The sign of any great coach is how much he impacts the people around him. The outpouring of condolences and shared memories after the news of Lute Olson's death Thursday night show that he made a difference in the lives of many people from all walks of life.
McKale Center was Olson's home base for over two decades and someone who currently roams the halls of Arizona's fabled home arena first did so while the Hall of Fame coach was still on the sidelines for the Wildcats. Current UA associate head coach Jack Murphy spent eight seasons as part of Olson's staff with the Wildcats serving in a variety of roles ranging from team manager to director of operations.
Thursday night as the news of Olson's death spread Murphy released a statement about the man he knew so well.
"When you were alone with Coach O, he was a man of few words," Murphy said. "His presence did all the talking.
"In practice, he was precise and disciplined. You couldn't take his system and make it work anywhere else, he was the system. When he walked out of the tunnel, you knew we were winning. The confidence he brought to our state, not just our teams, our university, our city, but our State, can not be denied.
"He was never an assistant coach, on any level, he was always in charge and the wins and losses were on him. Coach O wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
"As we celebrate his life and remember all those victories, I am most thankful for the friendships and memories that wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for Coach. Her brought players, coaches, and managers together to form a family, and we were all blessed to be a part of it.
"Every story being told tonight , whether ending in tears or laughter, is his legacy and that will last long after today. A great man, whose light will always shine in the Arizona sun."
Murphy returned to Tucson last year to take the top spot on head coach Sean Miller's bench after leading Northern Arizona as that program's head coach. He is just one limb on Olson's growing coaching tree that also includes new UA assistant coach Jason Terry who played for the legendary coach in the late 1990s.
"He was more than a coach to all of his players," Miller said in a statement Thursday evening. "The family atmosphere he created for each of them might be the most impressive accomplishment of his time.
"To this day, there is a connection and closeness between generations of Arizona players that will last forever."
Several UA alums have returned as members of the UA coaching staff over the years and the common thread is Olson who is so respected by his players that they continue to return to their alma mater just like Murphy, Terry and so many others.
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