A beloved Chicago high school basketball coach and former local standout player has been found shot dead inside a South Side home.
Tim Bankston, 60, was discovered by a friend around 10am on Wednesday, July 29, inside a residence in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Authorities confirmed Bankston suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the abdomen and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Chicago Police Department is investigating the fatal shooting. No arrests have been made as the investigation remains ongoing.
Family members said Bankston, who lived in Gary, Indiana, was visiting a friend's house when the shooting happened. The friend returned home to find him shot on the floor.
Bankston was a celebrated figure in the Chicago basketball scene. He served as a starting point guard at basketball powerhouse Simeon High School in the 1980s.
Following his high school career, Bankston played collegiate basketball at Bradley University and Loyola University Chicago before dedicating decades of his life to coaching and mentoring youth.
Family and former players pay tribute
Devastated relatives and former players paid emotional tributes to the late coach following the news.
"My dad is a part of me. I have his name. I can carry his legacy," his son, Timothy Bankston Jr, told reporters. Bankston also leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
Bankston's sister, Karolyn Wright, expressed her grief over the circumstances of his death: "For someone to just cowardly shoot him like that and leave him on the floor to die... He was such a beautiful spirit, such a great brother, more than just a basketball coach. More than just a basketball legend. A family man."
His other sister, Jennifer, remembered him as a "gentle giant." His great-niece, Kailey-Rose, added: "He was always willing to help on and off the court... Just kids in need. He was a person who was very, very generous at heart."
Former players recalled how Bankston went above and beyond his duties on the court to serve as a father figure and life mentor.
Former player Wayne Montgomery, 35, said Bankston stepped in to guide him through adolescence, instilling lessons about "honesty and discipline" while prioritizing academic success.
"Not a bad bone in his body," Montgomery said. "He was so much more than just a coach. A mentor, a friend, a teacher. He touched so many lives."
In an official statement, Thornton Fractional High School District 215 honored Bankston's lasting legacy across the community.
"He was not just beloved; he was a mentor that countless alumni credit for being the overriding influence that made them into the positive, productive members of communities that they are today," the district said.
