Joe B. Hall

Who is Joe B. Hall?

Joe Beasman Hall, better known as Joe B. Hall, is the former head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky from 1972 to 1985. He previously coached at Central Missouri State University and Regis University before returning to UK in 1965 to serve as an assistant coach under Adolph Rupp.

Hall was given a difficult task, to follow in the footsteps of his legendary predecessor, Adolph Rupp. In the 1978 NCAA Tournament, he coached the Wildcats to their fifth NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. He was named National Coach of the Year in 1978 and Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year on four different occasions. His record at UK was 297–100, and 373–156 over his career.

Along with the 1978 title, Hall also guided Kentucky to a runner-up finish to UCLA in the 1975 NCAA tournament, a Final Four appearance in the 1984 NCAA Tournament, and an NIT championship in 1976. He won 8 Southeastern Conference regular season championships and one Southeastern Conference tournament championship.

Hall is one of only three men to win an NCAA championship as a player and coach. The only others to achieve this feat are Bob Knight and Dean Smith.