Business Strategy

Thayer Academy basketball head coach Mike Babul passed Monday, leaving behind a legacy as a Massachusetts basketball legend. His twin brother, Jon Babul, told WCVB that Mike Babul died of a heart attack stemming from undetected and untreated critical heart disease. Jon Babul says the tragedy came with no warning. “He was packing for an early flight to meet me and my son at Logan,” Jon Babul said. “It was massive. He was dead before he hit the ground.” Mike Babul succeeded in basketball as a coach and player but the 47-year-old was best remembered for his magnetic and passionate personality. Mike Babul grew up in North Attleboro, where he played four years of high school basketball alongside his twin brother.As a senior, Mike Babul won the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year award before taking his talents to UMass Amherst. Mike Babul started 100 games over four years for the Minutemen, making the A-10 All-Defensive team in three seasons. After graduation, he continued his passion for basketball, coaching on the sidelines for Seekonk High School and the G-League Long Island Nets. “He chased his college coaching dream for 20 years, coached at 7 or 8 D1 schools. He coached in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets organization,” Jon Babul said.Mike Babul finally landed at Thayer Academy, leading the school’s boys’ basketball team to a 13-win season last year, and was in the middle of a 5-1 season before his untimely death.”He gave too much,” Jon Babul said. “He didn’t rest.” A close friend of the Babul brothers, John Case, says the three were like triplets. “We been friends since 14 years old and lived down the street,” Case said. “I feel for his Thayer kids they loved him. He pulled the good stuff out every game. He was a great coach. He will be missed.” His footprints have been left all over the game of basketball, not just in Massachusetts, but beyond.