A Life of Firsts
The college basketball world mourns the loss of Kermit Davis Sr., who died at the age of 91 in his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, surrounded by family. His passing marks the end of an era for a man whose influence stretched from the hardwood of Mississippi State to the broader landscape of the sport.
Davis began his collegiate journey as a player at Mississippi State from 1956 to 1959, compiling a 79‑16 record and contributing to the 1958‑59 squad that secured the first SEC regular‑season championship in school history. His on‑court brilliance laid the groundwork for a transition into coaching that would soon redefine the program’s trajectory.
In 1970 he returned to Mississippi State as head coach, guiding the team through a seven‑year stretch that included a 1971 SEC Coach of the Year award and induction into the M‑Club Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Notably, he became the first coach in Mississippi State history to sign Black players — Jerry Jenkins and Larry Fry — breaking racial barriers in the program.
Before his tenure at Mississippi State, Davis honed his craft at Leakesville High School, served in the Army at Fort Dix, and coached Tupelo High School, building a reputation for discipline and innovation. His early coaching stops prepared him for the challenges that would later define his legacy at the university level.
The impact of Davis’s career extended to the next generation through his son, Kermit Davis Jr., who emerged as a prominent coach in his own right. Kermit Jr. led Middle Tennessee State to a historic NCAA Tournament upset in 2016 and later steered Ole Miss from 2018 to 2023, carrying forward the family’s commitment to excellence and inclusion.