University of Northwestern Athletics

Basketball 1950-'52, Assistant Basketball Coach 1954-'56, Head Track Coach 1954-'56

Winning programs are built with winners.  From 1950-1952, Les Habegger sparked a powerful, independent team that propelled Northwestern’s basketball program into successful conference play.  Les used speed and tenacious defense at guard to shut down the opponents’ big guns.  After graduating from Wheaton, Les returned to NWC as an Assistant Coach (1954-1956), helping the Eagles get established as a respected conference challenger.

Les has been a winner at every stop.  The youngest boy in a family of ten, Les toured with his family’s basketball team that earned a second seed in a Family National Tournament.  From 1956-1976, Les served as Head Basketball Coach and Athletic Director at Seattle Pacific University.  Success there won him a spot with the NBA’s Seattle Sonics as an Assistant Coach (1976-1984, NBA Champions 1979) and General Manager (1984-1987).  After a stint with Milwaukee (1987-1988), Les coached a European League German team (1988-1995) to three SE Asia championships.  A winner off the court as well, Les helped with release time religious education, conducted boys’ basketball camps (1963-1979), and motivated Christian organizations as a public speaker.