Who was Denny Crum? Louisville Basketball Coach Dead at 86

Denny Crum was an American basketball coach who was best known as the men’s basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001; leading the Cardinals to two NCAA championships in 1980 and 1986.

He was reported dead by the University of Louisville on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

“We are saddened to share the passing of legendary UofL Basketball Coach Denny Crum. Our thoughts & prayers are with his loved ones,” Louisville Men’s Basketball Twitter page posted.

No cause of death was revealed. Reports indicate that he died on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at age 86.

Crum was hired as the head coach by the University of Louisville in 1971. He took over from John Dromo and made the team very successful. With his effort and training, he made the Cardinals one of the most successful college basketball teams.

He took the team to their first-ever NCAA Final Four, however, he lost to John Wooden’s UCLA. He went on to lead the team to five more finals in 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, and 1986. He is one of the coaches who has the title of being the seventh all-time appearance in the final four.