Kevin Loughery
Kevin Michael Loughery (born March 28, 1940) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 28, 1940 Brooklyn, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, New York) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1962 / Round: 2 / Pick: 11th overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Playing career | 1962–1973 |
| Position | Point guard / Shooting guard |
| Number | 21, 52, 22 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1962–1963 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1963–1971 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1971–1973 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| As coach: | |
| 1973 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1973–1980 | New York / New Jersey Nets |
| 1981–1983 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1983–1985 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1986–1988 | Washington Bullets |
| 1992–1994 | Miami Heat |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As coach:
| |
| Career playing statistics | |
| Points | 11,575 (15.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,254 (3.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,803 (3.7 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Career coaching record | |
| ABA & NBA | 642–746 (.463) |
Career biography
Loughery spent 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (1962–1973), almost nine of them with the Baltimore Bullets. His head coaching career began when he replaced Roy Rubin as player-coach of a Philadelphia 76ers team that was 4–47 on January 23, 1973.[1] He received a player‐coach contract that extended two more years beyond the balance of that season.[2] The team slightly improved under Loughery, posting a 5–26 record for the remainder of the season. Following the season, Loughery was replaced by Gene Shue.
After that disastrous season, Loughery retired as a player and became head coach of the American Basketball Association's New York Nets the following season. With superstar Julius Erving, Loughery won two ABA championships in three seasons. After the ABA disbanded and the Nets joined the NBA, Loughery continued to coach the Nets for their first five seasons in the league. The team would struggle in their first couple of seasons without Erving, whose contract was sold to the Philadelphia 76ers due to financial struggles. The team would also move to New Jersey and become the New Jersey Nets. He was fired midway through the 1980–81 season and replaced by Bob MacKinnon.
Loughery was hired by the Atlanta Hawks the very next season and he guided them to two straight playoff appearances, including one with rookie Dominique Wilkins. He was fired once again after the 1982–83 season and replaced by Mike Fratello.
The next two seasons, Loughery coached the Chicago Bulls. In his second season with rookie Michael Jordan, the Bulls made the playoffs. In the book The Jordan Rules Michael was quoted as saying that Loughery was the most fun coach he ever played for and that Loughery allowed him to free-lance and play the style he wanted.
Loughery was a longtime on-and-off broadcaster for CBS Sports' coverage of the NBA throughout the '80s, calling regular season and late playoff games.
Loughery went to the Washington Bullets the next season as an assistant to Gene Shue. When Shue was fired with 13 games left in the 1985–86 season, Loughery guided the team to the playoffs and once again the next season. The Bullets got off to a bad start in 1987–88 and Loughery was fired once again.
After working in broadcasting once again, doing part time work for TBS and TNT, Loughery was hired by the Miami Heat as their second coach three years after they joined the league as an expansion team. Loughery guided the Heat to their first ever playoff appearance and again in 1993–94.
After his stint with the Heat, Loughery went back into broadcasting, first working with CNN/SI until 2002 when they folded.[3] Loughery, who at times contributed as a guest for ESPN Radio,[4] then joined ESPN Radio's broadcast of the 2002 NBA Finals as a guest, later being hired full-time by ESPN for their radio broadcasts of the NBA starting with the 2002-03 season.[5]
Coaching record
NBA
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHI | 1972–73 | 31 | 5 | 26 | .161 | 4th in Atlantic | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| NYN | 1976–77 | 82 | 22 | 60 | .268 | 5th in Atlantic | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| NJN | 1977–78 | 82 | 24 | 58 | .293 | 5th in Atlantic | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| NJN | 1978–79 | 82 | 37 | 45 | .451 | 3rd in Atlantic | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Lost in First Round |
| NJN | 1979–80 | 82 | 34 | 48 | .415 | 5th in Atlantic | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| NJN | 1980–81 | 35 | 12 | 23 | .343 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| ATL | 1981–82 | 82 | 42 | 40 | .512 | 2nd in Central | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Lost in First Round |
| ATL | 1982–83 | 82 | 43 | 39 | .524 | 2nd in Central | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | Lost in First Round |
| CHI | 1983–84 | 82 | 27 | 55 | .329 | 5th in Central | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| CHI | 1984–85 | 82 | 38 | 44 | .463 | 3rd in Central | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost in First Round |
| WSH | 1985–86 | 13 | 7 | 6 | .538 | 3rd in Atlantic | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost in First Round |
| WSH | 1986–87 | 82 | 42 | 40 | .512 | 3rd in Atlantic | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | Lost in First Round |
| WSH | 1987–88 | 27 | 8 | 19 | .296 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| MIA | 1991–92 | 82 | 38 | 44 | .463 | 4th in Atlantic | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | Lost in First Round |
| MIA | 1992–93 | 82 | 36 | 46 | .439 | 5th in Atlantic | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
| MIA | 1993–94 | 82 | 42 | 40 | .512 | 4th in Atlantic | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost in First Round |
| MIA | 1994–95 | 46 | 17 | 29 | .370 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | 1136 | 474 | 662 | .417 | 27 | 6 | 21 | .222 |
References
- "76ers Dismiss Rubin, Name Loughery Coach," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, January 23, 1973. Retrieved November 29, 2020
- Harvin, Al. "People in Sports: Loughery Is Seeking Saint of 76ers," The New York Times, Thursday, January 25, 1973. Retrieved November 29, 2020
- https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2002-06-03-0206030107-story.html
- https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Plentiful-Point-Guard-Crop-Has-Talent-and-2922020.php
- https://www.espn.com/espn/magazine/archives/news/story?page=magazine-19990208-article49