Don't blame Lewis for being Guy

I was inspired to write this because of the buzzer beater concerning N.C. State and Houston from 1983 (State won, if you don't remember). That game has penalized the coaching career of Houston's coach, Guy Lewis, despite 592 wins and 5 final fours. Critics say that he had great athletes in Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes, Don Chaney, Rob Williams, Lou Dunbar, Dwight Jones, Otis Birdsong, and Michael Young. Next, they mention the years that he went to the Final Four with Elvin Hayes (67'and 68')and Phi Slamma Jamma years (1982-1984) and nothing in between (Olajuwon played sparingly in 1982). However, I believe circumstances cut down his win totals and his ability to win an NCAA championship. Here is my case:

The NCAA banned the dunk from 1967-1976 not because of center Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) dominance but the fact that the 1967 Houston Cougar team had all five guys that could. That team made the Final Four. Lewis coached and emphasized the dunk because it promoted hustle, concentration, and toughness that so many coaches try to preach. The dunk taught power, flexibility, post play and positioning. Likewise, it taught players to be an attack mode regardless of the score with emphasis on rebounding and blocking shots. By doing those things, teams have control on offense and defense. That dunk law set his program back many years in terms of recruiting great athletes. Had the dunk law not existed, Houston could have won in 1968 and maybe UCLA wouldn't have this great dynasty or Indiana going undefeated in 1976.

Then the 1982-1984 teams of Phi Slamma Jamma. After each final four appearance in those years, their star player left for the NBA as underclassmen. Rob Williams left in 1982 as a sophomore, Drexler left in 1983 and Hakeem left in 1984 as juniors. Yet, Houston made the final four in 1983 and 1984 with a different line-up. You hear coaches complain about players leaving early and what it does to their teams on the negative side. Well, why not give credit to Lewis for coaching for those teams? Also, Lewis's players weren't highly recruited by many colleges because they were not "schooled" in basketball. Yet, these guys became stars under Lewis and many became stars in the NBA. He has three guys in the Hall, yet he is not there. That is not right!

I know coaching opponents criticized his coaching abilities but nobody could beat Kareem in 1967. In 1968 after beating UCLA with the dunk law, they lost point guard George Reynolds to academic ineligibility before the NCAA tournament. In 1983 final, Houston didn't make their free throws. In 1982 and 1984, they were not good enough personal wise to match up with Carolina and Georgetown. So in all, his recruiting and coaching style is what got his teams to the Final Four.

When UCLA lost in 1974 to N.C. State, it was due to David Thompson's vertical game of the alley-op pass from Monty Towe and his ability to block shots. People wondered how UCLA beat Kentucky in 1975 who had bigger players and a bench. Well, John Wooden's teams after 1967 didn't have to worry about being "dunked."

Guy Lewis in the Hall of Fame.