(MSC News)--The premiere of a documentary film on Hiawatha native, John McLendon was hosted Thursday night by the University of Kansas, “Fast Break: The Legendary John McLendon” was produced by Scott Unruh and directed by award-winning director Kevin Willmott, KU professor of film & media studies, who has also written films with Spike Lee and other notable directors and producers.

An interview with Coach McLendon's cousin and Hiawatha resident Flo Combs was included in the documentary along with interviews with basketball luminaries, Larry Brown, Bill Self and former professional players who played for Coach McLendon.

Inspired by the award-winning biography “Breaking Through: John B. McLendon, Basketball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer,” by Milton Katz, the film reviews the life of Coach McLendon, the first black student at KU to earn his degree in physical education and who studied under and was mentored by the inventor of basketball, James Naismith.

McLendon was born in Hiawatha on April 5, 1915 and graduated in 1937 from KU, where he integrated the Robinson Center swimming pool as well as the KU Senior Prom. He then earned a master’s degree in physical education from the University of Iowa.

His successful coaching career included service at North Carolina College for Negroes (now North Carolina Central University), Tennessee State University and Kentucky State University. McLendon was also the first black head coach of an integrated professional sports team when he coached the Cleveland Pipers and later coached the Denver Rockets, now the Denver Nuggets. He served as assistant coach of the 1968 and 1972 U.S. Olympic basketball teams. Widely credited with inventing the fast break, Coach McLendon was also a civil rights pioneer credited with playing a large role in integrating basketball and society in general. Following his coaching career, McLendon worked for Converse Shoes as a worldwide ambassador for basketball, introducing the sport of basketball to China, Japan and numerous other countries.

Attending the premiere at the invitation of Coach McLendon's biographer, Dr. Milton Katz, were Hiawatha residents Flo and Vickie Combs, Tim and Jean Abeita and Kevin and Ellen Hill.

On October 28, 2014 a group of Hiawatha students with the assistance of Abeita and Hill unveiled signs honoring McLendon and recognizing Hiawatha as his birthplace. Attending the 2014 unveiling were special guests including KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger and Dr. Milton Katz. "