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January 25, 2006

Glory Days

Athletics director worked with Don Haskins, subject of a recent movie

Story by: Princess McDowell

The Shorthorn Sports editor

The Shorthorn: Mark Roberts

Bill Reeves received basketball tips as a high school junior from Texas Sports Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins. Reeves, UTA’s senior associate athletics director, has been a Maverick since 1966.

Bill Reeves, senior associate athletics director, knew in 1956 that the man who helped him work on his jump shot would revolutionize basketball.

Before his junior year of high school, Reeves met the new Hedley High School basketball coach Don Haskins, whose story is told in the movie Glory Road.

Haskins worked out with Reeves, giving him shooting and defensive pointers.

“I was shooting it about head high,” Reeves said. “He said I needed to start practicing at a greater distance.”

Reeves steadily improved at the game and was ready to start school the next year. But soon after, a car accident killed his mother, father and brother, forcing him to move in with his sister and attend Plainview High School.

Reeves said that although he never played for Haskins, he learned about him through his friends who did.

“He was an outstanding coach,” he said. “Fundamentals were something he was always strong on.”

Reeves said the tips he received ultimately helped him get a basketball scholarship to Texas A&M. After completing one year at College Station, Reeves transferred to UTA in 1959 and lettered in basketball the next three seasons.

Meanwhile, Haskins continued to coach high school basketball until 1961 when he received the head coaching position at Texas Western, which would later become UT-El Paso. In 1966, Haskins did something never previously done in college basketball — he started five black players in the NCAA National Championship game. The team earned a victory for the university and a victory for aspiring black athletes.

Reeves said the move raised a lot of eyebrows.

“A lot of white people didn’t want this to happen,” he said. “People in every community didn’t want it to happen so fast.”

Although at the time the world was steadily battling racism, Reeves said many individuals in the coaching ranks thought that the change was good for the game.

“People [in the coaching community] thought it was healthy,” he said. “They knew it was the wave of the future. I wasn’t surprised that he did it. If he thought it was the thing to do, I’ve got great confidence no one would change his mind.”

Disney released Glory Road earlier this month. Since then it has grossed nearly $28 million.

Reeves said the movie is factually accurate but thinks the makers took certain liberties.

“The main idea is certainly accurate,” he said. “Some of the details are not the person I knew.”

Reeves said he sometimes wishes he had the opportunity to play for Haskins.

“He knew what he was talking about,” he said. “Everyone listened and respected his knowledge. I always pull for him. It kinda adds a personal touch.”

Correction

The article should have stated that UTA’s senior associate athletic director worked with Don Haskins.