View source for Tex Winter

{{Short description|American basketball coach (1922–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Tex Winter
| image = Tex_Winter_Marqette.jpg
| caption = Winter with [[Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball|Marquette]] in 1953
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1922|2|25}}
| birth_place = near [[Wellington, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date ={{death date and age|2018|10|10|1922|2|25}}
| death_place = [[Manhattan, Kansas]], U.S.
| player_years1 = 1940–1942
| player_team1 = [[Compton College|Compton JC]]
| player_years2 = 1942–1943
| player_team2 = [[Oregon State Beavers men's basketball|Oregon State]]
| player_years3 = 1946–1947
| player_team3 = [[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC]]
| coach_years1 = 1947–1951
| coach_team1 = [[Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball|Kansas State]] (assistant)
| coach_years2 = 1951–1953
| coach_team2 = [[Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball|Marquette]]
| coach_years3 = 1953–1968
| coach_team3 = [[Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball|Kansas State]]
| coach_years4 = 1968–1971
| coach_team4 = [[Washington Huskies men's basketball|Washington]]
| coach_years5 = 1971–1973
| coach_team5 = [[Houston Rockets]]
| coach_years6 = 1973–1978
| coach_team6 = [[Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball|Northwestern]]
| coach_years7 = 1978–1983
| coach_team7 = [[Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball|Long Beach State]]
| coach_years8 = 1983–1984
| coach_team8 = [[LSU Tigers men's basketball|LSU]] (assistant)
| coach_years9 = {{nbay|1985|start}}–{{nbay|1998|end}}
| coach_team9 = [[Chicago Bulls]] (assistant)
| coach_years10 = {{nbay|1999|start}}–{{nbay|2003|end}}
| coach_team10 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] (assistant)
| overall_record = 453–334 (college)<br />51–78 (NBA)
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 
| championships =
'''As head coach:'''
* 2 [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four appearances by coach|NCAA Regional – Final Four]] ([[1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|1959]], [[1964 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|1964]])
* 8× [[Big Eight Conference|Big Seven/Big Eight]] regular season (1956, 1958–1961, 1963, 1964, 1968)
'''As assistant coach:'''
* 9× [[NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1991}}–{{nbafy|1993}}, {{nbafy|1996}}–{{nbafy|1998}}, {{nbafy|2000}}–{{nbafy|2002}})
* [[Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award]] (2010)
| awards = 
* [[UPI College Basketball Coach of the Year]] (1958)
* 3× [[Big Eight Conference]] Coach of the Year (1958–1960)
| coaching_records = 
| BASKHOF_year = 2011
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2010
}}
'''Morice Fredrick "Tex" Winter''' (February 25, 1922 – October 10, 2018) was an American [[basketball]] coach and innovator of the [[triangle offense]], an offensive system that became the dominant force in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) and resulted in 11 [[NBA Finals|NBA Championships]] with the [[Chicago Bulls]] in the 1990s and the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in the 2000s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Coffey |first=Wayne |date=15 March 2014 |title=Master Mind: Meet Tex Winter, the man behind Phil Jackson's Triangle offense |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/meet-man-behind-phil-triangle-offense-article-1.1722632 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118112216/https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/meet-man-behind-phil-triangle-offense-article-1.1722632 |archive-date=18 November 2020 |access-date=18 March 2014 |newspaper=New York Daily News}}</ref> He was a head coach in [[college basketball]] for 30 years before becoming an assistant coach in the NBA. He was an assistant to [[Phil Jackson]] on nine NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. Winter was inducted into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 2011. In 2016, the NBA created the annually presented Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award in his honor.

==Early life==
Winter was born on February 25, 1922,<ref name=":1" /> near [[Wellington, Texas]], (a fact which later provided him with his nickname when his family moved to California<ref name=":0" />) 15 minutes after twin sister Mona Francis.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Weigel |first=Larry |date=2013-02-21 |title=Tex Winter turns 91 Feb. 25 |url=https://themercury.com/k_state_sports/tex-winter-turns-91-feb-25/article_ef5c7932-aca1-5c4b-bb74-d7999178244d.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The Mercury |language=en}}</ref> He grew up in an unpainted shack just outside of Wellington, located in the [[Texas panhandle]], during the [[Dust Bowl]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Dawidoff |first=Nicholas |date=2015-06-23 |title=The Obtuse Triangle |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/sports/basketball/phil-jackson-knicks-triangle-offense-nba.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Winter family moved to [[Lubbock, Texas]], in 1929, where his mechanic father died of an infection after being speared by a marlin while fishing, when Tex was nine or ten years old.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

