Ken Cole, a member of the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. He was 82 years old.
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According to information provided by the Adelaide 36ers, Cole passed away peacefully on Sunday. This followed him battling cancer for more than a decade. Though the Hall of Famer still attended numerous matchups while filling his role as the 36ers No. 1 ticket holder.
A native of Sydney, Australia, Cole represented his home country as a player during the 1964 Olympic Games. He also represented Australia during the 1962 and 1970 World Championships.
Of course, he made a bigger impact as a coach. He led the Adelaide 36ers to considerable success during the 1980s. This includes reaching the Grand Final in 1985 and winning the NBL (National Basketball League) Championship in 1986.
This 1986 team earned the nickname of The Invincibles are going 24-2 and only suffering two losses on buzzer beater shots. Their success helped Cole earn Coach of the Year honors that same season.
The Adelaide 36ers are mourning the passing of club great Ken Cole.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/1diD4Ezkys pic.twitter.com/KBAYCP9VQA
— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) March 14, 2026
The Adelaide 36ers named Cole to the team's Hall of Fame in 2021, years after the NBL made him a Hall of Famer. The team then responded to his passing by honoring his legacy at a game against South East Melbourne.
The players on the team all wore black tape on their jerseys with the name "Ken" written on it. The crowd held a moment of silence ahead of tipoff. The team also left Cole's seat empty. They placed a jersey and his signature hat on the seat.
The 36ers ultimately defeated the Phoenix to move on to the Championship Series.
"The NBL is saddened by the passing of Ken Cole," the NBL said in a statement. "A member of the Basketball Australia and Adelaide 36ers Hall of Fame, Cole coached the 36ers to the 1986 NBL Championship with a team known as 'The Invincibles' going 24-2 and being named Coach of the Year that same season.
"He also represented the Australian Boomers as a player at the 1964 Olympic Games. Ken remained a passionate supporter of the 36ers, attending numerous games this season as the club's number one ticket holder as they pushed toward the playoffs.
"Our thoughts are with the Cole family and who were close to him."
