Compton Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee Tex Winter Passes Away

Compton, Calif. - Compton Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee Morice Fredrick "Tex" Winter passed away on Wednesday at the age of 96. Winter is best known as the innovator of the triangle offense in basketball.

Winter was inducted into the Compton Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012 after playing two years of basketball for the Tartars in 1940-42. He also was a renowned pole vaulter, earning a scholarship to Oregon State University and competing in both sports at both schools. 

As a strong contender for the US Olympic Team in 1944, his Olympic hopes were halted due to the games being canceled due to World War II.

After the war, Winter went on to finish school at USC before a phenomenal coaching career that earned inductions into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Additionally he has been inducted into the Kansas Sport Hall of Fame, earned the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award and was awarded the John Bunn Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

He earned nine NBA Championship rings as an assistant for Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002) before earning his final ring as a consultant with the Lakers in 2009.

Winter served as head coach at Marquette, Kansas State, Washington, Northwestern, and Long Beach State with a career collegiate head coaching record of 453-334 (.576), and reaching the NCAA Final Four twice, Elite Eight twice, and Sweet 16 twice - all at Kansas State.