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| Bobby Cremins | |
|---|---|
| Name | Robert "Bobby" Cremins |
| Birth date | 20 November 1954 |
| Birth place | Queens, New York City, New York |
| Alma mater | Kennesaw State (B.S.), South Carolina (M.Ed.) |
| Occupations | College basketball coach |
| Years active | 1978–2018 |
| Known for | Head coach, Georgia Tech; head coach, Creighton; head coach, College of Charleston |
Bobby Cremins is an American former college basketball coach noted for rebuilding programs and developing professional players. He gained prominence leading the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to NCAA Tournament success and producing NBA talent while previously transforming the College of Charleston program. His coaching career spanned multiple decades and intersected with conferences, institutions, and events across NCAA Division I basketball.
Born in Queens, New York City, he moved to Astoria and attended Holy Cross High School where he played basketball alongside contemporaries from New York City prep circuits and Catholic high school tournaments. He enrolled at Kennesaw State before transferring to South Carolina, earning a bachelor's degree and later a master's degree from South Carolina. During this period he encountered coaches and administrators from programs such as South Carolina Gamecocks, NC State Wolfpack, and local SEC influences.
As a player he featured in high school basketball competition in New York City before collegiate participation at South Carolina, contributing as a guard in regional schedules that included opponents from the ACC and SEC affiliates. His playing days overlapped with the growth of college basketball broadcasts on networks that covered events like the NCAA Tournament and regional ACC Tournament matchups, informing his later coaching approach.
Cremins began his coaching trajectory as an assistant with smaller programs and high school ranks before earning a head coaching role at College of Charleston where he elevated the team from NAIA to NCAA Division I status, scheduling contests against teams including Virginia, Clemson, and other ACC opponents in non‑conference play. He accepted the head coach position at Georgia Tech where he led the Yellow Jackets to multiple NCAA Tournament bids, an ACC Tournament championship game appearance, and a Final Four run, coaching future NBA players selected in the NBA draft such as those who later played for franchises like the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Chicago Bulls. After a tenure at Georgia Tech, he returned to College of Charleston and later served as an assistant and mentor within the Atlantic Sun Conference, interacting with programs like Mercer, Valparaiso, and Wofford. Throughout, he faced competitive schedules including matchups against Duke, North Carolina, and Michigan State in national tournaments and invitationals.
His coaching philosophy emphasized player development, recruitment from urban centers such as New York City, and implementing offensive systems adaptable to personnel, drawing comparisons to contemporaries at Villanova, Kansas, and Kentucky. Cremins built a legacy of program revitalization, influencing successors in the ACC and beyond, mentoring coaches who later led programs at institutions like Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, and Auburn. His impact is visible in player development pipelines to the NBA and in institutional investments in arenas and facilities akin to projects at Georgia Tech and College of Charleston.
He received conference coach of the year recognitions and was honored by athletic associations including the National Association of Basketball Coaches and regional halls of fame. His teams' NCAA appearances earned institutional accolades from bodies such as the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southern Conference. He was inducted into halls celebrating coaching achievement alongside peers from ACC Men's Basketball Hall of Fame and other institutional honors.
Cremins has family ties in Georgia and South Carolina, participated in charitable events with organizations like local United Way chapters and university alumni foundations, and engaged in community outreach benefiting youth basketball programs in Charleston and Atlanta. He maintained relationships with former players who became professionals across leagues such as the NBA Development League and international competitions in EuroLeague and national teams at events like the FIBA World Cup.
Category:American basketball coaches Category:College basketball coaches in the United States Category:1954 births Category:Living people