Photo Courtesy of Morehouse College Athletics
Morehouse College’s longtime basketball coach Grady Brewer died Saturday (May 29). He was 63.
An Atlanta, Georgia native and graduate of Morehouse, Brewer served as the Maroon Tigers’ head coach for 21 years. Under his leadership, the Tigers racked up seven 20-win seasons, seven Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season championships, a SIAC tournament championship and three National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament appearances.
In a statement, Morehouse College President David Thomas said, “The only thing that surpassed his presence on the basketball court was his transformative influence on Morehouse Men as a fellow student, player, alumnus, coach, teacher, mentor, colleague and friend.”
“Not only will his spirit continue to live on in the hearts of the Morehouse family,” Thomas said, “but his legacy will impact the sport for years to come.”
Morehouse shared an Instagram post with an array of photos to pay tribute to Coach Brewer.
Related Story: Morehouse Launching Online Program to Help Black Men to Finish Their Degrees
Brewer played basketball at Frederick Douglass High School and at Morehouse, where he graduated in 1980. He coached at Booker T. Washington High School and led them to a state championship in 1987. He served as an assistant coach at Morehouse for 13 years before assuming the head coaching position.
The college’s director of athletics, Curtis Campbell, said “This is a very sad day for Morehouse athletics. I have known Grady for many years. He was a great coach and an even better human being. He cared deeply about the young men that played for him and made a lasting impact on their lives — both on and off the court. He will truly be missed and remembered by many.”
Brewer is survived by his wife, Loletta, and three sons: Ryan, a 2010 Morehouse graduate; Xavier, a junior on the Morehouse basketball team; and Jordan.