Phil Lumpkin 1951-2009

Phil Lumpkin Court - Home of O'Dea Basketball

Coach Phil Lumpkin was the Head Basketball Coach at O’Dea High School for 18 years. During his tenure, the Fighting Irish basketball team took 15 trips to the State Tournament, including seven trips to the State Finals, and won five State Championships (1992-1993, 1996-1997, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2006-2007).

 

Not only is Coach Lumpkin’s excellence as a basketball coach evident in the many championship banners hanging in the O’Dea gym and in his rightful inclusion in the O’Dea Wall of Honor, but also in the relationships he formed on and off the court. As the years pass, his players and assistant coaches will remember and appreciate even more deeply everything they learned from him about basketball and about life.

 

Most of all, the O’Dea community will remember Coach Lumpkin for his infectious laughter as he roamed the halls, the way he engaged students in good-natured teasing about their favorite sports teams, and his absolute delight in hearing and retelling stories about co-workers’ kids. Coach Lumpkin made O’Dea his family. He loved the school and all the students, not just those on his basketball teams. He was always interested in what they were doing. He made the extra effort to get to know them and make them part of O’Dea.

 

O’Dea remembers Coach Phil Lumpkin for his tremendous contributions and dedicates the home court of the Fighting Irish basketball team in his name.

 

Phil Lumpkin 1951 - 2009

Coach Lumpkin's Journey
1970   Graduated from Nettie Lee Roth HS as part of the best backcourt duo in Ohio Prep History
1970  Entered University of Miami, Ohio, played point guard
1974  May, 1974, drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers - NBA (second round, 34th overall pick)
1974-1975    Portland Tail Blazers (traded to the Pheonix Suns)
1975-1976  Phoenix Suns - West Division Champions
1976  NBA career ended due to serious ankle injury
1983  Inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame
1984-1988  Assistant Boy's Basketball Coach at Bellevue High School
1988-1991  Boy's Head Basketball Coach at Seattle Prep
1991-1992  Head Basketball Coach at O'Dea High School
1992-1997  Head Basketball Coach at O'Dea High School and the Feshman/Sophomore Counselor
1997-2009  Head Basketball Coach at O'Dea High School and PE Teacher
2002  Inducted into the O'Dea High School Athletic Wall of Honor
2009  Elected to the WIAA Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame