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Bob Huggins, a Hall of Fame college basketball coach with 935 wins, has a progressive cognitive condition, his family shared in a statement on Wednesday ahead of his induction into the University of Cincinnati Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday.
Huggins, 73, had been dealing with the condition for “several months,” and it “has begun to affect his memory and aspects of his daily life,” according to the family’s statement.
The family opted to reveal the situation ahead of his induction later this week.
Huggins spent time at Walsh College (an NAIA school at the time), Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia. Huggins coached in 26 NCAA tournaments and made two Final Four appearances during his career.
He is Cincinnati’s winningest coach in program history with 399 victories between 1989 and 2005. Huggins’ Bearcats reached the Final Four in 1992, and they made 14 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances during his time at Cincinnati.
Huggins was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.
“Bob is deeply grateful for the tremendous honor being bestowed upon him by the University of Cincinnati,” his family said in the statement. “His years leading the Bearcats represent an unforgettable chapter in his life, filled with cherished relationships, remarkable accomplishments, and memories that will always hold a special place in his heart.
“He’s looking forward to returning to Cincinnati this weekend, celebrating with former players and friends, and sharing in a moment that recognizes not only his accomplishments, but also the enduring bonds formed along the way.”
Cincinnati called Huggins “one of the greatest coaches in basketball history” and extended “heartfelt support to Coach Huggins and his family as they navigate this next chapter together.”
He guided West Virginia to a Final Four in 2010 after winning a Big East Tournament title that year.
Huggins’ run in college basketball came to a controversial end in May 2023 when he appeared on a Cincinnati radio station and used a homophobic slur and also denigrated Catholics.
He was suspended for three games the following season, took a $1 million salary reduction and underwent sensitivity training.
However, things took another turn a month later when Huggins was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Pittsburgh, and he resigned the following day from his position as West Virginia head coach.