Coach John MacLeod Dies at Age 81

[WaymanFan]

It may not appear to be a big feat to get OU into the NIT, but back then it was the equivalent of taking us to the NCAA tournament now as a low seed. At the very least, he changed the trajectory of OU basketball and got to coach a few of our all-time greats in Alvan Adams, Clifford Ray and Gar Heard. He only coached Adams one year in college, but a dozen more in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns.

He was a few years before my time, but was hoping some of the old-timers who remember him at OU would share a few good stories in his memory.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nb...t-coach-dies-at-81/ar-BBVWx11?ocid=spartandhp

 

[TulsaWorld]

From Eric Bailey...

John MacLeod, a long-time NBA coach who starting his head coaching career at the University of Oklahoma, died on Sunday. He was 81.

MacLeod won a franchise-record 579 games while guiding the Phoenix Suns between 1973-87.

...

“We are saddened today to learn of the passing of Suns Ring of Honor member and all-time winningest head coach, John MacLeod,” the Phoenix Suns said in a statement.

 

[skyvue]

I was pretty young when Coach MacLeod was at OU, but I remember him as being very composed and in control, not unlike Coach Kruger. A classy guy.

 

[mict085]

I always liked him. He was also the first coach to make the Dallas Mavericks relevant in the NBA.

RIP to a good one.

 

[deejay1]

When he was coaching OU, I went to his camp the year before I was a junior in high school. My dad was a friend of his, and when John was coaching Phoenix he got us tickets to see the Suns play the Mavs in Dallas in November 1981. He always was very cordial and nice to me when I was around him. I enjoyed following his career in the NBA and later when he returned to college at Notre Dame.