Legendary former Louisville basketball coach Denny Crum has died at 86. Check out his Cause of death and Net worth in this article.
Denny Crum : Death | Cause of death | Net worth
Denzel Edwin Crum was born in San Fernando, California. From 1954 to 1956, Crum played basketball at Los Angeles Pierce College.
In 1956, he transferred to UCLA to play for John Wooden. While at UCLA, Crum was honored with the Irv Pohlmeyer Memorial Trophy for outstanding first-year varsity player.
He also received the Bruin Bench Award for most improved player the following year.
As the head coach at U of L, Crum was widely credited with pioneering the now-common strategy of scheduling tough non-conference match-ups early in the season in order to prepare his teams for March’s NCAA tournament, where one defeat ends the season. Crum’s prolific post-season play and calm demeanor earned him the monikers “Mr. March” and his most well-known nickname, “Cool Hand Luke.”
Death
Denny Crum, who won two NCAA basketball titles in a 30-year span as the head coach at Louisville, died Tuesday morning at his home. He was 86.
The university announced his death on social media.
“We are saddened to share the passing of legendary UofL Basketball Coach Denny Crum,” the post on the basketball program’s Twitter page said.
“Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones.”
Local television station WDRB said Crum had suffered strokes in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
A native Southern Californian, Crum played at UCLA and coached under John Wooden. Crum took over at Louisville before the 1971-72 season and led the team in his first year to a 26-5 mark and a berth in a national semifinal game.
The Cardinals made the NCAA Tournament in five of the next seven seasons before winning the 1980 championship, then had two more losses in a national semifinal before winning the 1986 tournament.
In all, Crum led the Cardinals to 23 NCAA Tournaments, six Final Fours, and a 675-295 record, including a 42-22 tally in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals won at least 20 games in a season 21 times under Crum.
Crum is one of only 14 coaches in NCAA history with two or more titles. He won national coach of the year honors three times and was second fastest in reaching 500 wins behind only Jerry Tarkanian.
Following his retirement, he continued to work as a special assistant to the university president, and the court at the KFC Yum! Center was named after him, as was a new residence hall on campus.
Denny Crum Cause of death
No cause was given, but Crum had battled an extended illness. He had a mild stroke in August 2017 while fishing in Alaska and another two years two ago.
Nicknamed “Cool Hand Luke” because of his cool, unflinching sideline demeanor — legend has it he never uttered a curse word — Crum retired in March 2001 after 30 seasons at Louisville with 675 victories, which ranked 15th all-time then, and championships in 1980 and ’86.
The disciple of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden often wore a red sport coat and waved a rolled-up stat sheet like a bandleader’s baton as he directed Louisville to 23 NCAA tournaments and six Final Fours.
The second half of his tenure was not nearly as successful as the first, however, as Louisville endured two separate NCAA investigations and never returned to the Final Four after Crum’s second championship season.
Crum remained a beloved, revered and respected presence around Louisville whose legacy has been recognized in many ways.
He frequently attended Cardinals games played on the KFC Yum! Center home court bearing his name and signature. And Crum was present for the September 2022 dedication of Denny Crum Hall, a new campus dormitory for athletes and students.
“You try to remember all of the things that you did, things that happened,” Crum said at a February 2020 ceremony honoring the 1980 title team. “Some was bad, but most of it good. It just makes you really proud that you were a part of it.”
Denny Crum Net worth
Denny Crum had an estimated net worth of not less than $80 million at the time of his death.
He was able to get this net worth due to his career earnings, investments, endorsements, and other ventures.