Gene Bess, the winningest college basketball coach in American history, has died at 91.
His son, Brian Bess, who coached alongside him, shared the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post Friday.
“This morning at 4:00 a.m. my dad went to be with Jesus,” Brian wrote.
Bess spent 50 years leading the basketball program at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, coaching from 1970 until his retirement in 2020. During that legendary run, he racked up an astonishing 1,300 wins and led the Three Rivers Raiders to two NJCAA national championships.
His career made him a giant in college basketball and a beloved figure far beyond Missouri.
Among the many players he coached was former New York Knicks star Latrell Sprewell, who played for Bess for two seasons before moving on to Alabama. Sprewell later became a first-round NBA draft pick in 1992.
Three Rivers College mourned Bess in a statement, calling him a “mentor, friend, and one of the most influential figures in the history of Three Rivers College.”
The school said he “inspired generations of students, helping shape lives both during their years as Raiders and long after they left.”
Bess was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023, where he reflected on a career that few coaches in the history of the sport could ever match.
“In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would be in front of you all today,” Bess told the crowd during his induction speech. “I’m truly blessed to have coached over 400 players, winning two national championships, and having the record of 1,300 wins.”
He added, “It takes a village to accomplish this. Thank you to every single player I’ve ever coached. I want you to know that I love each and every one of you.”Legendary Basketball Coach Dies at 91
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