Winter had to work while in elementary school to help his family, one such job being to collect boxes for a local baker in exchange for day-old bread.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} In 1936, Winter and his sister moved to [[Huntington Park, California]] with their mother, who would work as a clothing store sales manager. His older football star brother Ernest remained in Texas to finish high school, while his older sister Elizabeth had already married and moved to California first and encouraged them to move there.<ref name=":2" /> Winter worked on a [[Market garden|truck farm]] when he first arrived in California, bringing overripe fruit home to the family.<ref name=":3" />

While attending [[Huntington Park High School]], the [[Loyola Marymount University|Loyola University of Los Angeles]] (now Loyola Marymount University) basketball team practiced at his high school. Winter carefully studied coach [[Jimmy Needles]]’s reverse action offense, which was an early template of the later triangle offense.<ref name=":3" /> Along with [[Phil Woolpert]] and [[Pete Newell]], Winter was a ball boy for Loyola University.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Tex: A teacher and pioneer of the game |url=https://www.nba.com/bulls/history/tex-teacher-and-pioneer-game |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref> Both Woolpert and Newell would become Hall of Fame head coaches.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Phil Woolpert |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/phil-woolpert/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Pete Newell |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/pete-newell/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref>

After graduation from high school in 1940, Winter attended college at [[Compton College|Compton Junior College]] for two years, where he became a renowned pole vaulter and earned a pole-vaulting scholarship to [[Oregon State University]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=October 11, 2018 |title=Compton Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee Tex Winter Passes Away |url=https://comptoncollegeathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/201810112x30p0 |website=comptoncollegeathletics.com}}</ref> He was on the basketball and track teams at both schools.<ref name=":5" />  As a [[pole vault]]er, Winter competed against Bob Richards, a 1948 and 1952 Olympian.<ref name=":4" /> He was considered a strong candidate for the US Olympic team in 1944, but the [[1944 Summer Olympics|Olympics]] were cancelled by [[World War II]].<ref name=":5" />

Winter met his wife Nancy at Oregon State.<ref name=":3" /> Both of them entered the [[United States Navy]] in early 1943, with Winter going into fighter pilot training and his wife into [[WAVES]].<ref name=":2" /> After his pilot's wings were conferred he was assigned to fighter pilot duty in the [[Pacific War|Pacific]]. However, his orders were rescinded after his brother's plane was shot down, and Winter remained at [[Naval Air Station Glenview]] in Illinois for the duration of the war.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}  After the war, he was assigned to [[Naval Air Station Corpus Christi|NAS Corpus Christi]] as a [[test pilot]] for an experimental jet craft. While in the navy, Winter was a starting guard for his basketball team under the commanding officer [[Chuck Taylor (salesman)|Chuck Taylor]].<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Sam |date=October 21, 2011 |title=Tex Winter's basketball philosophy and triangle offense products of equal opportunity |url=https://www.nba.com/bulls/history/tex-winters-basketball-philosophy-and-triangle-offense-products-equal-opportunity |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref> He left the Navy with the rank of [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]] in 1946.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Winter returned to college after the war at the [[University of Southern California]] (1946-1947), where he learned the [[triangle offense]] from his coach [[Sam Barry]],<ref name="Sam Barry">{{cite news |last1=Jim |first1=Hodges |title=City of Angles: Nothing new about the Triangle Offense, but how will it work without Jordan? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/161124930/ |access-date=May 14, 2025 |publisher=Los Angeles Times |date=June 16, 1999}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} or as stated elsewhere, Winter learned the fundamentals of Barry's system from which Winter himself would devise the triangle offense.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |date=2018-10-11 |title=Tex Winter, Brain Behind Basketball’s Triangle Offense, Dies at 96 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/obituaries/tex-winter-dead.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Naismith Hall of Fame has said the triangle offense evolved in part from Barry's center-opposite offense.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Tex Winter |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tex-winter/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref>  He was a basketball teammate of [[Bill Sharman]], [[Alex Hannum]], and [[Gene Rock]], future professional basketball players.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1946-47 USC Trojans Men's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/southern-california/men/1947.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hendrickson |first=Tyler |date=October 11, 2018 |title=Long Beach State Remembers Former Head Coach Tex Winter |url=https://longbeachstate.com/news/2018/10/11/mens-basketball-long-beach-state-remembers-former-head-coach-tex-winter |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Long Beach State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> Like Winter, Sharman and Hannum would go on to be Hall of Fame coaches,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Alex Hannum |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/alex-hannum/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Bill Sharman |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/bill-sharman1/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref> though Winter, in a rarity, went in for his contributions as an assistant coach.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Dawidoff |first=Nicholas |date=2015-06-23 |title=The Obtuse Triangle |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/sports/basketball/phil-jackson-knicks-triangle-offense-nba.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

