Dale Brown: The coach who saw a soldier in 13-year-old Shaq dies at 90

Dale Brown, the former LSU basketball coach who identified Shaquille O'Neal as a 13-year-old recruit, died on Friday, Oct. 23. He was 90 years old.

Brown’s career is defined by his early mentorship of O'Neal. The two met in 1984 at a military base in West Germany. Brown was leading a clinic there when O'Neal, already standing 6 feet and 9 inches, approached him for advice. Brown initially assumed the teenager was a soldier, a mistake that did not prevent him from recognizing the young athlete’s talent.

Following their first meeting, Brown began mailing O'Neal letters and basketball exercises. This correspondence continued through O'Neal’s high school years. Brown eventually recruited him to LSU, where O'Neal played from 1989 to 1992. During that time, O'Neal earned two consensus All-American selections and two SEC Player of the Year awards. He was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft.

The relationship extended beyond the court. In a 1999 letter published by LSU Athletics, O'Neal wrote, "You are the only college coach I ever had, and the only one I ever wanted." Brown attended O'Neal’s first NBA championship celebration with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. That same year, O'Neal returned to Baton Rouge to finish his degree, fulfilling a promise he had made to Brown and his family before leaving school in 1992.

In 2015, ESPN released a documentary titled "Shaq & Dale." Directed by Hannah Storm and narrated by Tim McGraw, the film chronicled their bond from Germany through O'Neal’s professional career. According to LSU, the two maintained contact through letters and emails for decades.

Brown’s death occurred shortly after a major professional recognition. On Oct. 21, LSU announced that Brown was selected as the 2027 recipient of the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award. O'Neal recorded a video message congratulating his former coach. Brown was scheduled to accept the award in April 2027.