Bubas was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1927, and grew up playing basketball in the city's thriving industrial leagues. He attended Indiana University and played basketball for the Hoosiers, earning All-Big Ten honors in 1948. After graduation, he spent several years working in the steel mills of Gary before returning to Indiana University to work as an assistant coach.
In 1959, Bubas was hired as the head basketball coach at Duke University, where he would spend the next ten years of his career. During his time at Duke, Bubas completely transformed the program, turning it into a national powerhouse. He introduced a fast-paced, high-scoring style of play that was unlike anything seen in college basketball at the time, and he recruited some of the best players in the country to play for the Blue Devils.
Bubas' first few years at Duke were tough, as he struggled to get his players to buy into his new system. But by the mid-1960s, his teams were making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, and he had established himself as one of the top coaches in the country. In 1964, he led the Blue Devils to the Final Four for the first time in school history, where they lost in the national semifinals to eventual champion UCLA.
Four years later, in 1968, Bubas led Duke to its second Final Four appearance, where they lost in the national championship game to North Carolina. And in 1969, his final season as head coach, he led the Blue Devils to their third Final Four, where they lost to Purdue in the national semifinals.
Despite retiring from coaching at a young age, Bubas made a lasting impact on the game of basketball. He was a pioneer in the integration of college basketball, as he recruited several African-American players to play for Duke at a time when many other schools were still segregated. He was also instrumental in the growth of the NCAA Tournament, as he helped promote the event and pushed for its expansion to include more teams.
In addition to his coaching career, Bubas was also a successful businessman and served as the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference from 1976 to 1990. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007, and his legacy is still felt today at Duke, where his fast-paced, high-scoring style of play continues to be a trademark of the program.
In conclusion, Vic Bubas will be remembered as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history. His impact on the game, both on and off the court, was significant, and his innovative approach to coaching helped shape the way the game is played today. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time.