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Former Kansas men’s basketball coach Ted Owens is officially headed to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Foundation named Owens as one of their newest inductees on Monday.
Owens is one of three coaches in the 2026 class to be inducted, along with Jay Wright and Tubby Smith. They join former college basketball stars Danny Ainge (BYU), Glen Rice (Michigan), and the late Walt Hazzard (UCLA) as the six-member Class of 2026.
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The inductees were selected by the Blue Ribbon Selection Committee – which includes college basketball executives and leaders around the country – and administered by the NABC, according to the announcement.
The Class of 2026 will be formally inducted on Oct. 22 at the College Basketball Experience in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
A Testament to Ted
Owens served as head coach at Kansas for 19 seasons from 1963 to 1984 where he guided the Jayhawks to a 348-182 (65.7%) record. His 348 wins rank fourth all time in KU men’s basketball history behind Bill Self, Phog Allen, and Roy Williams.
Owens led KU to six Big Eight Conference championships and was named Big Eight Coach of the Year five times during his tenure in Lawrence. He also led the Jayhawks to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and two Final Fours in 1971 and 1974.
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“Couldn’t be happier for my great friend!” said Kansas head coach Bill Self on X following the announcement. “Well deserved.”
Owens coached some of the greatest players in KU basketball history, including Jo Jo White, Darnell Valentine, Dave Robisch, Bud Stallworth, and Walt Wesley – all of whom have their jerseys hanging in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse.
He will join a coveted group of former Jayhawks in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, which includes Danny Manning, Clyde Lovellette, Dean Smith, Allen, and others. Owens is now the sixth of KU’s eight head coaches in program history to become a hall of famer.
