NERR Mourns the Loss of Mike Babul
Yesterday, the basketball community suffered the tragic passing of Mike Babul at just 47 years old. It’s hard to put into words the impact Coach Babul had—not just on the court, but in the lives of the countless players, colleagues, and friends he touched throughout his career.
Mike was serving as the head coach at Thayer Academy, a position he took over last season. In his first year with the school, he helped the team to 13 wins, and an above .500 record for the first time in a few years.
This season, he had already led Thayer to a strong 5-1 start, but his contributions to the game of basketball extended far beyond the sidelines.
Before becoming a coach, Mike had an incredible playing career that started right here in the city of North Attleborough, Massachusetts where he is revered as a legend in the sport.
In four years at his hometown high school, Mike was a star under the legendary Don Johnson. As a junior, he averaged 22.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, which he followed up with 20.1 points and 8.4 rebounds as a senior. He earned back-to-back Hockomock League selections, was named the 1995-96 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, and earned a spot on the Parade All-American team, which recognized him as one of the top 40 high school players in the country.
Throughout his youth career, Mike played alongside his twin brother Jon, who went on to play at Georgia Tech and now works in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks.
Mike’s next chapter was at UMass Amherst, where he continued to shine on the court. Known for his relentless defense and consistent motor on the court, he earned Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team honors three years in a row (1997–2000) and started 100 of the 120 games he played for the Minutemen.
From there, he began his coaching journey at Seekonk High School, where he served as the JV coach, leading the team to a 15-5 record, while assisting with the varsity squad. After that, he worked his way up through the NCAA ranks, beginning as an administrative assistant at Memphis in 2003-04 under John Calipari.
He went on to spend one year each as an assistant at Youngstown State and Director of Basketball Operations at Drexel, continuing to learn and grow in the game. In 2006, Mike joined UTEP as Director of Basketball Operations, working with the program for four years. In his time with the Miners, he was part of a remarkable turnaround under Head Coach Tony Barbee, helping the team rise from 10th to 1st in Conference USA. The Miners reached the CBI finals and earned an NCAA Tournament appearance in the Round of 64 during his tenure.
When Barbee moved on to Auburn University, Mike joined him for another two seasons before continuing his coaching journey. He spent seven years at Wagner College, serving as Associate Head Coach for the last four. Under his guidance, the Seahawks were a consistently competitive team in the Northeast Conference that prided themselves on their defense.
Mike’s coaching career then took him to the professional ranks with the Long Island Nets for two seasons before he returned to his home state of Massachusetts to focus on youth development.
While his accolades and accomplishments as a player and coach were remarkable, Mike’s legacy will be remembered most for his passion for mentoring young athletes. He and his twin brother Jon ran the Babul Brothers Basketball Camp annually in North Attleborough, teaching kids the fundamentals of the game. Not only did he coach the sport year round, but he also served as a skills trainer and mentor to many.
Mike’s passing is an unimaginable loss, not just for those closest to him but for the countless players, coaches, and families whose lives he touched along the way. He will be remembered as a basketball-lifer who poured everything into the game he loved.
Our deepest condolences go out to the Babul family, the New England Basketball community, and all those mourning this profound loss. Coach Babul’s legacy will live on through the lives he impacted and the memories he created.