The Story Behind the Legendary Coach
1926
While coaching at Freeport High School in Illinois, Rupp started the first Black varsity basketball player in Freeport’s history.
1948
As assistant coach of the 1948 USA Olympic Basketball team, Rupp coached Don Barksdale, the first Black player on an American Olympic basketball team. Later, Barksdale said Rupp was his "closest friend" on the team.
1961
More than 120 letters containing death threats to Adolph Rupp and UK President Frank Dickey were turned over to the FBI after Rupp supported UK's effort to desegregate SEC athletics.
“I keep waiting for someone to show me where Adolph Rupp once acted on the reason of race. Once. Show me. Don’t tell me what he said or may have said to somebody third or fourth hand. Show me where he once acted on race.”
-Dave Kindred, Louisville Courier-Journal sportswriter 1965-1977
About Adolph Rupp
(1901-1977)
Adolph Frederick Rupp was the winningest college basketball coach of his time and dedicated himself to building the University of Kentucky basketball program into a national powerhouse during his 41 years coaching UK basketball. Rupp coached UK teams to four NCAA National Championships, six NCAA Final Four appearances, 20 NCAA tournaments, 27 SEC Championships, 13 SEC tournament championships, five Sugar Bowl Championships, two Helms Foundation National Championships, one NIT championship, and one International Universities Tournament championship in 1966, led the 1948 Olympic Basketball team, as an assistant coach, to a Gold Medal.
He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969 and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Rupp was born in Kansas in 1901 and grew up on a farm with 5 siblings. He starred on his high school basketball team before attending the University of Kansas and playing for Hall of Fame coach Forrest “Phog” Allen and James Naismith, inventor of basketball. Rupp later earned a master’s degree from Columbia University.
He was a devoted husband, father and loving grandfather.