At USC, Winter was also on the track team, and was named an All-American as a pole vaulter.<ref name=":1" />

==College coaching career==
After graduating college in 1947, Winter immediately entered the coaching profession as an assistant to [[Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall-of-Fame]]r [[Jack Gardner (basketball)|Jack Gardner]] at [[Kansas State University]], a position he held from 1947 to 1951.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fred Winter - Men's Basketball Coach |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/fred-winter/2077 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Kansas State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Shank |first=Richard |date=March 7, 2018 |title=The legend of Tex Winter |url=https://www.hutchnews.com/story/business/columns/2018/03/08/legend-of-tex-winter/13350039007/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The Hutchinson News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=Tex Winter (1991) - K-State Athletics Hall of Fame |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/honors/k-state-athletics-hall-of-fame/tex-winter/22 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Kansas State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> It was as an assistant at Kansas State where he began to devise the triangle offense.<ref name=":0" /> He was Garnder's assistant in 1948 and 1951 when the team went to the final four of the NCAA tournament.<ref name=":11" /> He would work as a basketball coach for the next 61 years.

In 1952, Winter began a two-year stint as head coach at [[Marquette University]], becoming the youngest coach in major college basketball.<ref name=":14" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Tex Winter Coaching Record |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/tex-winter-1.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> In 1953, Winter returned to Kansas State as its head coach; at 31, still the youngest major college coach.<ref name=":7" /><ref>[http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2007/feb/22/Former_K_State_basketball/ ABC News (49): ''Former K-State basketball star dies at 72''; February 22, 2007.] accessed on October 2, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?sid=87&id=1161&PHPSESSID=1f02554bda44c6de62046f6a3f345ec6 Canada Basketball: ''Candidates for the 2007 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame announced''; May 25, 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212173724/http://www.basketball.ca/en/hm/inside.php?sid=87&id=1161&PHPSESSID=1f02554bda44c6de62046f6a3f345ec6 |date=February 12, 2008 }} accessed on October 2, 2007.</ref> Winter served as Kansas State's head coach for the following 15 years, posting a 261–118 (.689) record,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":8" /> though his record has also been reported as 262-117.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Fred "Tex" Winter |url=https://www.kshof.org/team/fred-%22tex%22-winter |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Kansas Sports HOF |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9" />  He still owns the record for most league titles (eight) in school history and twice led the Wildcats to the Final Four ([[1958 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1958]] and [[1964 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1964]]).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Men's Big Eight Conference Index |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-8/men/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9" />  Winter guided K-State to postseason play seven times overall, including six trips to the NCAA Tournament, and boasts one of the highest winning percentages in K-State's history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kansas State Wildcats Men's Basketball Index |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/kansas-state/men/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9" />

