Bill Sharman

Only the third person to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a coach, success seemed to follow Bill Sharman wherever he went. Following his playing career with the Boston Celtics, Sharman signed on with the Los Angeles Jets of the new American Basketball League. In 1962, he led the Cleveland Pipers to the ABL title and won Coach of the Year honors. Sharman turned to coaching full time, first in college and then back in the NBA. He moved to the American Basketball Association, guided the Utah Stars to the 1971 ABA championship, and again won Coach of the Year honors. Shifting back to the NBA, Sharman was named Coach of the Year for leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the 1972 title. He finished his professional coaching career with 509 regular season and 62 playoff victories with three titles. Sharman served as Lakers General Manager, and then President, through 1990.