Mike Novak
Encyclopedia
Michael D. Novak was an American basketball
player who played in the NBL
, BAA
, and NBA
from 1939 to 1954. A 6'9" center
from Loyola University Chicago
, he was one of the first prominent "big men" to play professional basketball, averaging 8.5 points per game over the course of his career as a member of the Chicago Bruins
, Chicago Studebaker Flyers
, Sheboygan Red Skins, Syracuse Nationals
, Rochester Royals
, and Philadelphia Warriors.
Novak was the seventh-highest scorer in the history of the 12-season NBL. Some of his greatest seasons came during his middle years, with the Sheboygan Red Skins. He joined the team in 1943-44, played in all 22 games and helped Sheboygan to a 14-8 record, good for second place in the four-team league. He scored 92 points during the regular season. In the playoffs, Sheboygan advanced to the NBL finals opposite the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, who won the title.
In 1944-45, Novak teamed with 6-7 forward Eddie Dancker to form the league's best 1-2 punch in the middle. He increased his scoring to 233 points in 27 games, and Western Division champion Sheboygan (19-11) again advanced to the finals to play Fort Wayne. The Red Skins won the first two games of the best-of-five series, only to get swept in the next three.
The following season, Novak was named a second-team choice on the all-league team. He scored 310 points in 34 games for Hall of Famer Dutch Dehnert's Red Skins, who won the Western Division title with a 21-13 record and advanced to the NBL championship series against the powerful Rochester Royals, who included Hall of Famers Al Cervi
, Bob Davies and Red Holzman
. Rochester, which would win the NBA championship five years later, swept Sheboygan for the title.
After only three games in 1946-47, Novak was dealt to the Syracuse Nationals. Doxie Moore
had replaced Dehnert as Sheboygan's head coach.
Novak scored 2,281 points in nine NBL seasons, 320 in one BAA season and 100 in two NBA seasons.
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 played in the NBL
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
, BAA
Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. The league merged with the National Basketball League in 1949, forming the National Basketball Association ...
, and NBA
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...
from 1939 to 1954. A 6'9" center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
from Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
, he was one of the first prominent "big men" to play professional basketball, averaging 8.5 points per game over the course of his career as a member of the Chicago Bruins
Chicago Bruins
The Chicago Bruins were an American basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois that was a member of the American Basketball League. The Bruins later played in the National Basketball League and World Professional Basketball Tournament....
, Chicago Studebaker Flyers
Chicago Studebaker Flyers
The Chicago Studebaker Flyers were a National Basketball League team from 1942 to 1943. They were funded by the United Auto Workers and replaced George Halas' Chicago Bruins, who folded in 1942....
, Sheboygan Red Skins, Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
, Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
, and Philadelphia Warriors.
Novak was the seventh-highest scorer in the history of the 12-season NBL. Some of his greatest seasons came during his middle years, with the Sheboygan Red Skins. He joined the team in 1943-44, played in all 22 games and helped Sheboygan to a 14-8 record, good for second place in the four-team league. He scored 92 points during the regular season. In the playoffs, Sheboygan advanced to the NBL finals opposite the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, who won the title.
In 1944-45, Novak teamed with 6-7 forward Eddie Dancker to form the league's best 1-2 punch in the middle. He increased his scoring to 233 points in 27 games, and Western Division champion Sheboygan (19-11) again advanced to the finals to play Fort Wayne. The Red Skins won the first two games of the best-of-five series, only to get swept in the next three.
The following season, Novak was named a second-team choice on the all-league team. He scored 310 points in 34 games for Hall of Famer Dutch Dehnert's Red Skins, who won the Western Division title with a 21-13 record and advanced to the NBL championship series against the powerful Rochester Royals, who included Hall of Famers Al Cervi
Al Cervi
Alfred Nicholas Cervi was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . One of the strongest backcourt players of the 1940s and 1950s, he was always assigned to defend against the opposing team's best scoring threat...
, Bob Davies and Red Holzman
Red Holzman
William "Red" Holzman was an NBA basketball player and coach probably best known as the head coach of the New York Knicks from 1967 to 1982. Holzman helped lead the Knicks to two NBA Championships in 1970 and 1973, and was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985...
. Rochester, which would win the NBA championship five years later, swept Sheboygan for the title.
After only three games in 1946-47, Novak was dealt to the Syracuse Nationals. Doxie Moore
Doxie Moore
John Doxie Moore was an American basketball player and coach. He attended Delphi High School in Delphi, Indiana, and played college ball at Purdue University from 1930-34...
had replaced Dehnert as Sheboygan's head coach.
Novak scored 2,281 points in nine NBL seasons, 320 in one BAA season and 100 in two NBA seasons.
External links
- NBA Career Stats @basketball-reference.com