LSU Coach Dale Brown Dies at 90 Days After Award News

Dale Brown, the former LSU head basketball coach, died on Friday, Oct. 23. He was 90 years old. His death came just two days after the university announced he would receive the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.

Brown and Shaquille O'Neal first met in 1984 at a military base in West Germany. O'Neal was 13 years old and stood 6 feet, 9 inches tall. The teenager approached Brown for advice after seeing him run a basketball clinic. Brown initially mistook the young man for a soldier and asked how long he had served in the Army.

After learning O'Neal was a teenager, Brown recognized his potential. He began mailing the athlete letters containing basketball exercises. This correspondence continued as O'Neal developed into a top high school prospect. Brown eventually recruited him to play for LSU from 1989 to 1992.

During his time in Baton Rouge, O'Neal earned two consensus All-American honors and two SEC Player of the Year awards. He became the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. O'Neal later described Brown as a father figure and motivator. In a 1999 letter regarding Brown's induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, O'Neal wrote that Brown was the only college coach he ever had and wanted.

The two maintained contact through letters and emails for decades. Brown attended O'Neal's first NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. That same year, O'Neal returned to LSU to complete his degree, fulfilling a promise he had made to Brown and his family.

Brown's legacy includes developing one of the most recognizable players in sports history. His relationship with O'Neal was featured in the 2015 ESPN documentary Shaq & Dale. The film followed O'Neal back to LSU to visit his former coach. It traced their bond from their meeting in Germany through O'Neal's professional career.

On Oct. 21, LSU confirmed that Brown would be the 2027 recipient of the Wooden Award. O'Neal recorded a video message congratulating him. Brown was scheduled to receive the honor in April 2027.