Lou Carnesecca, the spirited former St. John's basketball coach known for his eccentric sweaters, passed away at 99, just weeks from his 100th birthday. A family member informed St. John's University that Carnesecca died in a hospital surrounded by loved ones. The university praised the Hall of Fame coach for endearing himself to generations with his sharp wit and warm demeanor.
Carnesecca coached the St. John's team for 24 seasons across two intervals, ensuring a postseason tournament appearance every year. St John's iconic arena in Queens bears his name, a testament to his legacy. Known as "Little Looie," he led the team to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and achieved 526 wins, capturing hearts in the bustling city through his energetic presence on the sidelines. Carnesecca was notorious for saying, "I never scored a basket… the players did everything," underscoring his humility.
Renowned for both his antics and wisdom, Carnesecca's influence extended beyond the Big East titles in 1983 and 1986. He nurtured over 40 NBA draft picks, including stars like Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson, and Malik Sealy. "I don't know if there's anybody else in coaching like him," UConn coach Jim Calhoun told the Hartford Courant at one point. "Even if people hate the Big East nobody hates Looie. If you like basketball, you like Looie. If you like kids, you like Looie." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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