Gary Colson, college 3-point shot proponent, dies at 89

LOS ANGELES — Gary Colson, a legendary figure in college basketball, passed away on Friday at the age of 89. Colson, known for his coaching career at Fresno State, New Mexico, and Pepperdine, played a pivotal role in introducing the 3-point shot to the game.

Colson’s friend, Bob Rose, revealed that he died at his home in Santa Barbara, California, due to complications from lymphoma. Throughout his career, Colson achieved a remarkable win-loss record of 563-385, including a successful tenure at Division II Valdosta State in Georgia.

While serving on the NCAA Rules Committee in 1986, Colson boldly proposed the addition of the 3-point shot, despite facing skepticism from colleagues such as Norm Stewart, Digger Phelps, Gerald Myers, and Gene Bartow. Despite their resistance, Colson’s proposal passed, revolutionizing the game. He also contributed as a member of the NCAA Officiating Committee.

Initially, the 3-point shot was rarely used at a distance of 19 feet, 9 inches. However, it has since evolved into the influential element of the game it is today, with its current distance set at 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches.

Colson coached notable players like future Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson and Luc Longley, who won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls.

Ahead of Jerry Tarkanian at Fresno State, Dave Bliss at New Mexico, and Jim Harrick at Pepperdine, Colson left a lasting impact at each institution. At Fresno State, he achieved a record of 76-73 from 1990-95. During his tenure at New Mexico from 1980-88, the Lobos had a record of 146-106. At Pepperdine, from 1968-79, he achieved a record of 153-137 and guided the team to the 1976 West Coast Athletic Conference title.

Prior to his coaching career, Colson achieved success at Valdosta State, where he achieved a record of 188-69 from 1958-68. He led the school to two NAIA national tournament appearances and secured seven Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles.

In addition to his coaching career, Colson served as the athletic director at Pepperdine from 1971-75. He took over at New Mexico in 1980, rebuilding the program after a gambling scandal.

Colson’s final season as coach at New Mexico was highlighted by a victory over No. 1 ranked Arizona. He was named the Western Athletic Conference coach of the year in 1984 after averaging 21 wins per season.

Born in Logansport, Indiana, Colson was an all-conference player at David Lipscomb, where he graduated in 1956. He went on to earn a master’s degree in education from Vanderbilt in 1958. Colson’s legacy is further cemented with his induction into David Lipscomb’s athletic hall of fame.

Later in his career, Colson worked as an assistant to the president of the Memphis Grizzlies and as a scout for NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West.

Colson also authored two books, “California Basketball” and “New Mexico Basketball – The System,” focusing on the fundamentals of the game. He also conducted basketball clinics in Japan in 2012 and 2013, sharing his expertise with young players.

Colson is survived by his wife, Mary Katherine, his two sons Rick and Wade, his daughter Garianne, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.