Alex Hannum
Encyclopedia
Alexander Murray Hannum (July 19, 1923 — January 18, 2002) was a professional basketball
player and Hall-of-Fame coach.
-led Philadelphia 76ers
of 1966-67 to the NBA championship, ending the eight-year title streak of the Boston Celtics
. He had also coached the Bob Pettit
-led St. Louis Hawks team to the 1958 NBA Championship over the Celtics in the NBA Finals
, thus making him the first of only three head coaches in NBA history to win championships with two different teams (the other two are Phil Jackson
and Pat Riley
). The aforementioned seasons were the only two in Bill Russell
's 13-year career in which the Celtics' center did not win an NBA championship. In 1964, Hannum was named NBA Coach of the Year while with the San Francisco Warriors
.
In 1968 Hannum was named head coach and executive vice president of the Oakland Oaks
of the American Basketball Association
. In Hannum coached the Rick Barry
-led Oaks to the 1969 ABA Championship
, becoming the first of two coaches to win championships in both the NBA and ABA. Hannum won the ABA Coach of the Year honors the same season.
Hannum on April 8, 1971 left his position as head coach coach of the San Diego Rockets of the NBA to become President, General Manager and head coach of the ABA's Denver Rockets. In his first season the Rockets lost their opening playoff match to the Texas Chaparrals. On June 13, 1972 Hannum bought control of the Rockets with A.G. "Bud" Fischer and Frank M. Goldberg. In the 1972-73 season Hannum coached the Rockets to the 1973 ABA Playoffs
but they lost in the first round of the Western Division playoffs to the Indiana Pacers
, 4 games to 1. Hannum returned the Rockets to the 1974 ABA Playoffs
where they lost in their opening match to the San Diego Conquistadors
. On April 30, 1974 Hannum was dismissed as president, general manager and head coach of the Rockets.
Hannum was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. Twelve Hall-of-Famers played for Hannum — in addition to Pettit, Chamberlain and Barry, he had also coached Cliff Hagan
, Ed Macauley
, Slater Martin
, Dolph Schayes
, Nate Thurmond
, Billy Cunningham
, Hal Greer
, Elvin Hayes
and Calvin Murphy. Hannum, a native of Los Angeles, California
, and graduate of the University of Southern California
, died at the age of 78 in San Diego, California
.
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and Hall-of-Fame coach.
Coaching career
Hannum is mostly known for coaching the Wilt ChamberlainWilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
-led Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
of 1966-67 to the NBA championship, ending the eight-year title streak of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. He had also coached the Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit
Robert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
-led St. Louis Hawks team to the 1958 NBA Championship over the Celtics in the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
, thus making him the first of only three head coaches in NBA history to win championships with two different teams (the other two are Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
and Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
). The aforementioned seasons were the only two in Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
's 13-year career in which the Celtics' center did not win an NBA championship. In 1964, Hannum was named NBA Coach of the Year while with the San Francisco Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
In 1968 Hannum was named head coach and executive vice president of the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (ABA)
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
. In Hannum coached the Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
-led Oaks to the 1969 ABA Championship
1969 ABA Playoffs
The 1969 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1968-1969 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Oakland Oaks defeating the Eastern Division champion Indiana Pacers, four games to one in the ABA Finals.-Notable events:The...
, becoming the first of two coaches to win championships in both the NBA and ABA. Hannum won the ABA Coach of the Year honors the same season.
Hannum on April 8, 1971 left his position as head coach coach of the San Diego Rockets of the NBA to become President, General Manager and head coach of the ABA's Denver Rockets. In his first season the Rockets lost their opening playoff match to the Texas Chaparrals. On June 13, 1972 Hannum bought control of the Rockets with A.G. "Bud" Fischer and Frank M. Goldberg. In the 1972-73 season Hannum coached the Rockets to the 1973 ABA Playoffs
1973 ABA Playoffs
The 1973 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1972-1973 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels, four games to three in the ABA Finals.-Notable...
but they lost in the first round of the Western Division playoffs to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, 4 games to 1. Hannum returned the Rockets to the 1974 ABA Playoffs
1974 ABA Playoffs
The 1974 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1973-1974 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Nets defeating the Western Division champion Utah Stars, four games to one in the ABA Finals.-Notable events:A one game...
where they lost in their opening match to the San Diego Conquistadors
San Diego Conquistadors
The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
. On April 30, 1974 Hannum was dismissed as president, general manager and head coach of the Rockets.
Hannum was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. Twelve Hall-of-Famers played for Hannum — in addition to Pettit, Chamberlain and Barry, he had also coached Cliff Hagan
Cliff Hagan
Clifford Oldham Hagan is an American former professional basketball player. A 6-4 forward who excelled with the hook shot, Hagan, nicknamed "Li'l Abner," played his entire 10-year NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks...
, Ed Macauley
Ed Macauley
Charles Edward "Ed" Macauley was a professional basketball player in the NBA. His playing nickname was "Easy Ed."...
, Slater Martin
Slater Martin
Slater Nelson "Dugie" Martin Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association...
, Dolph Schayes
Dolph Schayes
Adolph "Dolph" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player and coach in the NBA. A top scorer and rebounder, he was a member of the 1955 NBA champion Syracuse Nationals and a 12-time All-Star....
, Nate Thurmond
Nate Thurmond
Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond is a retired American basketball player. Dominant at both center and power forward, he was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double....
, Billy Cunningham
Billy Cunningham
William John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
, Hal Greer
Hal Greer
Harold Everett Greer is a retired American professional basketball player.He attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School in Huntington. He played college basketball at Marshall University and was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA in 1958...
, Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
and Calvin Murphy. Hannum, a native of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and graduate of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, died at the age of 78 in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
High school career
Hannum prepped at Hamilton High School in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Trivia
- Hannum is one of only two NBA players to receive more than six personal fouls in a single game (Don OttenDon OttenDonald F. Otten was an American professional basketball player.A 6'10" center from Bellefontaine High School and Bowling Green State University, Otten began his professional career in 1946 with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks of the National Basketball League...
is the other). On December 26, 1950, Hannum received seven personal fouls in a game against the Boston Celtics.