Tex Winter graduated from the University Of Southern California in 1947 , where he learned the triangle offense from Sam Barry . Winter immediately entered the coaching profession as an assistant to Hall Of Fame r Jack Gardner at Kansas State University . He would stay in coaching for the next 57 consecutive years.
In 1952 , Winter began a two-year stint as head coach at Marquette University , becoming the youngest coach in major college basketball. In 1954 Winter returned to Kansas State as head coach, a position he held for 15 years, posting a 262-117 (.691) record, winning eight Big Eight Conference titles, and advancing to two Final Four s. Winter was named the national Coach of the Year in 1958 . In 1962 , Winter also literally published the book on the triangle offense – the offense which he utilized with such success at Kansas State – entitled ''The Triple-Post Offense''. Following his departure from K-State, Winter served shorter stints as head coach at the University Of Washington , Northwestern University , and Long Beach State . In total, Winter won 454 games at the collegiate level.
Winter also served as head coach of the Houston Rockets for two seasons, 1972 – 1974 , posting a 51-78 record.
In 1985 , Winter started another chapter of his life, serving as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls , and teaching the triangle offense to Michael Jordan . He was hired to the position by General Manager Jerry Krause , an old friend he had met while at Kansas State. As an assistant to Phil Jackson , who took over as the Bulls' head coach in 1989 , Winter was an integral part of the Bulls' NBA championships in 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , 1996 , 1997 , and 1998 . Winter followed Phil Jackson to the Los Angeles Lakers , where he collected three additional championship rings, in 2000 , 2001 and 2002 .
Winter is a member of several halls of fame, and he was awarded the John Bunn Award for lifetime achievement from the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame . However, although Winter has been on the final ballot for the Basketball Hall of Fame six times, he has not yet been accorded this honor.
- ''The Triple-Post Offense'', ( 1962 )
- Mark Bender, ''Trial by Basketball: The Life and Times of Tex Winter'' (ISBN 1886110905, 2000 ).
|
