Men’s basketball coach John Brady, who directed the Tigers to the 2006 Final Four, is a member of the 2025 LSU Athletics Hall of Fame induction class and will be formally enshrined on Friday, September 19, at the Manship Theater in downtown Baton Rouge.

The other members of the 2025 class are men’s golf coach J. Perry Cole, who guided the Tigers to NCAA national championships in 1940 and 1942; gymnast Rheagan Courville Branton, a 23-time All-American and two-time NCAA vault national champion; three-time All-SEC men’s basketball guard Ronald Dupree, who helped lead the Tigers to the 2000 NCAA Sweet 16; women’s basketball All-American Cornelia Gayden, the most prolific three-point shooter in school history; and four-time LSU women’s basketball All-American Temeka Johnson, who led the Tigers to Final Fours in 2004 and 2005.

 

When LSU stormed to the Final Four in 2006, it wasn’t just another basketball run — it was a defining moment in John Brady’s career. That magical March, with a roster stacked with homegrown talent, lifted LSU back into national relevance and cemented Brady’s place in program history. It’s also why he now joins the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

The LSU Hall of Fame call brought a wave of emotions.

“When I received the call, I was so emotional that I couldn’t speak,” Brady said. “How humbling it is to be in a list of outstanding athletes and coaches who have come through LSU. I’m grateful for the players and the coaches who allowed me to be in this position.”

Louisiana’s 2006 team wasn’t built on imports. Five players grew up competing against and alongside each other around Baton Rouge: Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Tyrus Thomas, Garrett Temple, Tasmin Mitchell, and Darnell Lazare. Senior leader Darrel Mitchell hailed from less than 50 miles away. They weren’t just Tigers — they were Louisiana’s sons, carrying the state on their backs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

That 2006 squad captured an outright SEC title, the program’s first in 21 years, and then electrified the NCAA Tournament. They survived Texas A&M 58-57 on a Darrel Mitchell step-back three in the final seconds, stunned top-ranked Duke 62-54 with suffocating defense led by Thomas with five blocks, and double-digit scoring outputs from Darrel Mitchell, Davis, and Tasmin Mitchell, and outlasted Texas in overtime, 70-60, behind monster performances from Davis, Thomas, Temple, and Tasmin Mitchell to advance to the Final Four.

The Final Four berth was LSU’s first in two decades, and Brady became only the third coach in program history to reach college basketball’s biggest stage. Brady solidified his legacy, and his team became a rallying cry for the state of Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

From 1997-2008, LSU men’s basketball produced some of the program’s greatest teams, players, and moments in its tradition-rich history. Under Brady, a new era began — an era that not only revitalized the program, but a state, led by homegrown talent from Louisiana.

Born September 17, 1954, the McComb, Miss., native began his basketball career as a player at McComb High School. Following a successful high school career, Brady would take his talents 80 miles north up Interstate 55 to Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss.

As a freshman in 1973, he began a stellar career that spanned three seasons. A three-year starter for the Blazers, Brady amassed more than 1,000 points and 330 assists. Brady was a two-time member of the All-Southern States Conference Team as a guard and currently sits in the top five of numerous statistical categories at Belhaven. In 1997, he was inducted into the Belhaven Athletic Hall of Fame.

His passion for the game, determination, and fierce competitiveness led him to a career in coaching.

After graduating from Belhaven in 1976, his coaching career began at Mississippi State where he was a graduate assistant coach for the 1976-77 season.

In 1977, Brady got his first head coaching opportunity ­at Crowley High School in southwest Louisiana. In five seasons, he posted a 129-49 (.725) record and was named the 1981 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class AAA Coach of the Year.

Brady returned to Starkville where he spent the next eight years with the Bulldogs, the first four seasons under coach Bob Boyd and the next four as a chief recruiter for coach Richard Williams.

Following his tenure in Starkville, Brady returned to Louisiana for the second time, this time to serve as an assistant coach at the University of New Orleans. Brady helped lead UNO to the NCAA Tournament during his only season with the Privateers.

He would get his first collegiate head coaching position at Samford in 1991 where he spent six seasons. Brady won 89 games and at that time became the winningest coach in Samford history.

Brady’s success at Samford opened the door for another return to Louisiana, this time for a more sought-after position. On March 25, 1997, athletic director Joe Dean officially named Brady the head coach of the LSU men’s basketball program.

Brady took over the head coaching duties from he legendary Dale Brown. Following four straight losing seasons and a looming probation, the expectations for Brady and his staff in Year 1 were low. That season, the Tigers won just nine games and finished 2-14 in league play. Going into Year 2, Brady and his staff began putting together a competitive recruiting class headlined by one of the nation’s top players, Shreveport native Stromile Swift.

“The second recruiting class that we were going to put together, Stromile was certainly at the top of the list because he was one of the top five players in the country,” Brady said. “Signing Stromile changed the whole trajectory of the LSU Basketball program.”

Along with Swift, the Tigers added five additional Louisiana freshmen to their roster ahead of the 1998-99 season.

“You got in a situation where Louisiana players knew if they came here and played together, you could do something really significant and special, and Stromile did us all a favor,” Brady explained. “I’ll never forget it, and I’m appreciative. He changed it. Other Louisiana players followed him, and I’ll always be grateful for the decision he made.”

Year 2 showed promise as the Tigers doubled their SEC win total from a season before but still finished below 500.

In Year 3, everything changed.

Brady continued to recruit the state of Louisiana and surrounding areas, bringing in a new round of talented freshmen to compliment a promising group of returning players. The 1999-2000 freshmen class included Slidell, La., native Torris Bright, Baton Rouge product Collis Temple III and Ronald Dupree, a highly touted freshman from Biloxi, Miss.

