NBA great Frank Brian dies at age 94

Brian was believed to be at the time of his death the oldest living former LSU basketball letterman and the oldest surviving player from the first NBA All-Star game.

Brian in 2013 completed a state triple crown when he was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame to go with election to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches in 1986 and the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1987.

Brian, a high school standout from Zachary, lettered in men’s basketball at LSU from 1942-43 and 1946-47 as a guard.

He went on to have a stellar professional basketball career, earning NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1948 for the Anderson Packers, NBL All-Star honors two times and NBA All-Star honors two times.

Brian played at LSU at a time when admission to basketball games at LSU was just 55 cents.

Today, Brian would say that his playing during the war years “enhanced his basketball skills and allowed him to stay a part of the game.” The maturation of Brian and his Tigers showed during his return for the 1946-47 season as Brian showed he was one of the most poised and polished players ever to don the LSU garb, despite being away from the college game for three long years.

It was at that time that Brian was compared with LSU’s first All-American, Sparky Wade, who led LSU to its mythical national championship in 1935.

The respect Rabenhorst showed to Brian was reciprocated by Brian to Rabenhorst: The truth was basketball was a different game when Frank Brian played.