Johnny Dee (1923-1999)
Teams coached: Alabama Crimson Tide, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Alabama record: 68-25 (.731)
Notre Dame record: 116-80 (.592)
Overall record: 184-105 (.637)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 4 (1965, 1969, 1970, 1971)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 2 (1970, 1971)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (1968)
- SEC Regular Season Champion: 1 (1956)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
1964-1971 | Notre Dame |
1952-1956 | Alabama |
1951-1952 | Notre Dame (asst) |
Johnny Dee Facts
- John Francis Dee, Jr.
- Born September 12, 1923
- Died April 24, 1999
- Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
- Alma Mater: Loyola University Chicago (BA, 1947) / University of Notre Dame (JD, 1952)
- Born in Iowa and raised in Chicago, Dee attended Loyola Academy
- Played for Thomas Haggerty at Loyola (IL) and Moose Krause, Clem Crowe and Elmer Ripley at Notre Dame
- Served in the Coast Guard for two years during World War II
- First coaching job was at St. Mel HS in Chicago; coached in the winter and attended law school at Notre Dame in the summer
- Spent one season on John Jordan‘s staff at Notre Dame while finishing his degree
- Became one of the youngest head coaches in the country when he was hired to take over at Alabama in 1952 at just 29 years old
- Went 68-25 during his tenure and led the Tide to their second-ever SEC title in 1956
- Coached the Denver-Chicago Truckers if the NIBL for five seasons
- Returned to alma mater, Notre Dame, in 1964 to coach the Fighting Irish
- Compiled a 116-80 record over seven seasons, going to four NCAA Tournaments (with two Sweet Sixteens) and one NIT
- Among those he coached at ND was consensus NPOY Austin Carr
- Retired from coaching in 1971 following four-straight 20-win seasons
- Moved back to Denver after coaching to resume his law career
- Later served as manager of parks and recreation and became the city auditor
- Diagnosed with cancer in 1998 and passed away in 1999 at the age of 75
- Along with his wife, Katherine, had one daughter and two sons
Johnny Dee Coaching Tree
- Gene Sullivan (Loyola IL)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only