Lynn St. John Hall of Fame NBA

Lynn Wilbur “Saint” St. John was a major administrator, coach, and advocate who helped shape basketball during its formative years. A longtime leader at Ohio State University, St. John coached the Buckeyes in basketball from 1911 to 1919 and later served as the university’s Director of Athletics from 1915 to 1947. His greatest influence, however, came through his work on the NCAA Basketball Rules Committee, where he served from 1912 to 1937.

He became committee chairman in 1919 and worked alongside basketball founder James Naismith, helping develop and promote standardized rules for the sport. St. John also served on the 1936 Olympic Basketball Committee, playing an important role in organizing basketball’s debut as an Olympic medal sport at the Berlin Games. Ohio State later named its basketball arena St. John Arena in his honor. St. John was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1962 as a Contributor.

John's Awards and Honors

• Served 25 years as chairman of the NCAA Basketball Rules Committee
• Member of the 1936 Olympic Basketball Committee
• Served more than three decades as a leading athletics administrator at Ohio State
• Ohio State's basketball arena was named St. John Arena in his honor in 1956

NBA Position

As Coach
Ohio State University (1911-1919)
As Athletic Director
1915 to 1947
As NCAA Basketball Rules Committee
1912-1937