LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Kentucky basketball legend Cliff Hagan has died at age 94, according to Oscar Combs, founder of Cats' Pause.
Hagan was a two-time All-American at UK, an NCAA champion, a five-time NBA All-Star and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He later returned to Kentucky and served as the university's athletics director from 1975 to 1989.
Hagan was born in Owensboro in 1931. He helped Owensboro High School win the 1949 state basketball championship before becoming a star at the University of Kentucky.
According to the UK Alumni Association, Hagan was a two-time All-American and helped the Wildcats win the 1951 NCAA championship. He was also part of Kentucky's undefeated 1954 team.
Tributes to Hagan are pouring in from across Kentucky and beyond.
"So, so saddened to hear news former UK All American Cliff Hagan passed away today. Hagan, AD at UK from 1974-89, is in National Basketball Hall of Fame. A dear friend, Cliff was a great influence on my career and a vocal supporter of The Cats' Pause when it was launched in 1976," Combs shared in a remembrance on X.
After serving two years in the military, Hagan went on to play 10 NBA seasons with the St. Louis Hawks, helping the team win the 1958 NBA championship. He was a five-time NBA All-Star before retiring from the NBA following the 1966 season. He later played and coached for the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA.
In 1978, Hagan became the first former UK player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, according to the alumni association.
His legacy also continues in Owensboro through the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club. The organization provides after-school and summer programming for children and teens ages 6 to 18, including academic support, healthy snacks, programs and supportive mentors.