Winter was named [[United Press International|UPI]] National Coach of the Year in 1958,<ref name=":9" /> after he led Kansas State to the Final Four by knocking off [[Oscar Robertson]] and second-ranked [[Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball|Cincinnati]] in an 83–80 double-overtime thriller.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kansas State vs. Cincinnati Box Score (Men), March 14, 1958 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1958-03-14-cincinnati.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  Junior center [[Bob Boozer]] was one of three Wildcats to be named a first team All-America,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Men's Consensus All-America Teams (1949-50 to 1958-59) |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/men/all-america-1950-1959.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> along with teammates [[Jack Parr]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=K-State Mourns the Passing of Legend Jack Parr |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2015/1/5/5583f32fe4b06b726e6672b7_131478101850851498 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Kansas State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> and Roy DeWitz who were also named All-Americans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roy DeWitz (2013) - K-State Athletics Hall of Fame |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/honors/k-state-athletics-hall-of-fame/roy-dewitz/67 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Kansas State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> Boozer, Parr and DeWitz were all named to the Midwest-Lawrence All-Regional NCCA team that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1958 Men's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/men/1958-ncaa.html#all_all-region |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Earlier in the season, on February 3, 1958, number 4 ranked Kansas State defeated [[Wilt Chamberlain]] and the number 2 ranked University of Kansas in double overtime, using a defensive scheme Winter devised to impede Chamberlain's offense.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1958: A K-State-KU Game for the Ages |url=https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2010/3/3/5583e803e4b06b726e6659e2_131478208553412950 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Kansas State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>

K-State advanced to their fourth Final Four in [[1964 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|1964]].  Winter's Wildcats knocked off [[UTEP Miners men's basketball|Texas Western]] and [[Wichita State Shockers men's basketball|Wichita State]] to reach [[Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City)|Municipal Auditorium]] in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=1964 NCAA tournament: Bracket, scores, stats, records {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-05-14/1964-ncaa-tournament-bracket-scores-stats-records |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.ncaa.com |language=en}}</ref>  Two-time Big Eight selection [[Willie Murrell]] averaged 25.3 points per game during the run,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Willie Murrell College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/willie-murrell-1.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Willie Murrell 1963-64 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/willie-murrell-1/gamelog/1964 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> which ended in a 90–84 loss to eventual national champion [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=UCLA vs. Kansas State Box Score (Men), March 20, 1964 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1964-03-20-kansas-state.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> It was the first of UCLA's 9 NCAA championships over the next 10 years.<ref name=":10" />

In 1962, Winter also wrote the book ''The Triple-Post Offense'', about the triangle offense – the offense which he developed and utilized with such success at Kansas State.<ref name=":3" /> Following his leaving Kansas State to his assistant [[Cotton Fitzsimmons]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cotton Fitzsimmons Coaching Record |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/cotton-fitzsimmons-1.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Winter also served as head coach at the [[University of Washington]] (1968–1971, where he was hired by then Athletic Director [[Joseph Kearney]]), [[Northwestern University]] (1973–1978), and [[Long Beach State]]. In 1982, LSU's [[Dale Brown (basketball)|Dale Brown]], who Winter befriended when Brown was a high school coach, hired him as an assistant for one year 1983–84.<ref>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=Larry |date=February 21, 2013 |title=Tex Winter turns 91 Feb. 25 |url=http://themercury.com/articles/tex-winter-turns-91-feb.-25#sthash.7eJK9ZYY.dpuf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140725231206/http://themercury.com/articles/tex-winter-turns-91-feb.-25#sthash.7eJK9ZYY.dpuf |archive-date=25 July 2014 |access-date=3 February 2022 |website=themercury.com}}</ref><ref name=":9" /> In 30 years as a college head coach, Winter compiled a career record of 453–334.<ref name=":0" />

==Professional coaching==
[[File:Tex Winter, walton, farmar (3215064464) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Winter in 2009]]
Winter was hired by Pete Newell as head coach of the [[Houston Rockets]] for two seasons, 1971&ndash;1973, posting a 51–78 ({{winning percentage|51|78}}) record. Winter replaced his old USC teammate, Alex Hannum. He was fired and replaced by assistant coach [[Johnny Egan (basketball)|Johnny Egan]] on January 21, 1973. The trading of [[Elvin Hayes]] to the [[Washington Wizards|Baltimore Bullets]] prior to the [[1972&ndash;73 Houston Rockets season|1972&ndash;73 season]] and the Rockets' subsequent subpar performance were factors in his dismissal.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/22/archives/rockets-defeat-knicks-107103-2-hours-before-egan-is-named-houston.html Koppett, Leonard. "2 Hours Before, Egan Is Named Houston Coach," ''The New York Times'', Monday, January 22, 1973.] Retrieved March 12, 2022.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How The Rockets Came To Houston |url=https://houston.citycast.fm/history-archive/how-the-rockets-came-to-houston |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=City Cast Houston |language=en}}</ref>

