LSU Basketball: Dale Brown dies at 90, days after Wooden Award selection

Dale Brown, the longtime head basketball coach at Louisiana State University, died Friday, October 23, at the age of 90. Brown is best known for discovering and recruiting a 13-year-old Shaquille O'Neal while serving as a scout in West Germany.

The pair first met in 1984 at a military base in Germany, where Brown was holding a basketball clinic. O'Neal, who stood 6 feet 9 inches tall at the time, approached Brown for advice on improving his game. Brown initially assumed the teenager was a soldier and asked how long he had served in the Army. Upon learning O'Neal was only 13, Brown recognized the player's potential and began a long-distance mentoring relationship.

Brown mailed letters and basketball drills to O'Neal during his high school years. This correspondence led to O'Neal's enrollment at LSU, where he played from 1989 to 1992. During his tenure in Baton Rouge, O'Neal earned two consensus All-American honors and was named SEC Player of the Year twice. He entered the 1992 NBA draft as the first overall pick.

The relationship extended well beyond the college court. In a 1999 letter to Brown, O'Neal wrote, "You are the only college coach I ever had, and the only one I ever wanted." Brown was present to celebrate O'Neal's first NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. That same year, O'Neal returned to LSU to complete his undergraduate degree, fulfilling a promise made to his family and Brown when he first left the university in 1992.

In 2015, ESPN aired a documentary titled "Shaq & Dale," directed by Hannah Storm and narrated by Tim McGraw. The film chronicled the bond between the coach and player, from their initial meeting in Germany to O'Neal's professional career. According to LSU Athletics, the two maintained regular contact through letters and emails for decades.

Brown received further recognition just before his death. On October 21, LSU announced that he had been selected as the 2027 recipient of the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award. O'Neal recorded a video message congratulating Brown on the honor. The award was scheduled to be presented in April 2027.