Legendary 4-time state champion coach hired as next Richland boys basketball coach
Danny Henderson, who has won four UIL state basketball championships, was named the next boys basketball head coach at Richland High School on Thursday during a Birdville ISD board meeting.
Henderson replaces Richard Bacon, who was hired by DeSoto in May.
With more than 30 years of coaching experience, Henderson has guided two different programs to multiple state titles. Overall, he has posted a 708-172 record (80.5%).
Henderson began his career at Liberty Hill in 1988 before leading Peaster for over 15 years. During his tenure, the Greyhounds made program history with their first two state tournament appearances.
The Greyhounds won back-to-back Class 2A titles in 1999 and 2000.
Henderson was hired by Flower Mound Marcus in 2009 and posted one of the best three-year spans in state history.
Led by NBA guard Marcus Smart, the Marauders went to the state tourney three consecutive seasons and capped off with back-to-back Class 5A titles in 2011 and 2012.
During that stretch, Marcus went 114-6 (95%), including 39-1 in 2011 and 39-2 in 2012.
Henderson spent one season at Duncanville before moving up to the college ranks as an assistant with Boise State (2013-16), Oklahoma State (2016-17) and Tulsa (2017-19).
Henderson returned to Texas as head coach at Maypearl during this past season, going 17-13 and 9-5 in district.
During his high school coaching career, Hendersons’ teams have been named MaxPreps High School National Champions twice. He’s coached teams to seven state tournament appearances.
Henderson was named 2012 MaxPreps National Coach of the Year and has also been named TABC Texas Coach of the Year, Texas Sportswriters Coach of the Year and the Southwest United States Coach of the Year.
He has also been a finalist for the Naismith National High School Coach of the Year.
Richland, which will play in District 6-5A with Colleyville Heritage, Grapevine, Birdville, Denton, Denton Ryan, Lake Dallas and Justin Northwest, went 14-13 last season and 4-8 in district play while in Class 6A.
Bacon had coached at Richland since 1997 and has won over 600 games in his career.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
