Tom Marshall (basketball)
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Marshall (born January 6, 1931) is a former basketball
player and coach. He graduated from Mt. Juliet High School in Mt. Juliet,Tennessee. He was a star at Western Kentucky University
in the 1950s, where he was a 2-time All-American. His number 41 is one of only six retired at WKU.He was named to the OVC Half-Century Team and the OVC 40th Anniversary team. A 6'4" forward, he was drafted by the Rochester Royals
with the 7th pick of the 1954 NBA Draft
. After a promising rookie season, he was drafted into the Army and missed the 1955-56 season. In a four-year NBA career, he played for the Royals (in both Rochester and Cincinnati), as well as for the Detroit Pistons
. In his final year as a player (1958–59) he served as a player-coach
; then coached the Cincinnati Royals
for one additional season (1959–60) after retiring from playing. The Royals would eventually become the Sacramento Kings
many years after his retirement.
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 graduated from Mt. Juliet High School in Mt. Juliet,Tennessee. He was a star at Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
in the 1950s, where he was a 2-time All-American. His number 41 is one of only six retired at WKU.He was named to the OVC Half-Century Team and the OVC 40th Anniversary team. A 6'4" forward, he was drafted by the Rochester Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
with the 7th pick of the 1954 NBA Draft
1954 NBA Draft
The 1954 NBA Draft was the eight annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 24, 1954 before the 1954–55 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. In each round, the teams select in reverse order of...
. After a promising rookie season, he was drafted into the Army and missed the 1955-56 season. In a four-year NBA career, he played for the Royals (in both Rochester and Cincinnati), as well as for the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
. In his final year as a player (1958–59) he served as a player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
; then coached the Cincinnati Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for one additional season (1959–60) after retiring from playing. The Royals would eventually become the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
many years after his retirement.