In 1985, Winter started another chapter of his life after contemplating retirement, serving as an assistant coach with the [[Chicago Bulls]], and teaching the triangle offense to [[Michael Jordan]].  He was hired to the position by General Manager [[Jerry Krause]], an old friend he had met while at Kansas State.  As an assistant to [[Phil Jackson]], who took over as the Bulls' head coach in 1989, Winter and his ball-movement offense were an integral part of the Bulls' [[NBA]] championships in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.<ref name=goldstein_10102018>{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|title=Tex Winter, Brain Behind Basketball's Triangle Offense, Dies at 96|date=October 10, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/obituaries/tex-winter-dead.html|access-date=October 12, 2018|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118112148/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/obituaries/tex-winter-dead.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":9" />  Winter followed Jackson to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]. Led by [[Shaquille O'Neal]] and [[Kobe Bryant]], the Lakers won three championships using the triangle system in 2000, 2001, and 2002.<ref name=goldstein_10102018/>  Winter was also a consultant for the NBA champion [[2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season|2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers]] team.<ref>{{Cite web | last = McMenamin | first = Dave | title = Lakers rally around ailing "insultant" Tex Winter | work = NBA.com | date = April 27, 2009 | url = http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/dave_mcmenamin/04/27/winter20090427/index.html?rss=true | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090504205928/http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/dave_mcmenamin/04/27/winter20090427/index.html?rss=true | archive-date = May 4, 2009 }}</ref>

Winter had a great bond with Bryant, helping Bryant understand the value to Bryant of playing within the team's system, and watching hours of film together.<ref name=":4" /> Jordan respected Winter because of Winter's only being satisfied if things were done correctly.<ref name=":3" /> Jordan learned a great deal from Winter, finding him to be a great teacher and tireless worker, with a constant focus on details and preparation.<ref name=":0" />

==Health and death==
On April 25, 2009, Winter suffered a stroke in [[Manhattan, Kansas]], while attending a Kansas State basketball reunion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=4099837|title=Lakers guru Winter, 87, suffers apparent stroke|date=25 April 2009|website=ESPN.com|access-date=8 April 2018|archive-date=18 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118112147/https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=4099837|url-status=live}}</ref>

He lived near Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas with his Alzheimer's-stricken wife<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jul-15-sp-plaschke15-story.html|title=Lakers legend Tex Winter needs to be encircled with care|first=BILL|last=PLASCHKE|date=15 July 2009|via=LA Times|access-date=20 July 2014|archive-date=12 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812085217/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/15/sports/sp-plaschke15|url-status=live}}</ref> and son Brian. He suffered from the after-effects of his 2009 stroke, including an uncooperative right side and nerve pain in his neck and shoulder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/meet-man-behind-phil-triangle-offense-article-1.1722632|title=Meet the man behind Phil's Triangle offense|website=nydailynews.com|date=15 March 2014 |access-date=2014-03-18|archive-date=2020-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118112214/https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/meet-man-behind-phil-triangle-offense-article-1.1722632|url-status=live}}</ref> He has two other sons, Russ and Chris.

Winter died on October 10, 2018, at the age of 96.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/former-bulls-assistant-coach-tex-winter-dies/ |title=Bulls: Tex Winter dies at age 96 – Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=2018-10-11 |archive-date=2020-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118112149/https://chicago.suntimes.com/2018/10/12/18441175/bulls-confirm-that-former-assistant-coach-tex-winter-is-dead-at-96 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
Winter is a member of several halls of fame, including the Kansas State Athletics Hall of Fame (1991),<ref name=":9" /> [[Kansas Sports Hall of Fame]] (1997),<ref name=":11" /> and the [[National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame]], and he was awarded the [[John Bunn Award]] for lifetime achievement from the [[Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame]].<ref>[http://cjonline.com/sports/basketball/2010-02-24/college_hall_to_induct_tex Topeka Capital-Journal: ''College Hall to induct Tex''; February 24, 2010.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606091709/http://cjonline.com/sports/basketball/2010-02-24/college_hall_to_induct_tex |date=2011-06-06 }} accessed on February 25, 2010</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: The John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://www.hoophall.com/awards/john-w-bunn-lifetime-achievement-award/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref> In June 2010, he was given the [[Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award]], along with hall of fame coach [[Jack Ramsay|Dr. Jack Ramsay]], by the NBA Coaches Association.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Association |first=NBA Coaches |date=2014-02-27 |title=Tex Winter and Jack Ramsay share 2009 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award {{!}} The Official Website of The NBA Coaches Association |url=https://nbacoaches.com/tex-winter-and-jack-ramsay-share-2010-chuck-daily-lifetime-achievement-award/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=nbacoaches.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Association |first=NBA Coaches |date=2015-11-05 |title=Tex Winter Assistant Coach Award {{!}} The Official Website of The NBA Coaches Association |url=https://nbacoaches.com/tex-winter-assistant-coaches-award/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=nbacoaches.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2003, Kansas State fans voted him the Kansas State basketball coach of the century.<ref name=":7" />

