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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
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
PositionGuard
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 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

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 became player-coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1973, when the team had a 4–47 record, replacing Roy Rubin. The team slightly improved under Loughery, posting a 5–26 record for the remainder of the season. Following the season, Loughery was replaced by Gene Shue.

After that disastrous season, Loughery retired as a player and became head coach of the American Basketball Association's New York Nets the following season. 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. The Bullets got off to a bad start in 1987–88 and Loughery was fired once again.

After working in broadcasting, Loughery was hired by the Miami Heat as their second 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.

Coaching record

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