Former Kansas coach Ted Owens is set to be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026, a tribute that coincides with his 97th birthday and underscores his lasting impact on the sport.
The Induction Ceremony
The ceremony will take place on October 22 at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, where the Hall of Fame is housed within the T‑Mobile Center complex, drawing together fans, former players and basketball historians.
Owens spent 19 seasons as head coach at the University of Kansas, guiding the Jayhawks to two Final Four appearances in 1971 and 1974 and earning national coach of the year honors in 1978 for his strategic brilliance and player development.
His coaching career extended beyond college, with stints at Oral Roberts, the professional Fresno Flames and Maccabi Tel Aviv, illustrating a versatile résumé that bridged amateur, minor‑professional and international basketball.
Beyond Kansas, Owens has been celebrated in his home states, having been inducted into both the Kansas and Oklahoma halls of fame and receiving the 2025 Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award, a testament to his enduring legacy.
The Hall of Fame’s operations are supported by partners such as First Capital Management, while the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Foundation and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame itself provide institutional backing for the event.