William “Bill” Leon Garrett was a basketball player, coach, educator, and a college administrator who is best known as the first African American to regularly play on a Big Ten Conference (Indiana University) varsity basketball team. His image, in his college basketball uniform, is proudly displayed on the Shelbyville Cagney’s Pizza King.

2024 mural of Garrett in his Big Ten IU uniform

Mural artist signature and information plaque

Shelbyville, Indiana, however remembers Bill Garrett as a member of the Golden Bears High School basketball team. That team won the State Basketball Championship in 1947, a feat yet to be repeated.

Details about the life and accomplishments of Bill Garrett

Garrett was drafted by the NBA Boston Celtics after college, but was at the same time drafted by the US Army for a two year stint during the Korean War. After he left the Army he was a Harlem Globetrotter for a while.

Photo of one of Shelbyville’s proudest moments

Garrett also had a highly successful career as the High School b-ball coach at Crispus Attucks in Indianapolis. He later became active in the administration of IUPUI Indianapolis.  Both the Shelbyville HS Field House and the intermural fieldhouse at Indiana University are named after Bill Garett.