The Photo of Two Rival Coaches Hugging After the Championship Has Been Shared 20 Million Times
Sports rivalries can define careers. Given enough time and enough games played against the same person, they can also turn into something that looks like genuine respect — and sometimes, something closer to friendship. A photograph taken at center court after last weekend’s Illinois state high school basketball championship captured exactly that. It has been shared nearly 20 million times in four days, and far beyond sports audiences.
Eighteen Years of Competing Against Each Other
Coach Raymond Monroe has led Lincoln Central High School’s Eagles for 23 years. Coach Carlos Delgado took over at Westview Academy 18 years ago. In those 18 years, their teams have met 31 times. Monroe leads the all-time series 17 wins to 14.
The rivalry has not always been warm. A public exchange after a 2019 game escalated enough that both coaches received citations from the state athletic association. The image most people had of their relationship going into Saturday’s championship game was not a friendly one.
Westview won, 58 to 54. It was Delgado’s first state title in 18 years at the school.
What Happened at Center Court
As the final buzzer sounded, Monroe did not wait in the formal handshake line. He walked directly toward Delgado, moving through the celebrating Westview players. He reached him before the full celebration had started. He put both hands on Delgado’s face, said something close to his ear, and pulled him into a firm embrace that lasted several seconds.
Sports photographer Angela Kim was shooting from courtside. She had just turned to photograph the winning players when instinct made her turn back. She caught the entire embrace.
“I followed the instinct,” she said. “When I saw what was happening, I just kept shooting. You don’t see that. It doesn’t happen often at any level of competitive sports.”
What Monroe Said to Reporters
“Carlos is the best coach I have ever competed against. Eighteen years of going at each other — that makes you better or it makes you bitter. I chose better. I hope my players saw something tonight that mattered more than the score.”
— Coach Raymond Monroe, Lincoln Central High School
Why the Photo Spread Far Beyond Sports
The image appeared in parenting groups, leadership communities, and personal social media accounts far outside any sports audience. People posted it with captions about aging, professional rivalry, and choosing dignity over ego. It resonated with a wide range of people who had nothing to do with high school basketball.
Psychologists who study competitive behavior note that gracious losing after a long, intense personal rivalry is one of the highest-stakes displays of character available. It costs something real. People recognize that cost when they see it — and they respond to it.
Angela Kim’s photo has been submitted for the Associated Press Sports Photo of the Year. Several print publications have run it on their covers. She said the credit belongs to the two men in it. “I just pointed a camera at something true,” she said. “They did the hard part.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the two coaches in the viral photo?
The coaches are Raymond Monroe of Lincoln Central High School, who has coached for 23 years, and Carlos Delgado of Westview Academy, who has coached for 18 years. They faced each other 31 times over their careers before last weekend’s state championship game, which Westview won 58-54 — Delgado’s first state title.
Who took the photo and where can people see it?
The photo was taken by sports photographer Angela Kim, on assignment for a regional Illinois newspaper. The image has been widely distributed through wire services and has appeared on the covers of several print publications. It has been submitted for the Associated Press Sports Photo of the Year award.