Clyde Austin
Clyde Austin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 November 1957 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | 16 August 2025 (aged 67) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player, coach, pastor |
| Years active | 1976–1990s (basketball), 1990s (coaching), later pastor |
| Known for | Collegiate career with NC State Wolfpack, Harlem Globetrotters player, USBL coach |
Clyde Edward Austin (November 1, 1957 – August 16, 2025) was an American basketball athlete known for his collegiate career with the NC State Wolfpack. He was chosen in the second round of the 1980 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin spent eight seasons performing with the Harlem Globetrotters. Following his playing days, he transitioned into coaching in the United States Basketball League (USBL), serving as head coach for the Carolina Cardinals and later founding the Raleigh Cougars. Subsequently, he became a pastor but was later incarcerated due to involvement in a pyramid scheme that defrauded seminar participants and other investors.
Early life
Raised in Jackson Ward, Richmond, Virginia, Austin was one of thirteen siblings. His childhood was marked by domestic violence; at age 15, his stepfather shot his mother, resulting in her paralysis and loss of speech. During his teenage years, Austin sold pills on Richmond's streets until his high school coach intervened to redirect his path.
Known by the nickname "Clyde the Glide," he rose to prominence as a leading basketball talent at Maggie L. Walker High School, becoming one of Richmond’s most distinguished high school athletes.
Playing career
Austin represented the NC State Wolfpack in college basketball and received honorable mention as an All-American during his sophomore year. Although selected 44th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA draft, he never played in an NBA game.
In 1980, he appeared in 13 contests for the Philadelphia Kings in the Continental Basketball Association before embarking on an eight-year tenure with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Post-playing career
Following retirement from professional play, Austin was ordained as a minister and led congregations in Cary, North Carolina and Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 1996, he took on dual roles as head coach and co-owner of the Carolina Cardinals within the United States Basketball League (USBL), achieving a 6–12 record. The Cardinals became notable for being the first USBL team to cease operations mid-season.
On February 7, 1997, Austin established another USBL team, the Raleigh Cougars. Despite efforts to sell the franchise during the 1999 offseason, he remained involved until it folded mid-season amid disputes involving unpaid players refusing to travel. Over three seasons, the Cougars amassed a 31–38 record.
Legal troubles
In 1998, Austin’s enterprise, Bankers International Trust, faced litigation from the North Carolina Attorney General for running a pyramid scheme. He subsequently moved to Nevada and declared bankruptcy.
By 2004, Austin received a 17-year prison sentence for orchestrating a nationwide pyramid scheme that defrauded investors of approximately $16 million between 1996 and 2000. While serving as a pastor, he convinced victims to invest in bonds, foreign trading ventures, real estate projects, and marketing products such as herbal supplements and weight-loss items.
Austin was released prior to 2010 and later worked as a security officer at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. On July 22, 2022, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud connected to an unemployment benefits fraud case.
Personal life and death
Two of Austin's sons pursued collegiate basketball careers: Clyde "Eddie" Austin Jr. competed at Doane University, while Clyde "Trey" Austin played for Wentworth Military Academy and College. Austin passed away in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 16, 2025, at the age of 67. His death was caused by a blood clot that developed following recent knee surgery, which then traveled to his lungs and triggered a fatal heart attack.
College
|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1976–77 | style="text-align:left;"| NC State | 28 || – || – || .485 || – || .738 || 2.5 || 5.0 || 1.9 || .5 || 12.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1977–78 | style="text-align:left;"| NC State | 29 || – || – || .457 || – || .664 || 3.5 || 4.2 || 1.4 || .4 || 12.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1978–79 | style="text-align:left;"| NC State | 30 || – || – || .488 || – || .699 || 3.2 || 4.0 || 1.2 || .3 || 14.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1979–80 | style="text-align:left;"| NC State | 28 || – || – || .511 || – || .700 || 2.6 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .1 || 8.9 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 115 || – || – || .483 || – || .696 || 3.0 || 4.1 || 1.4 || .3 || 12.0