Clifford Wells

Clifford Wells (1896-1977)

Teams coached: Tulane Green Wave
Tulane record: 254-171 (.598)
Overall record: 254-171 (.598)

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  0
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  0
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  0

Awards:

• Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted 1972)
• National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted 2006)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1945-1963

Tulane

Clifford Wells Facts

• W. R. Clifford Wells
• Born March 17, 1896
• Died August 15, 1977
• Hometown: Bloomington, Indiana
• Alma Mater: Indiana University (BA, 1920)
• Born in Indianapolis and raised in Bloomington, Wells graduated from Bloomington HS (now Bloomington South) in 1916 and soon after became the head coach there while also attending IU
  • Led Bloomington to an Indiana state title in 1919, just three years removed from his own playing days at the school
  • After four years at Bloomington and one year at Columbus HS (IN), Wells spent 23 years (1922-1945) as the head boys’ basketball coach at Logansport HS (IN)
  • Throughout his 28 years as a HS basketball coach in Indiana, Wells won 71% of his games, two state titles and over 50 regional, district and invitational titles; was known as the “Dean of Indiana High School Coaches”
  • In 1965, Wells was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
• Left Indiana in 1945 to become the head coach at Tulane, a position he held for 18 years
  • Went 254-171 overall with the Green Wave, finishing .500 or better in all but three seasons there
• After coaching, Wells served as Executive Director of the Basketball Hall of Fame from 1963-66, and was also very active with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), later serving as its president and executive officer
  • Wells was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame himself in 1972 and was later part of the inaugural 2006 class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
• Died from a heart attack in August 1977 at his home in Garland, Texas, at the age of 81

Clifford Wells Coaching Tree

• Jim Kerwin (Western Illinois)
• Ralph Pedersen (Tulane)