The tributes continue for former Arizona Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who passed away almost a month ago.
Later today – 6 p.m. Tucson time – the Pac-12 Networks is paying tribute Lute with a brand-new episode of “Pac-12 Playlist: Remembering Lute Olson.”
Host Ashley Adamson sits down with Arizona basketball head coach Sean Miller, NBA Champion and Arizona assistant coach Jason Terry, former Arizona State head coach Bill Frieder and former Arizona star and fellow Pac-12 Networks analyst Matt Muehlebach to share memories and lessons learned from the legendary coach.
Miller and Terry talk about the importance of carrying on the tradition that Olson started at Arizona, as well as his impact on each of them and the program.
“Obviously he’s one of the greatest coaches I’ve ever played for, but more than that he was a mentor, he was a father figure, he was a friend,” said Terry. “I think when a man like that comes into your life, and has the impact that he had on myself at such a young age is something that you carry on, and some of the core values that he instilled in me I’ve instilled into my children. So he’s not only made me a better person but a better father, a better husband, a better brother and a better son. I’m sad that he’s gone but really trying to celebrate what he meant to a lot of people.”
Frieder, who coached against Olson as a head coach at Michigan and Arizona State, opens up about what he learned from the Hall of Famer and talks about the iconic “Bank One” commercials. Pac-12 Networks analyst Muehlebach discusses Olson’s coaching philosophy, his work promoting social justice and his influence on him as a basketball analyst.
“The thing about Lute, he built Long Beach State and he maintained it, he went to Iowa and he built that and he maintained it with 20-win seasons, even a Final Four, and then he went to Arizona and built that and maintained it, so that was his trademark,” said Frieder. “He did a great job and people respected him for what he did.”
Following tonight’s episode, fans can relive then-No. 8 Arizona men’s basketball’s thrilling victory over then-No. 1 Stanford from 2001 at 6:30 p.m.