In 2002, after the Lakers' third consecutive championship, the team made rings for the players and coaches honoring Winter. On the front of the jewel-encrusted ring was a design with several triangles, honoring Winter’s triangle offense.<ref name=":7" />

On his eighth time on the final ballot for the [[Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame]], it was announced on April 2, 2011, that Winter had been elected. He was formally inducted on August 12, with his Boston-based physicist son Chris giving a speech in his behalf.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/lakers/tex-438099-winter-speech.html|title=Tex Winter cuts off his son's horrible Hall speech|date=15 August 2011|website=ocregister.com|access-date=20 July 2014|archive-date=18 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118112214/https://www.ocregister.com/2011/08/15/tex-winter-cuts-off-his-sons-horrible-hall-speech/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":12" />

In 2016, the NBA established The Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award, presented annually to a storied assistant coach who has consistently made a substantial impact over at least fifteen years. The award "honors the career of Hall of Famer Tex Winter who over an outstanding NBA coaching career set a standard of loyalty, integrity, competitive excellence and tireless promotion of NBA basketball."<ref name=":13" />

On May 26, 2012, Winter was inducted into the [[Compton Community College]] Athletics Hall of Fame, under the category of Basketball.<ref name=":5" />

==Head coaching record==

===College===
{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason = | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball|Marquette Golden Eagles]]
 | conference = Independent
 | startyear  = 1951
 | endyear    = 1953
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1951–52 NCAA men's basketball season|1951–52]]
 | name         = Marquette
 | overall      = 12–14
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1952–53 NCAA men's basketball season|1952–53]]
 | name         = Marquette
 | overall      = 13–11
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = Won the National Catholic Invitational Tournament (NCIT) 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Marquette
 | overall    = 25–25 ({{Winning percentage|25|25}})
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball|Kansas State Wildcats]]
 | conference = [[Big Eight Conference|Big Seven / Big Eight Conference]]
 | startyear  = 1953
 | endyear    = 1968
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1953–54 NCAA men's basketball season|1953–54]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 11–10
 | conference   = 5–7
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1954–55 NCAA men's basketball season|1954–55]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 11–10
 | conference   = 6–6
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1955–56 NCAA men's basketball season|1955–56]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 17–8
 | conference   = 9–3
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1956 NCAA basketball tournament|NCAA Sweet 16]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1956–57 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1956–57]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 15–8
 | conference   = 8–4
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1957–58 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1957–58]]
 | name         = [[1957–58 Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 22–5
 | conference   = 10–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1958 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|NCAA University Division Final Four]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1958–59]]
 | name         = [[1958–59 Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 25–2
 | conference   = 14–0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|NCAA University Division Elite Eight]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1959–60 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1959–60]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 16–10
 | conference   = 10–4
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1960–61 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1960–61]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 22–5<nowiki>*</nowiki>
 | conference   = 13–1<nowiki>*</nowiki>
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1961 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|NCAA University Division Elite Eight]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1961–62 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1961–62]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 22–3
 | conference   = 12–2
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1962–63 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1962–63]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 16–9
 | conference   = 11–3
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1963–64 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1963–64]]
 | name         = [[1963–64 Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team|Kansas State]]
 | overall      = 22–7
 | conference   = 12–2
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1964 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|NCAA University Division Final Four]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1964–65 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1964–65]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 12–13
 | conference   = 5–9
 | confstanding = T–6th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1965–66 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1965–66]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 14–11
 | conference   = 9–5
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1966–67 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1966–67]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 17–8
 | conference   = 9–5
