By Mekhi Abbott
AFRO Intern
mabott@afro.com
Legendary D.C. high school basketball coach and sports talk show host James “Butch” McAdams passed away on June 23. The longtime mentor and community leader died in his home, located in northwest D.C.
McAdams was a true pillar of the D.C. sports community. The District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) and Metropolitan Basketball Hall of Famer became one of the most respected names in the DMV sports media scene with his highly celebrated sports radio talk show “In and Out of Sports.”
“We lost an icon and legendary voice of sports and talk radio. Coach McAdams was a voice who wasn’t afraid to say what and how he felt and always stood tall on his outlook and opinions. Coach Butch McAdams will be forever loved and missed throughout the DMV,” said Sean Stinnett, Baltimore native and former director of women’s basketball operations at Bowie State University.
Prior to hosting “In and Out of Sports” in 2011, McAdams’ legacy and impact was first on display as a longtime coach. McAdams began his coaching journey as an assistant coach before he was selected to be the head coach at Maret High School located in northwest D.C.
Over the span of approximately three decades, McAdams coached the Maret basketball team to heights that proved him to be one of the best high school coaches in the D.C. and Maryland area. His teams were ranked as a top 20 team multiple years and several of his players would go on to play Division One basketball. Some of the schools that his athletes went on to play at include the University of Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech.
“He was a [good] coach because of how he was able to pass through history…his connections within the basketball world. He is able to evaluate talent. He’s able to bring people together and he did that on his radio show,” said Michael Tillery, writer and reporter for The Starting Five.
McAdams’ love for basketball and sports in general was something that he showed from a very young age. He would go to the playground as a young kid just to inform his friends about what was going on in the sports world. He was an avid reader of the newspaper which strengthened his sports knowledge.
The lifelong D.C. resident would go on to play basketball at Mackin High School before graduating and moving on to attend the University of the District of Columbia. When McAdams was in high school, Mackin was a powerhouse basketball program.
McAdams had a profound impact on the athletes he coached, sports enthusiasts that regularly tuned into his radio talk show and the greater DMV community.
“Two weeks prior to his death, I was on his radio show alongside Kevin Blackistone. What I appreciate about Coach McAdams first and foremost is his dedication to making sure that the history of Black people and black athletes is being told. He was very diligent in making sure that history was passed down accordingly by getting certain people on his show to explain their eras, their experience in the sports world as well as life in general,” said Tillery.
McAdams also co-hosted “Coach’s Corner,” alongside T.J. Smith, as well as “Coach’s Game Time Conversation,” broadcast on 1010 AM WOLB. He was a contributor to the Larry Young Morning Show in Baltimore. Guest appearances on “In and Out of Sports” include the late, great Georgetown head coach John Thompson and 2017 National Basketball League first overall draft pick Markelle Fultz.
The radio personality is also remembered for his unique fashion sense. James “Butch” McAdams is survived by his wife, Andrea.
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