The Tigers were off to a blistering start, going undefeated in non-conference play and winning their SEC opener versus Alabama. LSU rallied from the 1-3 start in SEC play to finish 12-4 and win the program’s first SEC regular season title since 1991.

The Tigers were the No. 4 seed in the NCAA West Region in Salt Lake City and beat Southeast Missouri State in the first round, 64-61, on a three-pointer in the final seconds by Brian Beshara. LSU then defeated Texas, 72-67, to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1987. LSU finished 28-6 with the program’s most wins since 1987 and the fewest losses since Dale Brown’s first Final Four team in 1981 that went 31-5.

“The common denominator with that 2000 team was the competitive spirit that flowed through it,” Brady said. “I mean these guys thought they could beat anybody. And they matched with work ethic what they said they could do. When that happens, you can really win. It was a special year for a group of special guys that really cared about one another.”

The team’s success did not go unnoticed as Brady and the Tigers racked up numerous local and national awards – Brady was awarded SEC Coach of the Year, LSWA Coach of the Year, NABC/USBWA District Coach of the Year, and National Coach of the Year runner-up.

Bright was an SEC Freshman of the Year Selection, and Swift concluded his stellar 1999-2000 season with Consensus First Team All-SEC honors, as well as the Co-SEC Player of the Year award. He was also a Consensus Second Team All-American before being selected No. 2 overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies.  In only two seasons, Swift remains the second-best shot blocker in LSU history with 130 blocks. He is also eighth all-time in field goal percentage, shooting 56 percent.

Over the next few seasons, Brady had the Tigers competing near the top of the SEC Western Division and for postseason berths. In the 2002-03 season, LSU won nine of its last 13, including seven straight to earn a second NCAA Tournament appearance under Brady. He was Named LSWA and Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year.

Ahead of the 2004-05 season, Brady and his staff once again locked down the state of Louisiana, and they did it in their own backyard. Brady recruited Baton Rouge natives Davis, Thomas, and Temple to join a slew of impactful Louisiana Tigers already with the program. The 2004-05 Tigers had a total of nine players from the state of Louisiana. LSU posted a 12-4 record in winning the SEC Western Division while going 8-0 in league play at home, the first undefeated conference home record since 1981.

The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament, their fourth straight post season berth and fifth in the last six years. That season paved the way for one of the most historic seasons in program history.

The 2005-06 season was shaping up to be a promising one, but it also proved important for the state of Louisiana coming off the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. Brady returned veterans Darrel Mitchell and Darnell Lazare, both from Louisiana, the SEC Freshman of the Year in Davis, Thomas (who had redshirted in 2005), Temple and a true freshman phenom from Denham Springs, La., Tasmin Mitchell.

After an up and down 8-5 non-conference record, the Tigers dominated in SEC play, winning their first seven and last six league games, finishing 14-2. The Tigers captured their first outright SEC title in 21 years and went 8-0 at home in SEC play for the second straight year – the bayou-born Tigers defended their home court.

The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed, defeating Iona and Texas A&M. Against the Aggies, senior point guard Darrel Mitchell made a step back three-pointer in the final 10 seconds to give LSU a one-point 58-57 win to advance to the Sweet 16.

LSU had become Louisiana’s team and its adoring legion of fans rallied behind the Tigers in Atlanta, where the Tigers pulled off one of the biggest upsets in school history against then No. 1 ranked Duke.

The Tigers were able to slow the mighty Duke offense with a smothering defensive presence led by Thomas, who finished with five blocks. Davis and Darrel Mitchell, each scored 14 points and Tasmin Mitchell added 10, as LSU advanced to the Elite 8 with a 62-54 win.

But waiting there was nationally-ranked Texas. The Tigers were able to turn the tables with huge efforts from leading scorer Tasmin Mitchell (23), Davis (21) and Temple (14) as the players that had known each other in the Baton Rouge area for most of their lives, defeatedthe Longhorns, 70-60, in overtime. It was a big run early in overtime that allowed the Tigers to quickly pull away and advance to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in 20 years.

Brady received SEC Coach of the Year honors for the second time and his freshman recruit Tasmin Mitchell was named a Freshman-All American. Mitchell went on to be one of the most decorated players in LSU history, finishing as the third all-time leading scorer in program annals.

Brady brought in four SEC Players of the Year during his tenure: Swift (2000), Brandon Bass (2005), Davis (2006) and Marcus Thornton (2007). He also coached four SEC Freshmen of the Year: Bright (2000), Bass (2004), Davis (2005) and Thomas (2006).

Brady’s 184 wins in 10 seasons are the third-most wins by an LSU basketball coach, and only two Tigers hoops coaches have served longer tenures. He is also the only coach in program history to beat two sitting number one teams (#1 Arizona in 2002, #1 Duke in 2006).

Brady credits his assistant coaches and players during his LSU tenure for his achievements and Hall of Fame honors.

“I’m so grateful to have had guys along with me like Kermit Davis, Butch Pierre, Donnie Tyndall, John Treloar, Rickey Broussard, Mike Giorlando, just to name a few,” Brady said. “Those coaches went on to do remarkable things in their individual careers. I’m especially honored to have Ronald Dupree, one of my former players, going into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame with me. Guys like Ronald and Stromile Swift are just two of many who helped to turn things around when we took over.”

Since 2017, Brady has served as the color analyst for LSU basketball on the radio network, remaining close to the program he helped restore.

That 2006 Final Four run, powered by Louisiana talent and guided by John Brady’s steady hand, turned LSU into Louisiana’s team. It remains the crowning achievement of his career — and the moment that earned him his stripes in Tiger history.