Bio

Gene Keady, former Garden City Community College (KS) football player, is a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, being inducted as part of the 2013 and 2023 classes respectively. He is also a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2007. Keady is known as one of the greatest coaches of his time, having a rather successful and influential career.

Keady began his collegiate coaching career at NJCAA member college Hutchinson (KS) where he served as the assistant coach for the Blue Dragons in 1965. After only serving one year as assistant coach, Keady was quickly promoted to head coach. As head coach, he led the Blue Dragons to six Jayhawk Conference titles and in 1973 finished second in the NJCAA men's basketball national tournament. Keady won Junior College Coach of the Year three times and left Hutchinson in 1974 with an overall record of 187-48. After Hutchinson, Keady made his way to Arkansas for a brief stint as assistant coach where he helped lead the Razorbacks to the 1978 Final Four. Leaving Arkansas and going to Western Kentucky, Keady acquired his first head coaching position at the NCAA Division I level. At Western Kentucky, he led the Hilltoppers to a regular season Ohio Valley Conference Co-Champion title and made it to the NCAA tournament. Spending only two seasons at Western Kentucky, Keady made his way to Purdue.

Taking the head coaching position in April of 1980, Keady is now the winningest coach in school history. With 493 victories, Keady is the second winningest coach in the Big Ten Conference. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year seven times and led the Boilermakers to six Big Ten titles, including three back-to-back in 1994-1996. Under his leadership, the Boilermakers made 18 NCAA tournament appearances, two Elite Eight appearances, and five Sweet Sixteen appearances. Keady retired from Purdue following the 2004-2005 season and was the recipient of the 2007 John R. Wooden "Legends of Coaching" Award.

Outside of college basketball, Keady also served as the head coach for Team USA, leading them to two gold medals. He also accepted a position as assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors where he stayed for one season. Keady retired from coaching in 2015 and is now a basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network.