Lon Kruger: The Great Communicator

Instead of motioning for an usher to escort the boy away, Kruger embraced the situation.

“Hi Johnny,” Kruger responded, leaning back in his chair. “Got any suggestions?”

The boy's face lit into a beaming smile.

“That's the type of story Lon would never tell, but it was so good we used it to open our book (on the history of Florida basketball),” said Bill Koss. “At his camps, Lon memorizes all the kids' names. It's a perfect example of what Lon Kruger is about.”

People at all of Kruger's coaching stops tell similar stories:

One of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Runs a program the right way.

He will get everyone involved: students, former coaches and players.

“As much as any head coach I've ever known he embraces others,” said Koss, who has been involved with Florida hoops for 40 years. “It's not just basketball. He and (his wife) Barbara were involved in so many community projects.”

Rod Cardinal, a trainer at Illinois for 30 years, said Kruger's goal is to help others on and off the court. A good example is Kruger and his staff would sit at the front of the bus after road games, exchanging ideas.

“That impressed me because instead of running a player down, he wanted to draw more out of players,” Cardinal said. “He has a different perspective than your typical coach. His goal is to build players into becoming more productive players.”