Jack Coleman (basketball)

Jack Coleman

Personal information
Born	(1924-05-23)May 23, 1924 Burgin, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	December 11, 1998(1998-12-11) (aged 74) Burgin, Kentucky, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school	Burgin (Burgin, Kentucky)
College	Louisville (1946–1949)
BAA draft	1949: 2nd round
Selected by the Rochester Royals
Playing career	1949–1958
Position	Power forward / center
Number	10, 15, 12, 11
Career history
1949–1956	Rochester Royals
1956–1958	St. Louis Hawks
Career highlights and awards
NBA 2× NBA champion (1951, 1958) NBA All-Star (1955) College football Third-team Little All-American (1946)
Career statistics
Points	6,721 (10.6 ppg)
Rebounds	5,186 (9.2 rpg)
Assists	1,749 (2.8 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Jack Lillard Coleman (May 23, 1924 – December 11, 1998) was an American professional basketball player. After playing college basketball for Louisville, Coleman played in the National Basketball Association for the Rochester Royals and St. Louis Hawks from 1949 through 1957.

Career

A 6-foot-7-inch (2.01 m) forward and center from the University of Louisville, Coleman played nine seasons (1949–1958) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Rochester Royals and St. Louis Hawks. He tallied 6,721 points and 5,186 rebounds in his career, and he represented Rochester in the 1955 NBA All-Star Game. Coleman also appeared in three NBA Finals, winning championships with Rochester in 1951 and St. Louis in 1958.

During the Hawks' losing effort in the 1957 NBA Finals, Coleman became the unwitting victim of one of Bill Russell's greatest defensive plays. In the final game of the series, Coleman had an opportunity to clinch the Hawks' championship with a layup after receiving an outlet pass at midcourt. Bill Russell, who had been standing at his own baseline when the play began, ran the entire length of the floor and managed to block Coleman's shot, preserving the victory for the Celtics. Celtics announcer Johnny Most screamed, "Blocked by Russell! Blocked by Russell! He came from nowhere!" The play has since gone down in history as the "Coleman Play."

Personal life

Coleman's son, also named Jack, served in the Kentucky House of Representatives in the 55th district from 1991 through 2004. His granddaughter Jacqueline is the current Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky.

NBA career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high
†	Won an NBA championship

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1949–50	Rochester	68	–	.377	.744	–	2.3	8.7
1950–51†	Rochester	67	–	.421	.779	8.7	2.9	11.4
1951–52	Rochester	66	39.5	.415	.710	10.5	3.2	11.2
1952–53	Rochester	70	37.5	.420	.649	11.1	3.3	10.9
1953–54	Rochester	71	33.5	.405	.597	8.3	2.2	9.7
1954–55	Rochester	72	34.5	.462	.678	10.1	3.2	12.8
1955–56	Rochester	34	40.3	.412	.712	10.1	4.3	14.1
1955–56	St. Louis	41	33.4	.412	.710	8.4	3.6	11.7
1956–57	St. Louis	72	29.8	.408	.764	9.0	2.2	10.5
1957–58†	St. Louis	72	20.9	.413	.641	6.7	1.6	7.6
Career		633	33.1	.416	.695	9.2	2.8	10.6
All-Star		1	19.0	.250	.667	6.0	1.0	6.0

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1950	Rochester	2	–	.350	1.000	–	2.0	7.5
1951†	Rochester	14	–	.396	.732	12.8	4.7	10.0
1952	Rochester	6	41.2	.407	.611	12.2	5.8	9.8
1953	Rochester	3	36.7	.292	.800	13.3	2.3	7.3
1954	Rochester	6	39.7	.500	.889	12.3	2.0	11.7
1955	Rochester	3	30.3	.306	.222	9.3	2.7	8.0
1956	St. Louis	8	41.4	.393	.629	9.9	4.0	13.8
1957	St. Louis	10	31.3	.319	.588	8.8	3.3	9.2
1958†	St. Louis	11	22.1	.427	.575	5.5	1.7	9.0
Career		63	33.5	.385	.646	10.2	3.4	10.0