Albert "Runt" Pullins (November 23, 1910 - October 19, 1985) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he led Wendell Phillips High School to a lightweight city basketball championship. This was the first city basketball title in Chicago's history to be won by an African American team. [1] He became one of the original members of Abe Saperstein's Harlem Globetrotters in 1929 and was among the team's biggest stars. Pullins was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. [2]
James Naismith was a Canadian-American physical educator, physician, Christian chaplain, and sports coach, best known as the inventor of the game of basketball. After moving to the United States, he wrote the original basketball rule book and founded the University of Kansas basketball program. Naismith lived to see basketball adopted as an Olympic demonstration sport in 1904 and as an official event at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, as well as the birth of the National Invitation Tournament (1938) and the NCAA Tournament (1939).
Charles Theodore "Tarzan" Cooper was an American professional basketball player and coach who is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is best known for his time with the all-Black professional New York Renaissance.
Everett Sterling Dean was an American college basketball and baseball coach.
Guy William Rodgers was an American professional basketball player born in Philadelphia. He spent twelve years (1958–1970) in the NBA, and was one of the league's best playmakers in the early to mid-1960s. Rodgers led the NBA in assists twice, and placed second six times. Rodgers was inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton was an American professional basketball and baseball player. He is best known as one of the first African Americans to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletic administrator. He attended the University of Chicago, where he won varsity letters in three sports. Hinkle captained the Chicago Maroons basketball team for two seasons was twice selected as an All-American, in 1919 and 1920. After graduating from the University of Chicago, Hinkle moved on to Butler University as a coach. There, over the course of nearly 50 years, he served as the head football coach, head basketball coach, and head baseball coach. Hinkle was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 1965. Butler's home basketball arena was renamed as Hinkle Fieldhouse in the coach's honor in 1966.
Andrew Michael "Handy Andy" Phillip was an American professional basketball player. Born in Granite City, Illinois, Phillip had an 11-year career and played for the Chicago Stags of the Basketball Association of America and the Philadelphia Warriors, Fort Wayne Pistons and Boston Celtics, of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Louis Dampier is an American retired professional basketball player.
Harlan Orville "Pat" Page was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He was one of basketball's first star players in the early 1900s. The 5'9" Chicago native played guard at the University of Chicago (1906–1910) and was known as a defensive specialist. While leading Chicago to three national championships (1907–1909), the Helms Athletic Foundation retroactively named him an All-American each time and named National Player of the Year in 1910. Page also played football at Chicago. Walter Camp selected him as a second-team All-American at the end in 1908 and a third-team All-American at the same position in 1909.
John David "Honey" Russell was an American basketball player and coach who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1964. He turned professional after his sophomore year of high school, and for the next 28 years he played for numerous early 20th century pro teams, including many in the American Basketball League. His career included over 3,200 pro games. He was the first coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics (1946–1948).
William Robert "Slick" Leonard was an American professional basketball player, coach and color commentator. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, where he was a two-time All-American and a member of their national championship squad in 1953. After playing professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Leonard coached the Indiana Pacers to three American Basketball Association (ABA) championships. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2014.
Lynn Wilbur "the Saint" St. John was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. The Union City, Pennsylvania native was the head basketball coach at Ohio State University from 1911 to 1919, and served as the school's second athletic director, a position he held for 33 years. He also served on the NCAA Rules Committee along with James Naismith from 1912 to 1937). In 1956, Ohio State built a new basketball arena and named it St. John Arena after him. In 1962, he was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor.
John William Isaacs was a Panamanian-American professional basketball player. Born in Panama but raised in New York City, he was a member of the New York Renaissance, the Washington Bears, and various other teams.
Harold E. "Bud" Foster, was an American basketball player and coach. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Foster prepped at Mason City, Iowa and went on to play at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1926 to 1930. While a player at Wisconsin, he was voted twice All Big Ten Conference and helped lead Wisconsin to a 43–8 three year record. He was born in Newton, Kansas.
The Curt Gowdy Media Award is an annual award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters. It is named for American sportscaster Curt Gowdy, who was the Hall of Fame's president for seven years.
Charles Hollis Taylor was an American basketball player and basketball shoe salesman/ marketer who was associated with Chuck Taylor All-Stars, which he helped to improve and promote.
Patrick Baumann was a Swiss basketball executive, player and coach. He was the President of the Global Association of International Sports Federations and Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). He was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in Brooklyn, New York. The team plays in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).