Oklahoma men’s basketball coach Lon Kruger is retiring after 45 years as coach, it was announced on Thursday.
Kruger, 68, has been in charge of Sooners for the past decade, leading them to seven NCAA tournaments and the appearance of the Final Four in 2016. They finished 16-11 overall this season, going 9-8 in Big 12 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to Gonzaga.
Prior to taking over in Oklahoma, Kruger led UNLV to four NCAA appearances in seven seasons, including a Sweet 16 race in 2007.
Considered one of the most underrated coaches of his generation, Kruger began his coaching career in 1976 as an assistant at the state of Pittsburgh. He spent time as an assistant in the state of Kansas before becoming head coach at Texas-Pan American. Kruger has also been head coach at Kansas State, Florida and Illinois – and has also spent three seasons as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks and a year with the New York Knicks as an assistant.
Overall, Kruger was 674-432 as the college’s head coach, participated in 20 NCAA tournaments and made two appearances in the Final Four. He is one of only three coaches to lead five different programs in the NCAA tournament, along with Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith.
“His track record of rebuilding successful programs everywhere he has coached is even more impressive when you consider how he did it,” Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione said in a statement. “He won with integrity, humility, class and grace. He did so with superior leadership skills and genuine goodwill, which included his constant encouragement from everyone around him.”
Kruger’s son, Kevin, was recently named head coach at UNLV. Sources told ESPN that it had an impact on Kruger’s decision to retire.
With Kruger leaving, both basketball jobs are now open in Oklahoma, with longtime coach Sherri Coale announcing his retirement last week.