Former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins to receive Naismith honors

By James Fitzgerald | Jun 25, 2014

Legendary Georgia Tech basketball coach Bobby Cremins is set to receive a major honor for his outstanding coaching career. It was announced that Cremins will be named as the Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Men’s College Basketball, and will be recognized at the Naismith Awards Celebrity golf tournament September 14th and 15th in Atlanta.

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The criteria for receiving this honor is that you must been involved in College Basketball in a coaching capacity, broadcasting, part of the college administration, or news media. Also the contributions that the individual has made must have had an significant, long-lasting impact on the game of basketball.

The first recipient of this award was Curt Gowdy, back in 1982. Other notable names that have received this award in the past are Arizona head coach Lute Olsen (2013), Broadcaster Dick Enberg (2011), ESPN broadcasting legend Dick Vitale (2008), Indiana coaching legend Bobby Knight (2007), and North Carolina head coach Dean Smith (1998).

For Cremins name to be mentioned in the same breath as some of the coaching legends that have received this award is outstanding. Cremins spent 31 seasons coaching NCAA Basketball and compiled a record of 586-379 (60.7% winning pct.).

After receiving his first coaching job at the age of 27 with Appalachian State back in 1975 and building a record of 100-70 with the Mountaineers over a six year period, Georgia Tech came calling. From 1981-2000, Cremins was the face of Georgia Tech Men’s Hoop winning three “ACC Coach of the Year” awards and leading the Yellow Jackets to the Final Four in 1990.

In 1990 Cremins also was named the Naismith Coach of the Year. Cremins decided to retire in 2000 from Tech after establishing a record of 354-257. He later came out of retirement to coach College of Charleston in 2006 and went 125-68 with that hoop program before shutting his career down again in March 2012.

Bobby Cremins has also played a major role as an assistant coach with various USA National Teams in his career as well. He won a gold medal as an assistant coach in 1986 in the American World University Games and the FIBA World Championships. During the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Cremins won a Gold Medal an assistant to legendary NBA coach Lenny Wilkins.

Bobby Cremins is one of the most recognizable coaches in College Basketball history. His bright white hair walking on the sideline is legendary and now his name is going down amongst the ancients.

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