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‘We created something really special’: Amherst coach David Hixon inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
"The only reason I'm wearing my orange jacket tonight is because I just can't take this thing off."
David Hixon joked with his wife, Mandy, before Saturday’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony that his portion of the festivities would be like an “owl convention.”
With NBA legends from Dwyane Wade to Dirk Nowitzki also making it official, folks in the audience and around the world would turn to one another and say: “Hoo? Hoo? Hoo?” when Hixon took the stage.
To basketball fans in New England, Hixon has thrived as a titan and visionary for decades. To basketball fans around the world, he became a household name when he earned his spot among the best of the best.
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Hixon took the stage with the exuberance of a kid and the gratitude of a man who never thought he’d be there.
“The only reason I’m wearing my orange jacket tonight is because I just can’t take this thing off,” Hixon said.
Hixon, who led Amherst College to 20 NCAA tournaments, seven Final Fours, and two national titles in 42 years, became the third coach in NCAA history to surpass the 800-win mark.
He finished his career with two National Coach of the Year awards, five conference Coach of the Year nods, and eight conference titles.
With fellow New England legends Jim Calhoun and John Calipari by his side, Hixon shared how honored he is to represent Amherst College, the New England Small College Athletic Conference, and Division 3 on such a grand stage.
Hixon, who also played at Amherst and mapped out his coaching career while doing so, proudly reflected on all he and those around him accomplished together.
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“We created something really special,” Hixon told the audience. “The friendships, bonds, and lifelong relationships.”
Hixon, 70, thanked his family members for their unwavering support, noting that his parents were surely smiling down. He thanked his players for giving him the privilege of coaching them.
He noted how truly unbelievable it is to be recognized among the “gods of the game.”
Hixon entered the business to change lives, and that’s what he did.
“My story is a 50-year love affair with a school and sport,” he said.
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