| Paul Lambert | |
| Birth Date: | 15 August 1934 |
| Birth Place: | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1952–1954 |
| Player Team1: | William Jewell |
| Coach Sport1: | Basketball |
| Coach Years2: | 1956–1959 |
| Coach Team2: | Moberly HS |
| Coach Years3: | 1959–1960 |
| Coach Team3: | Boone HS |
| Coach Years4: | 1960–1963 |
| Coach Team4: | Drake (assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 1963–1966 |
| Coach Team5: | Pittsburg State |
| Coach Years6: | 1966–1970 |
| Coach Team6: | Hardin–Simmons |
| Coach Years7: | 1970–1978 |
| Coach Team7: | Southern Illinois |
| Coach Sport8: | Baseball |
| Coach Years9: | 1961–1963 |
| Coach Team9: | Drake |
| Overall Record: | 227–160 (college basketball) 19–32–1 (college baseball) |
Paul M. Lambert Jr. (August 15, 1934 – June 6, 1978) was an American college basketball coach.
Lambert played basketball at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. After graduation, he coached high school basketball in Moberly, Missouri and Boone, Iowa, then obtained a job as an assistant and freshman coach (and head baseball coach) at Drake University. He got his first college head coaching position at Pittsburg State, where his teams went 44–29 in three seasons. From there, he followed Lou Henson at Hardin–Simmons, compiling a four-year record of 57–47. He then moved to Southern Illinois (SIU), where he led the team to an eight-year record of 126–84. His tenure was punctuated by leading the Salukis to their first Division I NCAA tournament appearance and win, behind star Mike Glenn.[1] Lambert left SIU following the 1977–78 season to become head coach at Auburn.[2]
Lambert died at age 43 in a Columbus, Georgia motel fire on June 6, 1978, before he was able to coach a game at Auburn.[3]