Clarence Gaines
Inducted:
1982
Stats
Born
May 21, 1923
Paducah, Kentucky, U.S.
Died
April 18, 2005
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Position
Coach
College
NA
Clarence “Big House” Gaines was one of the most respected figures in basketball history, known for his long and successful coaching career at Winston-Salem State University. Although he did not coach in the NBA, his influence on professional basketball came through the players he developed, including future Hall of Famer Earl Monroe. Gaines built Winston-Salem State into a national powerhouse, leading the program for nearly five decades and winning over 800 games.
His teams captured multiple conference titles and the 1967 NCAA College Division National Championship, a historic achievement for a historically Black college. Gaines was widely admired for his leadership, discipline, and dedication to developing student-athletes both on and off the court. In recognition of his lasting impact on the sport, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Gaines's Awards & Records
- NCAA Championship (1967)
- 8 CIAA Championship (1953, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1977)
- NCAA Division II College Coach of the Year (1967)
- 6× CIAA Coach of the Year (1957, 1961, 1963, 1970, 1975, 1980)
- First African American coach to win an NCAA-sanctioned national championship
- One of the winningest coaches in college basketball history
NBA Teams
Winston-Salem State (1946–1993)
NBA Stats
Career Span:
1946–1993
Seasons Coached:
47
Wins:
828
Total Losses:
447
NCAA Division II Championships:
1 (1967)
CIAA Conference Titles:
11