LSU Coach Dale Brown Dies at 90, Weeks After Wooden Award News

Dale Brown died on Friday, Oct. 23, at the age of 90.

Brown served as a longtime basketball coach at Louisiana State University. His tenure included the development of one of the most recognizable athletes in modern history. He received the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award selection on Oct. 21, just two days before his death. The award was originally scheduled for presentation in April 2027.

The relationship between Brown and Shaquille O'Neal began in 1984. Brown was running a basketball clinic at a military base in West Germany at the time. O'Neal lived on the base and was 13 years old. He stood 6 feet, 9 inches tall. He approached Brown to seek advice on improving his game. Brown initially assumed the teenager was a soldier. He asked how long O'Neal had served in the Army. O'Neal revealed his age, which prompted Brown to see the player's potential.

O'Neal described the early days in a 2015 interview with Esquire. He stated he had little confidence in his basketball abilities. Brown began mailing letters and basketball exercises to the teenager after their first meeting. The two maintained a correspondence as O'Neal developed into a top high school prospect. Brown recruited O'Neal to LSU. The center played for the Tigers from 1989 to 1992. During that period, O'Neal earned two consensus All-American honors and two SEC Player of the Year awards. He became the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft.

O'Neal maintained a close bond with Brown after leaving Baton Rouge. In a 1999 letter celebrating Brown's induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, O'Neal wrote, "You are the only college coach I ever had, and the only one I ever wanted." Brown attended O'Neal's first NBA championship celebration with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. That same year, O'Neal returned to LSU to complete his degree. He had promised to return for his family and Brown when he departed in 1992. O'Neal described Brown as a "father figure, leader, and a motivator" in the Esquire interview.

ESPN released a documentary titled "Shaq & Dale" in 2015. Directed by Hannah Storm and narrated by Tim McGraw, the film followed O'Neal back to LSU to visit Brown. It covered the timeline from Germany through the NBA career. LSU officials stated the two men stayed in regular contact through letters and emails for decades.

On Oct. 21, O'Neal recorded a video message for Brown. The message congratulated the coach on the Wooden Award selection. It reflected on the impact Brown had on O'Neal's life and career. Brown was scheduled to receive the award in April 2027.