Legendary Fort Worth ISD basketball coach Robert Hughes showed a tough exterior to his players, but his soft heart impacted their lives for years to come.
Hughes, the winningest coach in U.S. high school boys basketball history, died Tuesday at 96. He coached boys basketball for nearly 50 years at Dunbar High School, in Fort Worth’s Stop Six neighborhood.
Hughes’ toughness came with unwavering love and support for his players long after they shared a court with him.
Gary Collier was one of Hughes’ players at Dunbar High. Collier followed in Hughes’ footsteps and is now the head basketball coach at Crowley High School.
“He was a stern, tough coach,” Collier said. “But he was always there. He cared about the things we needed, always helping us out by providing rides or just being there.”
Hughes was a father figure and a role model to many of his players. He made sure the team stayed on top of their grades and out of trouble — and urged them to never complain, Collier said.
Hughes leaves a long-lasting legacy across Fort Worth, Mayor Mattie Parker said in a statement.
“Coach Hughes’ impact extended far beyond the court, shaping countless lives as a coach, mentor, father figure and pillar of our community,” Parker said.
Hughes started his coaching career in 1958 at the all-Black I.M. Terrell High School, where he inspired and mentored students for 15 years — and won three state championships, according to Fort Worth ISD.
In 1973, Hughes moved to Dunbar High School, where he coached for 32 years and qualified for postseason play for 30 consecutive years, according to the school district.
Hughes was Fort Worth ISD school board President Camille Rodriguez’s high school health teacher. She said she was blessed to consider him a dear friend and mentor.
“He was a role model, instilling values of respect, discipline and hard work in all the lives he touched,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “His impact extended beyond the teams he led.”
Lifelong fan Olivia Sanders recalled the sheer mania that Hughes brought to the Fort Worth high school basketball community.
“He really had a cult following of fans,” Sanders said. “I grew up following him. Wherever he went, my family went. If he was going to Abilene or Midland for regionals, we were going to Abilene and Midland for regionals.”
Sanders attended almost every Dunbar basketball game with her family throughout her childhood and still remembers the day in 1993 when Dunbar won its first state championship.
“Getting that championship was my favorite memory with him,” Sanders said. “I attended that game with my family, and I’ll never forget it. The final score was between 70 and 75 points, and it was just always part of our lives.”
Hughes’ career is marked by nearly 50 years of dedicated service to his players and his unbeaten record of 1,333 career wins.
Ryan Thorpe is an audience engagement fellow at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at ryan.thorpe@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.