Greg Kampe, Oakland University’s men’s basketball head coach, was inducted into the American Basketball Hall of Fame this past June.

During his tenure at OU, Kampe guided the men’s basketball team’s move from Division II to Division I. Furthermore, Kampe has led the Golden Grizzlies to three Summit League Tournament championships and three NCAA March Madness appearances.

“I’m thankful to the American Basketball Hall of Fame for the honor,” Kampe said in a press release. “It is hard for me to believe that my name will be enshrined with some of the great names in basketball history, but I’m also mindful that most of those names are there because of unbelievable talent that they possess as a player.” 

Kampe will join the names of former Detroit Piston Isiah Thomas and the late former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant in the American Basketball Hall of Fame. Additionally, rival coach Tom Izzo, head coach of the Michigan State University men’s basketball team, was inducted with Kampe.

Not long ago, Kampe was also introduced to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Kampe was honored with former University of Michigan basketball player Jalen Rose, former Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland, former Michigan State University quarterback Andre Rison and journalist Mitch Albom.

“My name will be there because of the unbelievable talents of the players and the coaches that I was fortunate enough to work with. It is those people that have truly made my life in basketball a success and I cherish them every day,” Kampe said. 

The American Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in 2018 by former Harlem Globetrotter LaMont “Showboat” Robinson, and the 2023 class marks the fifth class of the American Basketball Hall of Fame. 

The goal of the organization is to honor both men and women and give players and coaches who have been glossed over another opportunity to be inducted into a national hall of fame. Additionally, the organization takes into account high school, playground, small college, overseas and barnstorming players and teams.  

Now in his 40th season with the Golden Grizzlies, Kampe enters the season as the longest-tenured NCAA Division I head coach with 675 total wins, the 12th most in the active career wins category.