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | season       = [[1967–68 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1967–68]]
 | name         = Kansas State
 | overall      = 19–9
 | conference   = 11–3
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1968 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|NCAA University Division Sweet 16]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Kansas State
 | overall    = 261–118 ({{Winning percentage|261|118}})
 | confrecord = 154–57 ({{Winning percentage|154|57}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Washington Huskies men's basketball|Washington Huskies]]
 | conference = [[Pac-12 Conference|Pacific-8 Conference]]
 | startyear  = 1968
 | endyear    = 1971
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1968–69 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1968–69]]
 | name         = [[1968–69 Washington Huskies men's basketball team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 13–13
 | conference   = 6–8
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1969–70 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1969–70]]
 | name         = [[1969–70 Washington Huskies men's basketball team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 17–9
 | conference   = 7–7
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1970–71 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1970–71]]
 | name         = [[1970–71 Washington Huskies men's basketball team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 15–13
 | conference   = 6–8
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Washington
 | overall    = 45–35 ({{Winning percentage|45|35}})
 | confrecord = 19–23 ({{Winning percentage|19|23}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball|Northwestern Wildcats]]
 | conference = [[Big Ten Conference]]
 | startyear  = 1973
 | endyear    = 1978
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1973–74]]
 | name         = Northwestern
 | overall      = 9–15
 | conference   = 3–11
 | confstanding = 9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1974–75 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1974–75]]
 | name         = Northwestern
 | overall      = 6–20
 | conference   = 4–14
 | confstanding = T–9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1975–76 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1975–76]]
 | name         = [[1975–76 Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team|Northwestern]]
 | overall      = 12–15
 | conference   = 7–11
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1976–77 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1976–77]]
 | name         = Northwestern
 | overall      = 9–18
 | conference   = 7–11
 | confstanding = T–7th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | season       = [[1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1977–78]]
 | name         = Northwestern
 | overall      = 8–19
 | conference   = 4–14
 | confstanding = T–9th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Northwestern
 | overall    = 44–87 ({{Winning percentage|44|87}})
 | confrecord = 25–61 ({{Winning percentage|25|61}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball|Long Beach State 49ers]]
 | conference = [[Big West Conference|Pacific Coast Athletic Association]]
 | startyear  = 1978
 | endyear    = 1983
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1978–79]]
 | name         = Long Beach State
 | overall      = 16–12
 | conference   = 7–7
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1979–80]]
 | name         = Long Beach State
 | overall      = 22–12
 | conference   = 11–3
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = [[1980 National Invitation Tournament|NIT second round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1980–81]]
 | name         = Long Beach State
 | overall      = 15–13
 | conference   = 9–5
 | confstanding = T–3rd
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1981–82]]
 | name         = [[1981–82 Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball team|Long Beach State]]
 | overall      = 12–16
 | conference   = 7–7
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1982–83 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1982–83]]
 | name         = Long Beach State
 | overall      = 13–16
 | conference   = 6–10
 | confstanding = 7th
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Long Beach State
 | overall    = 78–69 ({{Winning percentage|78|69}})
 | confrecord = 40–32 ({{Winning percentage|40|32}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
 | overall = 453–334 ({{Winning percentage|453|334}})
}}
{| cellspacing="0" style="width: 800px; background: ;"
| style="font-size: 8pt; padding: 4pt; line-height: 1.25em; color: black;" | 
<nowiki>*</nowiki>1960–61 record reflects one win by forfeit over Colorado.
|}

===NBA===
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971–72 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1971}}
|82||34||48||.415|| style="text-align:center;"|4th in Pacific||–||–||–||–
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1972–73 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1972}}
|47||17||30||.362|| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Central||–||–||–||–
| style="text-align:center;"|–
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" align="center"|'''Career'''
|129||51||78||.395|| ||–||–||–||–
{{s-end}}

==Publications==
*{{cite book|last=Winter|first=Fred|title=The Triple-Post Offense|publisher=Prentice-Hall|year=1962}}

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I Men's Final Four appearances by coach]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last=Bender|first=Mark|year=2000|publisher=Addax Publishing Group|title=Trial by Basketball: The Life and Times of Tex Winter|isbn=1-886110-90-5}}

==External links==
*[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/tex-winter-1.html College coaching stats] at Sports-Reference.com
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/wintete99c.html NBA coaching stats] at Basketball-Reference.com

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