Samford AD Martin Newton Reflects on the Legacy of His Dad, C.M. Newton

One week ago, an icon in college basketball and Alabama athletics passed one week ago.

Former Alabama and Vanderbilt basketball coach CM Newton passed away Monday at the age of 88.

In his career as a basketball coach and athletic administrator, Newton helped to integrate Alabama athletics with the signing of Wendell Hudson in 1969 and resurrected Kentucky basketball with the hiring of Rick Pitino from the New York Knicks.

With the passing of CM Newton, the family legacy in athletics is left behind to his son Martin Newton.

Martin graduated from Samford University in 1983 and returned to his alma mater in 2011 to take the helm as their director of athletics. Earlier this year, Samford signed Newton to a contract extension through 2022.

Prior to Thursday's funeral services for C.M. Newton, Martin Newton reflected on the legacy of his father on The Gary Harris Show.

As the accolades have poured in concerning C.M. Newton's character as a coach, Martin Newton described where his dad's character truly flourished.

"The interesting thing for me is it's not just how he acted in the public eye or when he was in the public eye. He was even more so at home. He was just a good person in the way he loved us and lived his live and the way. He was the gold standard for which we measured everything." Martin Newton said. "He was a great father and a great husband and I was blessed to be his son."

Samford's director of athletics later highlighted his father's career journey that took him to Alabama and Vanderbilt as a basketball coach and later to Kentucky as their director of athletics as well as the aftermath of losing both his dad and uncle in the same week.