Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame coach who turned Arizona into a college basketball center, has died. He was 85.
Olson’s family said he died Thursday night. The cause of death was not given.
“Coach Olson is the absolute best, one of the greatest coaches ever and one of the greatest people ever,” tweeted Georgia Tech coach and former Arizona player Josh Pasnter. “My feelings of gratitude and appreciation cannot be put into words. I love him dearly. My heart hurts, but I know he’s in heaven now. Bless God’s family. #REST IN PEACE”
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Olson spent 24 seasons in Arizona, revitalizing a fan base in the desert while transforming a program that had been to the NCAA Tournament exactly three times in 79 years before he was hired in 1983.
Olson first took the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament during his second season in Tucson to begin a string of 25 straight appearances. The streak would have been the third-longest in NCAA history, but the appearances in 1999 and 2008 were later released by the NCAA for incalculable benefits for players and recruiting offenders.
The Wildcats won a national championship under Olson in 1997 with a team led by Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Miles Simon. Olson’s Arizona teams reached the Final Four four times and lost the national title game in 2001 to Duke.
“It’s hard to put into words how much Lute Olson means to me,” tweeted Warriors and former Olson player Steve Kerr. “He was a great coach & a wonderful man. Being part of the U of a basketball family changed my life forever. I will never forget Coach O, those great nights at McKale and all my teammates. Thank you Coach- I love you! ”
Olson won a school record 589 games in Arizona, 11 Pac-10 titles and was named Conference Coach of the Year seven times. He led Arizona to 20 straight 20 seasons and is one of five coaches in NCAA history with 29 seasons of at least 20 wins.
Olson’s 327 Conference victories are the most in Pac-10/12 history and he was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2002.
“It’s rare for a man to be a Hall of Famer and still be appreciated,” tweeted former Arizona and NBA player Richard Jefferson. ‘I will always feel that you never have the credit you deserve as a leader, family man, grandfather, coach and mentor. I love that Coach O. ”
Olson had a series of health problems late in his coaching career, leading to his retirement in 2008.
Arizona announced minutes before the 2007-08 season opener that Olson would take an indefinite leave. Associate head coach Kevin O’Neill coached the Wildcats on an interim basis for the rest of the season.
Olson would return for the 2008-09 season, but the school announced his retirement after he missed practice and a job in Tucson. His doctor held a press conference five days later, saying Olson had an initially undiagnosed stroke earlier in the year, causing depression and limited judgment. Olson was also hospitalized in 2019 after suffering a minor stroke.
“I will miss seeing him at our home games and hearing our audience shout, ‘Lute!'”, Current Arizona coach Sean Miller said in a statement “My family joins all current members of the Arizona Basketball program in the send our condolences and prayers to his wife, Kelly, and the entire Olson family.I am eternally grateful to be a part of the basketball program and community he has so greatly influenced.Coach O will surely be missed, but always by our memories. “
Olson stayed in Tucson and was a regular at the McKale Center during his retirement, drawing cheers every time he appeared on the video board.
Born on a farm outside Mayville, North Dakota, on September 22, 1934, Olson led his high school team to the 1952 State Championships and from 1953 to 1956 was a three-sport athlete at Augsburg College in Minnesota.
Olson began his career as a high school coach in Minnesota and Southern California before becoming head coach at Long Beach City College, where he won the state junior college title in 1971.
He spent one season at Long Beach State before training for nine seasons at Iowa. He led his Hawkeyes his last five seasons to the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to the 1980 Final Four.
Olson had a career record of 780-280 in 34 years as a Division I coach.
