Charles Fox Credit: Charles Fox / AP
John Chaney 1932–2021 Hall of Fame Collegiate Basketball Coach, Mentor
By Aaron Williams
D uring the height of mens University Owls program was a mainstay during the annual post-seasons of March Madness. His teams were known for their disciplined play, gritty zone de- fenses, highly competitive scheduling of opponents, consistent post-season NCAA tournament appearances, and bitter tour- nament disappointments. Chaney was legendary for his courtside mannerisms, “crack of dawn” team practices, fiery ges- tures and comments toward his players and game officials, and a larger than life persona. More importantly, Chaney was an influential mentor and father figure to his players, many of whom were not blue-chip star recruits. Chaney's influ- ence on college basketball and his players rivals those of his coaching contempo- college basketball's popular- ity in the 1980s and 1990s, John Chaney and his Temple raries: Dean Smith, John Thompson, Jim Boeheim, Mike Krzyzewski, Nolan Richardson, Lute Olson, Rick Pitino, and others.
ketball coach and retired NBA player Aaron McKie who played under Chaney, "Coach Chaney was like a father to me. He taught not just me but all of his players more than just how to succeed in basketball. He taught us life lessons to make us better individuals off the court. I owe so much to him. He made me the man I am today." Chaney advocated furiously throughout his career on providing educational and career opportunities for young people, especially those of color and disadvan- taged backgrounds. Chaney and his close friend and coaching colleague, the late Georgetown University head bas- ketball coach John Thompson, famously challenged the NCAA's Proposition 48 eligibility rule. He strongly believed the rule had an unintended consequence of hindering African-American athletes’ path to college and education. A former assistant coach under Chaney said about him, "I do believe his greatest mission was to try to change our players' lives. They didn't always understand
what was in front of them, but he did. It was a daily fight, and I think it was part of a larger cause." Legendary Temple University men's head basketball coach, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and a Philadelphia icon John Chaney (Gamma Theta 1953) entered the Chapter Invisible on January 29, 2021, one week after his 89th birthday. Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, on Chaney, "It's impossible to measure the influence John Chaney had on those who played for him, to the city of Philadelphia and to college basketball coaching colleagues from across the country. Coach Chaney embodied such traits as innovation and perseverance, setting an example for those he mentored during his Hall of Fame career. Not only was he a hugely successful coach, he was a trailblazer for other Black coaches and an advocate of supporting educational opportunities for everyone. While we mourn his passing, his strong presence, influence and pas- sion, delivered in his distinctive voice, endures forever."
Current Temple University head bas-
62 | WINTER 2020-SPRING 2021 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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