Henry P. Iba

Henry P. Iba's coaching career spanned more than four decades.

Within that time frame, he coached at Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Missouri College in Maryville, Missouri, Colorado University, and then Oklahoma State University.

In addition, Iba was selected to coach the United States Olympic basketball team. Twice Iba directed the American team to gold medals (1964 and 1968), and in 1972 lost to the Russians in a controversial game which is still being argued today.

Iba began his sparkling coaching career at Classen High School in Oklahoma City and coached the Comets to a state title in only his second season (1928-29). Under Iba, Classen posted an astounding 51-5 record in his two years with the comets.

Iba then went to Northwest Missouri Teachers' College in Maryville, Missouri and led the "Marvelous Mules of Maryville" to a stunning four-year record of 101 victories against only 14 defeats. There was no NCAA tournament in those days, but Iba and Maryville surprised the cage world in 1932 by going to the National AAU Tournament, but lost by a single point in the finals to the powerful simi-pro Wichita Henrys.

After a one year stint with the University of Colorado, Iba headed for Stillwater, Oklahoma where he would later lead Oklahoma State University to two national championships, numerous league titles and 655 wins in 36 years.

Less than one year after being named the basketball coach in 1935, Iba was also named Athletic Director. During Iba's reign as Athletic Director, Cowboy squads swept to national titles in wrestling, basketball, baseball, golf, and cross-country.

In all, Iba won 767 college basketball games. The 767 total put Iba in a third place for the highest number of wins of any basketball coach in NCAA history.

Although Iba amassed an amazing number of wins, his accomplishments went far beyond triumphs on the basketball court. His past players emphasize that although he taught them a great deal about the game of basketball, he taught them even more about life.

Senator Bill Bradley said, "Henry Iba made me work hard, learn more and be prouder of myself, my team and my country than I thought was possible for an eager 19-year-old Olympian. His practices were torture, but purposeful, his personality was demanding, but fair. I had never heard of basketball lectures until I played for Mr. Iba, but then his lectures were as much about life as basketball. I still keep my notebook to this day. Much of what it contains became a part of my game as a player and part of my life as a person."

Iba has been voted into the Missouri Hall of Fame (his native state), the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Helms Foundation All-Time Hall of Fame for basketball, Basketball's All-Time Hall of Fame at Springfield, Mass., and has been named National coach of the Year twice.