LSU Coach Dale Brown Dies at 90, Days After Receiving Wooden Award Nomination

Dale Brown, the longtime basketball coach at Louisiana State University, died on Friday, October 23, at age 90. His death came two days after the university announced his selection as the 2027 recipient of the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award. Brown had been scheduled to receive the honor in April 2027.

Brown’s connection to the sport extends to one of its most prominent figures. In 1984, while conducting a clinic at a military base in West Germany, he met a 13-year-old Shaquille O'Neal. The teenager stood 6 feet, 9 inches tall and approached Brown for advice. Brown initially assumed the boy was a soldier. Upon learning O'Neal’s age, Brown recognized his potential and began sending him letters containing basketball exercises.

This correspondence continued as O'Neal matured into a top high school prospect. Brown recruited him to LSU, where O'Neal played from 1989 to 1992. During his time in Baton Rouge, O'Neal earned two consensus All-American honors and was named SEC Player of the Year twice. He was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft.

The relationship between coach and player persisted beyond the college years. In a 1999 letter published by LSU Athletics to mark Brown’s induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, O'Neal stated, "You are the only college coach I ever had, and the only one I ever wanted." LSU noted that the two maintained regular contact through letters and emails for decades.

Brown was present when O'Neal won his first NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. That same year, O'Neal returned to LSU to complete his college degree, fulfilling a promise he had made to his family and to Brown. In a 2015 interview with Esquire, O'Neal described Brown as a "father figure, leader, and a motivator." That year, ESPN released the documentary "Shaq & Dale," which chronicled their relationship from their meeting in Germany through O'Neal's professional career.

O'Neal recorded a video message upon the announcement of Brown's award selection on October 21. The message congratulated the coach and reflected on his influence. Brown’s legacy includes developing a player who became one of the most recognizable figures in sports history, while also serving as a key mentor during O'Neal's formative years.