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Kevin Loughery

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Kevin Loughery
Personal information
Born (1940-03-28) March 28, 1940 (age 84)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolCardinal Hayes
(Bronx, New York)
College
NBA draft1962: 2nd round, 11th overall pick
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career1962–1973
PositionPoint guard / shooting guard
Number21, 52, 22
Career history
As player:
19621963Detroit Pistons
19631971Baltimore Bullets
19711973Philadelphia 76ers
As coach:
1973Philadelphia 76ers
19731980New York / New Jersey Nets
19811983Atlanta Hawks
19831985Chicago Bulls
19861988Washington Bullets
19921994Miami Heat
Career highlights and awards
As coach:
Career playing statistics
Points11,575 (15.3 ppg)
Rebounds2,254 (3.0 rpg)
Assists2,803 (3.7 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference
Career coaching record
ABA & NBA642–746 (.463)
Record at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Kevin Michael Loughery (born March 28, 1940) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.

Career biography

Loughery spent 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (1962–1973), almost nine of them with the Baltimore Bullets. He was traded along with Fred Carter from the Bullets to the Philadelphia 76ers for Archie Clark, a 1973 second-round selection (19th overall–Louie Nelson) and cash on October 17, 1971.[1][2] His head coaching career began when he replaced Roy Rubin as player-coach of a 76ers team that was 4–47 on January 23, 1973.[3] He received a player-coach contract which included an offer to continue in that capacity for two more years beyond the balance of that season.[4] The team slightly improved under Loughery, posting a 5–26 record for the remainder of the season. He declined the offer to stay with the 76ers and was eventually replaced by Gene Shue on June 15, 1973.[5]

Instead in the meantime, he effectively retired as an active player when he accepted a five‐year contract as head coach of the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) on April 26, 1973, succeeding Lou Carnesecca who had elected to return to St. John's University in a similar capacity.[6] With superstar Julius Erving, Loughery won two ABA championships in three seasons. After the ABA disbanded and the Nets joined the NBA, Loughery continued to coach the Nets for their first five seasons in the league. The team would struggle in their first couple of seasons without Erving, whose contract was sold to the Philadelphia 76ers due to financial struggles. The team would also move to New Jersey and become the New Jersey Nets. He was fired midway through the 1980–81 season and replaced by Bob MacKinnon.

Loughery was hired by the Atlanta Hawks the very next season and he guided them to two straight playoff appearances, including one with rookie Dominique Wilkins. He was fired once again after the 1982–83 season and replaced by Mike Fratello.

The next two seasons, Loughery coached the Chicago Bulls. In his second season with rookie Michael Jordan, the Bulls made the playoffs. In the book The Jordan Rules Michael was quoted as saying that Loughery was the most fun coach he ever played for and that Loughery allowed him to free-lance and play the style he wanted.

Loughery was a longtime on-and-off broadcaster for CBS Sports' coverage of the NBA throughout the '80s, calling regular season and late playoff games.

Loughery went to the Washington Bullets the next season as an assistant to Gene Shue. When Shue was fired with 13 games left in the 1985–86 season, Loughery guided the team to the playoffs and once again the next season. He was dismissed and replaced by Wes Unseld on January 3, 1988 as a result of the Bullets' 8–19 start.[7]

After working in broadcasting once again, doing part time work for TBS and TNT, Loughery was hired by the Miami Heat as their head coach three years after they joined the league as an expansion team. Loughery guided the Heat to their first ever playoff appearance and again in 1993–94.

After his stint with the Heat, Loughery went back into broadcasting, first working with CNN/SI until 2002 when they folded.[8] Loughery, who at times contributed as a guest for ESPN Radio,[9] then joined ESPN Radio's broadcast of the 2002 NBA Finals as a guest, later being hired full-time by ESPN for their radio broadcasts of the NBA starting with the 2002-03 season.[10]

Coaching record

ABA

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
New York Nets 1973–74 84 55 29 .655 1st in Eastern 14 12 2 .857 Won ABA Finals
New York Nets 1974–75 84 58 26 .690 1st in Eastern 5 1 4 .200 Lost Division semifinals
New York Nets 1975–76 84 55 29 .655 2st 13 8 5 .615 Won ABA Finals
Total 252 168 84 .667   32 21 11 .656

NBA

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
Team Year G W L W–L% Finish PG PW PL PW–L% Result
PHI 1972–73 31 5 26 .161 4th in Atlantic Missed Playoffs
NYN 1976–77 82 22 60 .268 5th in Atlantic Missed Playoffs
NJN 1977–78 82 24 58 .293 5th in Atlantic Missed Playoffs
NJN 1978–79 82 37 45 .451 3rd in Atlantic 2 0 2 .000 Lost in First Round
NJN 1979–80 82 34 48 .415 5th in Atlantic Missed Playoffs
NJN 1980–81 35 12 23 .343 (fired)
ATL 1981–82 82 42 40 .512 2nd in Central 2 0 2 .000 Lost in First Round
ATL 1982–83 82 43 39 .524 2nd in Central 3 1 2 .333 Lost in First Round
CHI 1983–84 82 27 55 .329 5th in Central Missed Playoffs
CHI 1984–85 82 38 44 .463 3rd in Central 4 1 3 .250 Lost in First Round
WSH 1985–86 13 7 6 .538 3rd in Atlantic 5 2 3 .400 Lost in First Round
WSH 1986–87 82 42 40 .512 3rd in Atlantic 3 0 3 .000 Lost in First Round
WSH 1987–88 27 8 19 .296 (fired)
MIA 1991–92 82 38 44 .463 4th in Atlantic 3 0 3 .000 Lost in First Round
MIA 1992–93 82 36 46 .439 5th in Atlantic Missed Playoffs
MIA 1993–94 82 42 40 .512 4th in Atlantic 5 2 3 .400 Lost in First Round
MIA 1994–95 46 17 29 .370 (fired)
Career 1136 474 662 .417 27 6 21 .222

References

  1. ^ "76ers Deal Clark to Bullets For Loughery and Carter," The Associated Press (AP), Sunday, October 17, 1971. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  2. ^ 1973 NBA Draft Pick Transactions, April 24 – Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  3. ^ "76ers Dismiss Rubin, Name Loughery Coach," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, January 23, 1973. Retrieved November 29, 2020
  4. ^ Harvin, Al. "People in Sports: Loughery Is Seeking Saint of 76ers," The New York Times, Thursday, January 25, 1973. Retrieved November 29, 2020
  5. ^ Keese, Parton. "People in Sports: Shue to 76ers," The New York Times, Saturday, June 16, 1973. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  6. ^ Chass, Murray. "Loughery Grabs a Plum: Five‐Year Net Contract," The New York Times, Friday, April 27, 1973. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  7. ^ "Unseld Replaces Loughery," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, January 4, 1988. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "Top South Florida News, Sports, Weather and Entertainment - South Florida Sun-Sentinel". 3 June 2002.
  9. ^ "Plentiful Point-Guard Crop Has Talent and Questions". 26 June 1999.
  10. ^ "A Special Tribute to Michael Jordan". 10 July 2012.