Mitchell David Madden, a well known figure in eastern Kentucky basketball circles, died Sunday, September 6, following a battle with cancer. He was 48 years old.
Madden was born April 12, 1978, in Manchester, Kentucky, to Sue Nichols and the late Mike Madden. He lived in Tyner, Kentucky, at the time of his death and was a devoted member of House of Refuge church in that community.
According to his family, his faith carried him through his illness, and he often told his church that his outcome was already decided and that he considered himself a winner regardless of the result.
A Coaching Career Across the Region
Madden’s basketball career began as a player. He was the all time leading scorer for Jackson County High School, where he played for the Generals. That success on the court eventually led him into coaching, a path that would define much of his adult life.
He served in both assistant and head coaching roles for his alma mater, guiding the Jackson County Generals and Lady Generals over the years. In the 2010 to 2011 season, he led the Lady Generals to a 13 win, 17 loss record. He later took over the Oneida Baptist Institute Mountaineers for the 2022 to 2023 season, finishing with an 11 win, 21 loss mark.
His most recent head coaching stop came at Knox Central High School, where he led the Panthers for two seasons. During that stretch, the team compiled a 43 win, 18 loss record, reached the 13th Region tournament twice, and won a 51st District Championship in 2024. He stepped away from coaching after the 2024 to 2025 season to focus on his health.
Beyond the bench, Madden built a lasting name in youth basketball training. In 2018, he founded KBE Academy in London, Kentucky, growing it out of grassroots lessons and travel teams he had started years earlier at the Annville Institute gym.
Family, Trucking Business and Community Response
Away from basketball, Madden ran his own business, A&G Madden Trucking, and was known throughout the trucking community by the nickname Sunshine. He began working in trucking soon after high school and later built the company into his own operation, driving and maintaining his dump trucks.
He is survived by his wife, Brandi, daughters Allison Storm and Gracie Madden, and stepsons Jasper and Briley York, along with his mother, stepmother, three sisters and two stepbrothers.
News of his passing prompted tributes from basketball programs across the region. North Laurel, South Laurel and Corbin high school teams each posted messages of condolence, with several coaches and programs remembering him as a mentor whose influence reached far beyond the scoreboard.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
