, went on to win 11 titles with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
Michael Jordan, the star of the Bulls' six title teams in the 1990s, viewed Winter as a mentor.
"I learned so much from Coach Winter," Jordan wrote in a statement emailed to the Chicago Tribune. "He was a pioneer and a true student of the game. His triangle offense was a huge part of our six championships with the Bulls. He was a tireless worker."
"Tex as always focused on details and preparation and a great teacher. I was lucky to play for him. My condolences to his family."
Kobe Bryant, who led the Lakers to five championships, said Winter was every bit as influential in his own career.
"I sat with Tex & watched every minute of every game during our 1st season together," Bryant wrote in a tweet Wednesday night, accompanied by a picture of him and Winter sitting courtside. "He taught me how to study every detail. He was a bball genius in every sense of the word. I'll miss him deeply. Thank you Tex. I wouldn't be where I am today without you. Rest In Peace."
Winter's link to K-State dates back to 1947, when he became the first full-time assistant on Jack Gardner's staff. During his time with the Wildcats from 1947 to 1951, Winter helped the program win 76 games and advance to the Final Four twice.
He left K-State to become Marquette's head coach - making him, at the time, the nation's youngest head coach - and guided the school to the National Catholic Championship in his first season.
He returned to Manhattan in 1953, taking over for Gardner as K-State's head coach. Winter compiled an overall record of 261-118 (.689) from 1954 to 1968, winning eight Big Seven/Eight Conference titles and five Big Seven/Eight Holiday Tournament crowns. The Wildcats went to six NCAA Tournaments during Winter's tenure, including their two most recent Final Fours in 1959 and 1964, respectively.
His 261 victories rank second on K-State's all-time list, trailing only Jack Hartman's 295; Winter's .689 winning clip is third-best among all Wildcats coaches.
Winter's eight conference titles are more than any head coach in the program's history, capturing four consecutively from 1957 to 1961. His teams finished ranked among the nation's top 20 nine times in 15 seasons. The Wildcats ended the regular season No. 1 in both polls for the 1958-59 campaign.
The 1957-58 squad, led by All-Americans Bob Boozer and Jack Parr, became the first team in school history to reach No. 1 and lost just three regular-season games en route to the Final Four.
Larry Weigel, who played for Winter his entire career and was a member of the Wildcats' Final Four team in 1964, said Winter was "very down to earth" and treated everyone "the same regardless of their status."
Winter, he said, was "one of the most significant people" he ever met.
"By coming to K-State, it opened up many opportunities for me," Weigel said Thursday morning. "I was able to participate as an assistant coach, then I was a fundraiser, then I was the alumni director for 10 years. I met tremendous people - alumni, friends. The university, it opened a lot of doors I would've never had without coming here."
"Personally, he also inspired me with his work ethic, his humility."
We are saddened by the passing of such a legendary coach in Fred 'Tex" Winter, who touched nearly every level of basketball," K-State men's basketball head coach Bruce Weber said in an official release. "Obviously, he is known for his success as an assistant to Phil Jackson with the Bulls and Lakers during their run to 11 NBA titles. However, he left a tremendous mark of achievement at Kansas State, including two Final Fours. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Nancy, his children, Brian, Chris and Russ, and grandchildren during this difficult cult time."
K-State athletics director Gene Taylor said Winter's death "is a sad day" on multiple fronts.
"Not only (for) Kansas State University," Taylor said, "but also the entire basketball world. ... He transformed the game of basketball at all levels and will always remain an integral piece of our rich basketball traditions here at K-State. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Winter family during this time. He will certainly be missed by the entire K-State family."
K-State honored Winter in January 2015, naming the road leading to Bramlage Coliseum and the Ice Family Basketball Center "Tex Winter Drive."
Between his time at Marquette (1951-53), K-State , Washington (1969-72), Northwestern (1975-78) and Long Beach State (1978-83), Winter won 454 games as a college head coach. He went 51-78 as an NBA head coach, tutoring the Houston Rockets for two seasons (1972-74).
Winter's contributions to the game earned him inductions to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as well as the state of Kansas and Kansas State University Sports halls of fame.
A native of Huntington Park, California, Winter is survived by his wife, Nancy; sons Brian, Chris (wife, Kim) and Russ; and three grandchildren.