John Brady BATON ROUGE – Former LSU head basketball coach John Brady, now a color analyst for the LSU Sports Radio Network, has returned from a week-long trip to Kuwait. Brady, along with seven other coaches, visited military bases as part of the Operation Hardwood Classic organized by the “Feherty’s Troops First” Foundation.
The event was recently made public following the coaches’ return. Joining Brady were notable figures including Pete Carroll, Greg Foster, Jeff Jones, Jay Ladner, Jim Woolridge, Tim Floyd, and Joe Golding.
Operation Hardwood Classic provides coaches with the unique chance to mentor deployed service members. The “Feherty’s Troops First” Foundation, founded by Rick Kell in 2005, focuses on supporting active military and veterans. This marks the ninth time the foundation has organized such an event.
The group departed on August 10 and returned on August 17, visiting Camp Arifjan, Ali Al Saleem Air Base, and Camp Buehring. “The final game was a thrilling Army vs. Air Force matchup,” Brady said. “The soldiers’ competitive spirit was incredible. The autograph sessions and the soldiers’ gratitude were deeply moving. I made sure to connect with every Louisiana service member I met.”
Brady, who led LSU to conference titles in 2000 and 2006 and guided the Tigers to the NCAA Sweet 16 and Final Four, now contributes to LSU’s basketball broadcast team. Reflecting on the trip, Brady noted, “Every service member thanked us personally, and the appreciation for our visit was truly humbling.
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