The official recognition of a career that the basketball community agreed was long overdue.
In 2015, Don McCool was inducted into the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame in Charlottesville, in a class that also included NBA star Alonzo Mourning. Fittingly, McCool had coached his final game against Mourning in the state tournament. The push began at his birthday celebration in Fairfax, where family, friends, former assistants, and former players kept asking the same question: "Why is Don not in the Hall of Fame?" His friend Rich Lyons assembled a booklet documenting the career, and the recognition finally followed.
"He should have been inducted a long time ago. But it's nice to see Don now get the recognition he deserves for all he did in this area." (Jim Warren)
The VHSL honor was one of four. Over his lifetime, McCool was inducted into the Marietta College, West Springfield High School, Mount Vernon High School, and Virginia High School League Halls of Fame, recognition spanning the full arc of his playing and coaching life.
Across five high schools over a 27-year head-coaching career.
Two state championships, seven region titles, ten district titles.
Virginia High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year.
27 years as a head coach, plus 25+ more as an assistant in the region.
First Fairfax County team to start five Black players, and state champions.
Mentored a generation of head coaches across Northern Virginia and the state.
Source: Josh Belanger, "Mt. Vernon: McCool To Be Inducted in VHSL Hall of Fame," Connection Newspapers, Aug. 18, 2015. Additional honors and any school or regional hall-of-fame recognitions are being compiled.