Former TCU, Oklahoma basketball coach Tubbs has died; legacy is eternal in ‘Billy Ball’
The man who helped put college basketball on the map in Fort Worth during the 1990s, snapping an 11-year NCAA Tournament drought for TCU in 1998, has died.
Billy Tubbs passed away at the age of 85 on Sunday. KFOR in Oklahoma City reported it on Sunday afternoon.
Tubbs had recently gone into hospice care at a facility near Lake Texoma, and had many throughout the college basketball world send prayers and well wishes during his final days.
Tubbs is best remembered for his days as the Oklahoma coach, leading the program to the national championship game and runner-up finish in 1988. Billy Ball was an event.
In 1994, he began an eight-year run at TCU. The highlight was the 1997-98 season, which included a berth in the NCAA Tournament and a perfect 14-0 record in Western Athletic Conference play during the regular season.
Tubbs’ career mark at TCU was 156-95, making him the second-winningest coach in program history. He had four 20-win seasons and produced NBA players in Kurt Thomas and Lee Nailon.
Tubbs’ flair and personality made the program nationally relevant. Between Tubbs’ unmistakable southern twang and his preferred run-and-shoot style of basketball, he had teams that stood out in football towns.
In fact, for a brief period under Tubbs, TCU was actually a “basketball school” as the football team was not good at the time.
Tubbs’ teams would finish near the top in scoring every year. What others were sure was running up the score was just basketball to Tubbs.
In 2002, he resigned from TCU in what can gently be called a disagreement with the new administration.
Tubbs finished his career at Lamar, coaching there from 2003 to 2006. He also served as its athletic director, and led the campaign for the school to bring back football.
He returned to Oklahoma where he was a visible member of the community.
Here’s what those throughout the college basketball world had to say when contacted by the Star-Telegram:
TCU coach Jamie Dixon
“I’ve always respected what he did at Oklahoma and Lamar, but then was so excited about him coming to TCU. Getting to know him then and talking to him and trying to get a job with him ... As I joke all the time, when I got the job here at TCU, he called me up and said, ‘See, Jamie, aren’t you glad I never hired you? You never would have got this job.’ So we had a fun conversation with that.
“It was really fun when I first got here the first year, we talked a lot. He came down here, we saw him, so I would say we got a chance to have a lot of conversations when I first got here and talked to him.
“He brought a lot of excitement to college basketball. He brought a lot of excitement to TCU. He did things his own way. He was unique, there’s no doubt about it. He ran his programs with his style and it’s certainly a big loss. It’s going to touch the coaching community because he was a huge personality.”
Former TCU AD Frank Windegger, who hired Tubbs away from Oklahoma
The story goes Windegger was looking for a men’s basketball coach in 1994 to replace Moe Iba. Windegger calls Tubbs and wants to interview his top assistant for the job.
Billy said, “What about me?”
“That story is absolutely true,” Windegger said. “One of my favorite lines Billy ever said, ‘What about me?’ ... He lived a few miles down in the Tanglewood area, from TCU. He jogged every day to work at TCU. He was a special character. We all enjoyed him very much. I was very proud of the fact we were able to hire him and he was very good for TCU.”
Former coach and ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla
“My son James was a walk-on for (current OU coach) Lon Kruger. Billy would always tell him, ‘If you get in there tonight, you gotta jack it up.’ You always appreciate any time someone is nice to your children, and Billy was always so nice to James.
“It was perfect timing for him at Oklahoma. One of the greatest jobs you can have as a men’s basketball coach is to coach at a major power football school. There is no pressure. The only rule is to be good when football is bad. Billy was perfect there. And he knew unless you are playing exciting basketball, no one really cares.
“He brought that fast paced, let it fly style to Norman. He was a kindred spirit to Barry Switzer. He was personable. Funny. He brought a great deal of panache to Oklahoma basketball. He made it an event. And he recruited one of the best freshman in college basketball history when he got Wayman Tisdale.
“Billy came off as down-home and he was amusing, but he was a hell of a coach. He played a fast-paced style in a conference that slugged it out. Everybody in that league, until Billy, was influenced by Mr. Iba. And then Billy comes in with that style. Kids loved playing it.”
Former TCU radio voice Chuck Cooperstein
“There are a lot of stories that I can’t repeat. The first game I ever did for them at TCU, we were doing pregame and he said, ‘What are you doing after the game?’ I said, ‘Going home and going to bed.’ He said, ‘No you’re not. You’re coming to the house.
“So after the game, I went to his house and had pizza and beer. On his staff were [assistants] Steve McClain and Richard Bacon. And we were there with Pat [Billy’s wife] and we watched a tape of the game, or some ESPN game. We shot the bull, and he made me feel like I was a part of his basketball family and it was absolutely awesome.
“We were playing a game in an all-college tournament in Oklahoma City. We played Oklahoma State and got absolutely drilled. Oklahoma State was really good. We go back to the hotel, and now he’s not going to stay in his hotel room after getting drilled by 40. So we walk out of the elevator in the Marriott in Oklahoma City, and it’s a Friday night and the place is packed. And it’s like a parting of the Red Sea.
“They absolutely loved him there. It’s the return of the conquering hero and people just wanted to reach out say hi. They loved him.”
This story was originally published November 1, 2020 at 2:59 PM.
