Stan Watts

For the artist, see Stanley J. Watts.
Stan Watts
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born August 30, 1911
Murray, Utah
Died April 6, 2000 (aged 88)
Alma mater BYU
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1949–1972 BYU
Head coaching record
Overall 371–254 (.594)
Tournaments NCAA: 4-10 (.286)
NIT: 6-2 (.750)
Accomplishments and honors

Championships

2x NIT Champion (1951, 1966)
3x MSC Champion (1950, 1951, 1957)
5x WAC Champion (1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972)
Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1986 (profile)
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Stanley H. Watts (August 30, 1911 – April 6, 2000) was a college men's basketball coach, well known for coaching Brigham Young University to a 372-254 record between 1949 and 1972. The Murray, Utah native was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach on May 6, 1986.

Stan Watts became the sixth coach in history to win 100 games in his first five years, and on and off the court was a man of integrity and sportsmanship. Watts' BYU teams were disciplined and well-drilled units that favored an up-tempo style and relentless defensive pressure. In 23 seasons, Watts compiled a 371-254 (.594) record and established a strong basketball tradition and a national athletic identity for the Mormon school. His Cougars teams won eight conference titles, appeared in 11 postseason tournaments and captured the 1951 and 1966 National Invitation Tournament championships. Highly respected by his peers for his dedication to coaching and his community, Watts began his coaching career in 1938 at Millard High, then coached Dixie Junior College from 1941 to 1945 and Jordan High from 1945 to 1947. Watts was chosen as BYU's freshman coach in 1947 and inherited the varsity team in 1949. A master teacher, Watts' highly acclaimed book, Developing an Offensive Attack in Basketball (1958), became a standard manual on the fast break offense. From 1965 to 1966, Watts' "Runnin' Cougars" scored more than 100 points 21 times and at least 95 points 32 times. Watts' teaching skills were in constant demand at coaching clinics across the nation and in Europe, the Far East and South Africa. Watts served his coaching organization, the NABC, on numerous committees. He served on the Board of Directors from 1958 to 1968 and as president in 1970.

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
BYU Cougars (Mountain States Conference) (1949–1962)
1949–50 BYU 22-12 14-6 1st NCAA Elite 8
1950–51 BYU 28-9 15-5 1st NCAA Eilte 8
NIT Champions
1951–52 BYU 14-10 9-5 T-2nd
1952–53 BYU 22-8 11-3 2nd NIT 1st Round
1953–54 BYU 18-11 9-5 3rd NIT 1st Round
1954–55 BYU 13-13 10-4 2nd
1955–56 BYU 18-8 10-4 2nd
1956–57 BYU 19-9 11-3 1st NCAA Sweet 16
1957–58 BYU 13-13 9-5 T-2nd
1958–59 BYU 15-11 8-6 4th
1959–60 BYU 8-17 5-9 5th
1960–61 BYU 15-11 9-5 3rd
1961–62 BYU 10-16 5-9 T-4th
BYU Cougars (Western Athletic Conference) (1962–1972)
1962–63 BYU 12-14 6-4 2nd
1963–64 BYU 13-12 5-5 3rd
1964–65 BYU 21-7 8-2 1st NCAA 2nd Round
1965–66 BYU 20-5 6-4 2nd NIT Champions
1966–67 BYU 14-10 8-2 T-1st
1967–68 BYU 13-12 4-6 T-4th
1968–69 BYU 16-12 6-4 T-1st NCAA 1st Round
1969–70 BYU 8-18 4-10 7th
1970–71 BYU 18-11 10-4 1st NCAA 2nd Round
1971–72 BYU 21-5 12-2 1st NCAA 1st Round
BYU: 371-254 194-112
Total: 371-254

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion