George Kok
Encyclopedia
George Kok is a former college and professional basketball
player who, at the University of Arkansas
, in the 1940s, was one of the first true big men to dominate the game. He was the second overall pick in the 1948 Basketball Association of America Draft
, but never played in the league that was the predecessor of today's National Basketball Association
.
before coming to Arkansas. Because of the shortage of athletes at the end of World War II
, Kok was able to play a full four seasons 1944-45 to 1947-48 (versus the usual 3 years of eligibility in most instances up until the 1970s). Standing 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Kok dominated the game from his freshman days, averaging 18.7 points in his first season. During that 1944-45 season, he led the team to the final four teams of the NCAA Tournament, losing to Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State
) and its dominant big man, Bob Kurland
, 69-41 in the regional final.
Kok went on to become the first Arkansas player to score over 1,000 points in his career, finishing with 1,644 in 94 games, an average of 17.5 per contest. He still ranks number 11 on the all-time Arkansas scoring list at the start of the 2008-2009 season and his career total was not surpassed for 30 years. He was named The Sporting News 2nd team All-America in 1945, Associated Press
3rd team All-America in 1948 and All-Southwest Conference in 1945, 1946 and 1948. He twice led the Southwest Conference in scoring.
in the 1948 BAA Draft, but never signed with the team nor played in the league. He did play one season with Bridgeport in the American Basketball League in 1949-50, leading the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game and helping the team to the league finals, where they lost to Scranton.
and spent 24 years teaching at the school.
Kok has been honored by the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1988), the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor (1994) and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame (2005).
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 who, at the University of Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
, in the 1940s, was one of the first true big men to dominate the game. He was the second overall pick in the 1948 Basketball Association of America Draft
1948 BAA Draft
The 1948 BAA Draft was the second annual draft of the Basketball Association of America , which later became the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 10, 1948 before to the 1948–49 season. In this draft, eight BAA teams along with four teams who moved from the National...
, but never played in the league that was the predecessor of today's National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
College career
Kok played high school athletics in Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
before coming to Arkansas. Because of the shortage of athletes at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kok was able to play a full four seasons 1944-45 to 1947-48 (versus the usual 3 years of eligibility in most instances up until the 1970s). Standing 6 feet, 10 inches tall, Kok dominated the game from his freshman days, averaging 18.7 points in his first season. During that 1944-45 season, he led the team to the final four teams of the NCAA Tournament, losing to Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
) and its dominant big man, Bob Kurland
Bob Kurland
Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland was a basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A & M Aggies basketball team...
, 69-41 in the regional final.
Kok went on to become the first Arkansas player to score over 1,000 points in his career, finishing with 1,644 in 94 games, an average of 17.5 per contest. He still ranks number 11 on the all-time Arkansas scoring list at the start of the 2008-2009 season and his career total was not surpassed for 30 years. He was named The Sporting News 2nd team All-America in 1945, Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
3rd team All-America in 1948 and All-Southwest Conference in 1945, 1946 and 1948. He twice led the Southwest Conference in scoring.
Professional career
Kok was selected as the number two pick overall by the Indianapolis JetsIndianapolis Jets
The Indianapolis Jets were a Basketball Association of America team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team lasted for one season and was later replaced by a new franchise.-Franchise history:...
in the 1948 BAA Draft, but never signed with the team nor played in the league. He did play one season with Bridgeport in the American Basketball League in 1949-50, leading the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game and helping the team to the league finals, where they lost to Scranton.
Post-playing career
Following his playing days, Kok became the first athletic director at Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and spent 24 years teaching at the school.
Kok has been honored by the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1988), the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor (1994) and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame (2005).