Tex Winter was a legendary NBA assistant who was part of nine championship teams with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. He died Wednesday at age 96.

But he was also a USC basketball player as shown above, when he was known as Fred Winter.

When you read stories on Winter, some say he invented the triangle offense made popular with the Bulls and Lakers. But the triangle was actually invented by USC basketball coach Sam Barry, who had was also credited with creating center stripe and 10-second rule.

Winter is the second player from the left in the top row of this photo of the 1947 USC basketball team.

The first player seated in Row 1 is Bill Sharman. He won four NBA titles as a player with the Boston Celtics and was an 8-time NBA all-star. He also spent five years in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization and was in the dugout for the famous Shot Heard Round the World.

Sharman then coached the Utah Stars to the ABA title in 1971 and 1972 Lakers to the NBA title. He is one of only two people to coach and ABA and NBA team to championships. Who is the other? That would be Alex Hannum, who is also seated in Row 1 and wearing No. 11.

Hannum coached the St. Louis Hawks to the NBA title in 1958 title and Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title. He led the Oakland Oaks to the 1969 ABA championship. He also played in the NBA from 1949-57.

And the coach is none other than Barry.

Some of you might know Winter from his days as the head coach at Cal State Long Beach. He was also the head coach at Marquette, Kansas State, Washington and Northwestern.