Richmond hoops star who found fame with the Globetrotters, then legal trouble as a pastor, dies at 67

By George Copeland Jr. / Richmond Free Press

For nearly two decades, Clyde "The Glide" Austin was a basketball superstar.

A gifted player, his talents took him from the gymnasiums of Richmond Public Schools to touring with the Harlem Globetrotters. He died of a heart attack in Nevada on Saturday, Aug. 16 at age 67, his family said.

"He was a magician with the basketball and loved the game and loved to teach others the game as well," Austin's daughter Patrice Austin-Moser wrote in a social media post. "I am completely devastated that I can't hear his laugh anymore, or hear his jokes or his stories."

Austin was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1957 and first drew attention on the court at Maggie Walker High School, where he starred for the Green Dragons. He scored 2,158 points in four years and helped lead the team to the 1976 State Group AAA title.

For Harold Harris, a health and fitness coordinator with the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Center who worked as an assistant coach at Maggie Walker from 1972 to 1977, Austin was a joy to watch in action.

"Eddie," as Harris called him after a neighborhood nickname, was dedicated to improving his skills in a way that younger players could learn from, and he had a court style and personality that captivated audiences.

"Folks that saw him, they won't ever forget it," Harris said. "If you saw him one time, you would never forget it and, as a matter of fact, you would want to see him again."

After four years at North Carolina State University, where he scored 1,383 points and recorded 473 assists, Austin was selected by the Philadelpha 76ers in the second round of the 1980 NBA draft. He never played in the NBA but appeared in 13 games with the Philadelphia Kings of the Continental Basketball Association before choosing to join the Harlem Globetrotters.

Austin spent eight years entertaining audiences as a Globetrotter before becoming an ordained minister, serving as a pastor for a church in Cary, North Carolina, and for Heavens Light Christian Center in Las Vegas.

Austin's life included legal troubles. He served time in prison for his role in a $16 million pyramid scheme that targeted churchgoers in multiple states. In 2004, he was sentenced to 17 years for fraud and money laundering but was released early and later worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Austin's sports legacy lives on through his family. His sons, Clyde Edward "Eddie" Austin Jr. and Clyde Anderson "Trey" Austin, both drew attention in collegiate basketball, and his grandson Ali Bledsoe has also made a name for himself as a young player. His family says he had a lasting impact on their love of the game.

"He was more than a legend on the court — he was my family, my inspiration," Austin's grandson Tjay Brunson stated on social media. "I promise to carry on his legacy and make him proud every step of the way."

Harris reflected on a life and career that continue to inspire all who knew him.

"I pray that Eddie rests in peace, that he's in heaven and, if he's in heaven, I know who's handling the ball," Harris said.

Funeral and memorial service details will be shared soon, and the family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover costs.