Larry Costello
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Ronald "Larry" Costello (July 2, 1931 in Minoa, New York
– December 13, 2001) was an American professional basketball
player and coach.
He was known as the National Basketball Association
's last two-handed set shooter. After playing at Niagara University
, he joined the Philadelphia Warriors
in 1954. Two years later he was traded to the Syracuse Nationals
. He retired in 1965 from the Philadelphia 76ers
(the former Syracuse Nationals), but eventually came back for the 1966-67 NBA season
after new head coach Alex Hannum
told him he needed a veteran point guard. With 42 games into the season, Costello ripped his Achilles tendon
on January 6, 1967 and was replaced by Wali Jones
. He did, however, come back to participlate in the 1967 playoffs. Costello ended his career for the second and final time in 1968.
During his NBA career, Costello was selected to six NBA All-Star Game
s (playing in five). He led the league in free throw
percentage in the 1962-63
and 1964-65 seasons
.
Costello began his coaching career at East Syracuse-Minoa High School where he coached the boys varsity basketball team to the state championship for the first time in school history. He took over as head coach of the expansion team Milwaukee Bucks
in 1968 and coached them to a league-best 66-16 mark in 1970-71 including a then-NBA record 20 game win streak. They won the championship in the post-season with a 4-0 sweep of the Baltimore Bullets
. After a 3-15 start into the 1976-77 season
, he was fired. He coached the Chicago Bulls
for 56 games in 1978-79
before returning to Milwaukee to coach the Milwaukee Does
of the Women's Professional Basketball League
for part of the 1979-1980 season.
Costello's last coaching job was at Utica College
in the 1980s. The school was making the transition from Division III to Division I as an independent. Costello coached one season in Division III. In his second year in Division I, the Pioneers were the 7th most improved team in the country based on their won-loss record. He retired in 1987.
Costello appeared on NBA Live videogame series, as member of the 50's NBA Live Legend All-Stars Team
.
Costello died on December 13, 2001 after battling cancer for more than a year.
Minoa, New York
Minoa is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,348.The Village of Minoa in the northern part of the Town of Manlius and is east of Syracuse.- History :...
– December 13, 2001) was an American professional basketball
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 coach.
He was known as the 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...
's last two-handed set shooter. After playing at Niagara University
Niagara University
Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...
, he joined the Philadelphia 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 1954. Two years later he was traded to the Syracuse Nationals
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...
. He retired in 1965 from the 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...
(the former Syracuse Nationals), but eventually came back for the 1966-67 NBA season
1966-67 NBA season
The 1966–67 NBA Season was the 21st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Philadelphia 76ers winning the NBA Championship, beating the San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals, ending the Boston Celtics' record title run at 8.- Notable occurrences :*...
after new head coach Alex Hannum
Alex Hannum
Alexander Murray Hannum was a professional basketball player and Hall-of-Fame coach.-Coaching career:Hannum is mostly known for coaching the Wilt Chamberlain-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...
told him he needed a veteran point guard. With 42 games into the season, Costello ripped his Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
on January 6, 1967 and was replaced by Wali Jones
Wali Jones
Walter "Wali" Jones is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'2" 180 lb guard....
. He did, however, come back to participlate in the 1967 playoffs. Costello ended his career for the second and final time in 1968.
During his NBA career, Costello was selected to six NBA All-Star Game
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
s (playing in five). He led the league in free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
percentage in the 1962-63
1962-63 NBA season
The 1962–63 NBA season was the 17th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 5th straight NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.- History :...
and 1964-65 seasons
1964-65 NBA season
The 1964–65 NBA Season was the 19th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 7th straight NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.-Preseason:...
.
Costello began his coaching career at East Syracuse-Minoa High School where he coached the boys varsity basketball team to the state championship for the first time in school history. He took over as head coach of the expansion team Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
in 1968 and coached them to a league-best 66-16 mark in 1970-71 including a then-NBA record 20 game win streak. They won the championship in the post-season with a 4-0 sweep of the Baltimore Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
. After a 3-15 start into the 1976-77 season
1976-77 NBA season
The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Portland Trail Blazers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
, he was fired. He coached the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
for 56 games in 1978-79
1978-79 NBA season
The 1978–79 NBA season was the 33rd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Seattle SuperSonics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals, a rematch of the previous year's Finals, but with the opposite...
before returning to Milwaukee to coach the Milwaukee Does
Milwaukee Does
The Milwaukee Does were a team in the short-lived Women's Professional Basketball League. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, their name was a play on that of the NBA Milwaukee Bucks. The Does played in the first two of the WPBL's three seasons, 1978–1979 and 1979–1980, before disbanding...
of the Women's Professional Basketball League
Women's Professional Basketball League
The Women's Professional Basketball League was a professional women's basketball league in the United States. The league played three seasons from the fall of 1978 to the spring of 1981...
for part of the 1979-1980 season.
Costello's last coaching job was at Utica College
Utica College
Utica College is a private university located in Utica, New York. The history of the college dates back to the 1930s when Syracuse University began offering extension courses in the Utica area. Syracuse University established Utica College as a four-year institution in 1946, and in 1995, UC ...
in the 1980s. The school was making the transition from Division III to Division I as an independent. Costello coached one season in Division III. In his second year in Division I, the Pioneers were the 7th most improved team in the country based on their won-loss record. He retired in 1987.
Costello appeared on NBA Live videogame series, as member of the 50's NBA Live Legend All-Stars Team
NBA Live Legend All-Stars Teams
NBA Live Legend All-Stars Teams is a video game featuring teams on the NBA Live video games series . It features five teams, each representing a decade, starting from the 1950s. Each team consists great players from that era...
.
Costello died on December 13, 2001 after battling cancer for more than a year.
External links
- Player stats @ basketball-reference.com
- Coaching stats @ basketball-reference.com
- http://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/Class_of_1998/Larry_Costello/larry_costello.html