Legendary youth basketball director Howard Garfinkel passed away on Saturday, Five-Star Basketball Camps announced.
The 86-year-old Garfinkel co-founded the Five-Star events in 1966 and is also credited with helping revolutionize youth basketball scouting and basketball-focused events.
Five-Star Basketball Camps released a statement on Garfinkel’s passing on Saturday:“Five-Star Basketball Camp is deeply saddened by the passing of its co-founder, Howard Garfinkel.
Garf’s imprint on the sport was unmistakable; from pioneering the basketball-specific specialty camp, a first among traditional sports, to innovation the scouting and evaluation process.
He was a visionary.”
Garfinkel was a massive presence in the college basketball and youth basketball worlds, as he’s a huge influence with a lot of the game’s biggest names.
Players and coaches around all levels of basketball seem to have a lot Garfinkel stories, because he was always a big presence at events and was around the game for so many years.
A really sad day for all of basketball. Howard Garfinkel, an icon who changed the game in many ways, passed away today.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) May 7, 2016
My heart stopped when I heard about #Garf I'll never 4get when he called 2 invite me 2 work @5starbasketball made me feel special. RIP Garf
— Frank Martin (@coachFMartin) May 7, 2016
RIP "The Garf" a pioneer in basketball a great man in our game !
— Jay Wright (@CoachJayWright) May 7, 2016