Two former Razorbacks basketball coaches headed to Naismith Hall of Fame
Gary Blair and Gene Keady made their biggest waves somewhere besides Arkansas, but for long-time fans, the two basketball coaches will always be Razorbacks.
They’re both also going to be Hall of Famers.
Blair, who coached the Arkansas women’s basketball team from 1993-2003, and Keady, who was an assistant with Eddie Sutton from 1975-78, will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in August, the organization announced Saturday.
Blair led the Hogs to five NCAA Tournaments, including a Final Four in 1998. He left after 2003 to take over at Texas A&M, where he coached until 2022 and won a national title with the Aggies in 2011.
Keady left Arkansas in 1978 for his first Division I head coaching gig that same year with Western Kentucky. After three seasons with the Hilltoppers, he went to Purdue, where he lead the Boilermakers to 17 NCAA Tournaments before his retirement after the 2006 season.
Joining the two coaches are former players Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowtizki, Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade and Becky Hammon and former coaches Gene Bess, David Hixon, Gregg Popovich. Jim Valvano will be inducted as a contributor and the 1976 United States’ Women’s Olympic Basketball team will also join as women’s veterans.
