When UConn legend Jim Calhoun reflected on his coaching legacy at the 2019 ESPYs

Former UConn Huskies coach Jim Calhoun retired in 2012 for the first time after winning three national championships and being enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Calhoun returned to coaching with the St. Joseph's Hawks in 2018 before retiring for good in 2021.

Calhoun was honored with "The Best Coach" Award at the 2019 ESPYs in Los Angeles and was given a standing ovation as he accepted it. During his acceptance speech, the coach reflected on his legacy, choosing to recognize other coaches and teachers instead of his own accomplishments (9:00).

“Standing up here at 77 years old, this is about more than basketball,” Jim Calhoun said “It’s about all the coaches, all the teachers out there who, no matter what, they believe that coaching, teaching and making a difference in folks lives, young people is so important. In today's day and age, it makes no difference whether you do it in front of millions which I guess I did or no one at all.

"The simple idea that's never been more important today is reach out to help others. This is the most incredible experience that a man or woman could ever have, to help someone. The same way those folks helped me many years ago, got me back on track to play the game I love, I've tried to do that for the past 50 years."

The "Best Coach" award at the ESPYs is given to the coach whose impact extends past the court. In the run-up to the 2019 award in L.A., ESPN revealed that the charismatic Jim Calhoun had beaten Stage Four cancer, which necessitated the surgical removal of half of his stomach.

Why Jim Calhoun won the 2019 ESPY

The ESPYs executive producer, Maura Mandt, revealed in an interview with ESPN that Jim Calhoun's stellar performance with the St. Joseph's Hawks and bout with stomach cancer sealed his ESPY Best Coach Award win.

“In the past couple years, in what he’s (Calhoun) gone through personally and his decision to coach at St. Joseph, it really caught our eye,” Mandt said. “Despite going through life-saving surgery and cancer and probably a tremendous choice of where he was going to spend his time, he missed the game. And he missed the kids to coach. For him, it’s always been about that.”

Jim Calhoun battled several health issues during his stellar UConn Huskies career, including prostate cancer in 2003, squamous cell carcinoma in 2008, spinal stenosis in 2012, and finally stomach cancer in 2018 at St. Joseph's.