Bill Sharman
Inducted:
2004
Player Stats
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Born
May 25, 1926
Abilene, Texas, U.S.
Died
October 25, 2013
Redondo Beach, California, U.S.
Position
Coach
College
USC (1946–1950)
Bill Sharman is a rare dual-inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, honored first as a player (1976) and later as a coach (2004). While his playing career with the Celtics was legendary, his coaching career was revolutionary. Sharman is the only coach in history to win championships and Coach of the Year honors in three different professional leagues: the ABL (Cleveland Pipers), the ABA (Utah Stars), and the NBA (Los Angeles Lakers).
His coaching masterpiece came in the 1971–72 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Inheriting a team of aging superstars like Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West, Sharman implemented a rigorous fast-break system and defensive discipline that led to an NBA-record 33-game winning streak—a mark that still stands across all four major American sports.
Sharman's Awards and Records
- ABA champion (1971)
- ABL champion (1962)
- ABA Coach of the Year (1970)
- ABA All-Star Game head coach (1971)
NBA Records
- NBA champion (1972)
- NBA Coach of the Year (1972)
- 3× NBA All-Star Game head coach (1968, 1972, 1973)
- Set NBA record for wins in a season (at the time)
NBA Team
San Francisco Warriors (1966–1968)
Los Angeles / Utah Stars (1968–1971)
Los Angeles Lakers (1971–1976)
NBA Stats
Head coaching career:
1962–1976
Game Coached:
819
Win:
466
Lose:
353
W/L(%):
.569
NBA championships as head coach:
1
NBA Finals appearances:
2
Best season record:
69–13 (1971–72)