Tates Locke

From ClemsonWiki

Tates Locke was the Clemson men's basketball coach between 1970 and 1975. Hired away from West Point, he enjoyed some success in improving the roundball program, but had a very loose touch on NCAA and ACC recruiting regulations, and was released from university employment March 21, 1975 when his contract had run out, by which time his program was under investigation by the NCAA. He had already been put on off-campus recruiting restriction until August 1, 1975 by the ACC in the fall of 1974 for offering a recruit's mother personal transportation, in violation of conference rules.

The Clemson basketball program would be placed on NCAA probation in the fall of 1975 in the wake of the investigation into Locke's offers of paying player's mother's rent and buying them automobiles, among the most egregious charges.

For his automobile offers, he would be dubbed "Trader Tates" in send-up articles and faux advertisements published in The Buzzard.

Locke would go onto other basketball jobs, including coaching the Buffalo Braves for a half-season in 1977, and later as head coach at Indiana State University. He later served as a scout and general manager for the Portland Trail Blazers. He wrote a tell-all book, Caught in the Net, published in May 1982, (Leisure Press, ISBN: 0880110449), about his involvement in the recruiting scandal.

The movie Blue Chips starring Nick Nolte, is said to be based on Locke's career.

Preceded by: Bobby Roberts

Clemson University Basketball Coach

Succeeded by: Bill Foster