Former Temple head coach John Chaney has passed away at the age of 89 years old. Chaney spent 24 years at Temple and went to the NCAA Tournament 17 times in those 24 years. He became a legend in Philadelphia and in the coaching ranks for his fiery and passionate demeanor. Chaney was beloved by his players with many often referring to him as a father-figure.
His legendary status was recognized in the early 2000s when he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and in the College Basketball Hall of Fame five years later.
Just got confirmation from someone close to John Chaney. The Temple legend of legends has passed away. RIP to a unique man and Hall of Fame coach.
— Mike Jensen (@jensenoffcampus) January 29, 2021
The love for Chaney isn’t just for his success on the court but off it as well. He was the competitor of all competitors and was known for his fiery disposition which included the famous threatening of John Calipari. He also loudly voiced his opposition to NCAA initial-eligibility standards that were based on SAT or ACT scores. In addition to the off-court stories, he was also widely successful in leading Temple, an Atlantic-10 schools to 5 Elite Eight appearances in 17 tournament berths. Chaney meant so much to many in the coaching profession will be sorely missed by all.
