1.
National Basketball Association
–
The National Basketball Association is the major mens professional basketball league in North America, and is widely considered to be the premier mens professional basketball league in the world. It has 30 teams, and is a member of USA Basketball. The NBA is one of the four professional sports leagues in the United States. NBA players are the worlds best paid athletes by average annual salary per player, the league was founded in New York City on June 6,1946, as the Basketball Association of America. The league adopted the name National Basketball Association on August 3,1949, the leagues several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, the Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1,1946, in Toronto, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens, the first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. During its early years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that leagues 1948 title, Following the 1948–49 season, the BAA took in the remainder of the NBL, Syracuse, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan, Denver, and Waterloo. The new league had seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as arenas and smaller gymnasiums. The process of contraction saw the leagues smaller-city franchises move to larger cities, the Hawks shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati in 1957, japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he played for the New York Knicks. He remained the only player in league history prior to the first African-American, Harold Hunter. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships, to encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954. If a team does not attempt to score a goal within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped. In 1957, rookie center Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics, who already featured guard Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, and went on to lead the club to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league with the Warriors in 1959 and became a dominant individual star of the 1960s, russells rivalry with Chamberlain became one of the greatest rivalries in the history of American team sports. The 1960s were dominated by the Celtics, led by Russell, Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, Boston won eight straight championships in the NBA from 1959 to 1966
2.
Shelby, North Carolina
–
Shelby is a city in and the county seat of Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. It lies near the edge of the Charlotte combined statistical area. The population was 20,323 at the 2010 census, victor McBrayer House, George Sperling House and Outbuildings, Joseph Suttle House, Webbley, and West Warren Street Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1916, Thomas Dixon, Jr. the author of The Clansman, A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan, the project was initially met with enthusiasm, until it was announced that Dixon wanted McAfee to wear a Ku Klux Klan mask in the statue. The city gained international attention when it became the site of the arrest of the suspected Charleston church shootings perpetrator, Dylann Roof. Shelby is located in south-central Cleveland County, U. S.74, a four-lane highway, runs through the city south of the center, and leads east 21 miles to Gastonia and west 27 miles to Rutherfordton. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 21.1 square miles, of which 21.1 square miles is land and 0.04 square miles. As of the census of 2000, there were 19,477 people,7,927 households, the population density was 1,073.8 people per square mile. There were 8,853 housing units at a density of 488. 1/sq mi. The racial makeup of the city was 56. 88% White,40. 97% African American,0. 09% Native American,0. 56% Asian,0. 02% Pacific Islander,0. 72% from other races, and 0. 76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1. 56% of the population,31. 6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15. 1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the family size was 2.97. In the city the population was out with 25. 0% under the age of 18,7. 6% from 18 to 24,25. 8% from 25 to 44,21. 8% from 45 to 64. The median age was 39 years, for every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males, the median income for a household in the city was $29,345, and the median income for a family was $38,603. Males had an income of $30,038 versus $21,362 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,708, about 14. 3% of families and 17. 8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26. 7% of those under age 18 and 13. 7% of those age 65 or over. Shelby is served by US Highway 74 and its business route, US74 Business travels through uptown Shelby along Marion St. and Warren St. giving travelers access to Shelbys growing central business district
3.
Appalachian State Mountaineers men's basketball
–
The Appalachian State Mountaineers basketball team is the college basketball team at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers compete in the Sun Belt Conference after having competed in the Southern Conference from 1972 to 2014 and they are currently a Division I member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Appalachian State plays their games at the George M. Holmes Convocation Center. Notable past coaches include Press Maravich and Bobby Cremins, the Mountaineers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament twice,1979 and 2000, and appeared in the National Invitation Tournament in 2007. The Mountaineers also reached the semifinals of the 2010 CollegeInsider. com Postseason Tournament, the Mountaineers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament two times. The Mountaineers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament one time, the Mountaineers have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational one time. The Mountaineers have appeared in the NAIA Tournament five times, appalachians primary basketball rival is the Davidson Wildcats. The proximity of the two campuses as well as the number of Appalachian alumni in the Charlotte region add to the animosity between the two schools. The two teams have met on the hardwood 70 times, the Apps have won 32 of the meetings, the Cats have won 38
4.
Point guard
–
The point guard, also called the one or point, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position, point guards are expected to run the teams offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. A point guard, like other player positions in basketball, specializes in certain skills, a point guards primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for his/her team, or sometimes for themselves. Lee Rose has described a point guard as a coach on the floor and this involves setting up plays on the court, getting the ball to the teammate in the best position to score, and controlling the tempo of the game. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break, point guards are expected to be vocal floor leaders. A point guard needs always to have in mind the times on the clock and the game clock, the score. Among the taller players who have enjoyed success at the position is Magic Johnson, other point guards who have been named NBA MVP include Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Derrick Rose and two-time winners Stephen Curry and Steve Nash. In the NBA, point guards are usually about 65 or shorter, having above-average size is considered advantageous, although size is secondary to situational awareness, speed, quickness, and ball handling skills. Shorter players tend to be better dribblers since they are closer to the floor, after an opponent scores, it is typically the point guard who brings the ball down court to begin an offensive play. Passing skills, ball handling, and court vision are crucial, speed is important, a speedy point guard is better able to create separation and space off the dribble, giving him/herself room to work. Point guards are often valued more for their assist totals than for their scoring, another major evaluation factor is Assist-to-Turnover ratio, which reflects the decision-making skills of the player. Still, a point guard should also have a reasonably effective jump shot. The point guard is positioned on the perimeter of the play and this is a necessity because of the point guards many leadership obligations. Many times, the point guard is referred to by announcers as a coach on the floor or a floor general, in the past, this was particularly true, as several point guards such as Lenny Wilkens served their teams as player-coaches. This is not so common anymore, as most coaches are now solely specialized in coaching and are non-players, former Suns head coach Mike DAntoni had often allowed Steve Nash to freelance when leading the Suns offense, even letting him call his own plays at times. Even point guards who are not given this much freedom, however, are extensions of their coach on the floor. John Stockton is widely considered to be the point guard. He also used the pick and roll maneuvre with Karl Malone, along with leadership and a general basketball acumen, ball-handling is a skill of great importance to a point guard
5.
Baylor Bears basketball
–
The Baylor Bears basketball team represents Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in NCAA Division I mens basketball competition. The Bears compete in the Big 12 Conference, the team plays its home games in Ferrell Center and is currently coached by Scott Drew. Luther Burleson coached the first basketball team at Baylor in 1907 also doubling as the football coach, in Baylors second season of basketball then cross-town rival TCU began their program which the Bears defeated twice during the 1908–09 season. Ralph Glazes.788 winning percentage ranks at the best all time in school history, Ralph Wolf lead Baylor to its first SWC Championship in 1932 after surviving and overcoming one of the first great tragedies in college athletics in his first season as coach. On January 22,1927, Coach Ralph Wolfs Baylor Basketball team was travelling by bus to play the University of Texas, as the bus passed through Round Rock, Texas, it approached railroad tracks on the south side of the business district on a drizzly, cloudy day. As the bus crossed the tracks the occupants failed to hear the sound of the train whistle and ringing bell. The driver caught sight of the train at the last moment and tried to steer away, Ten Baylor students and basketball players were killed by the impact. One player, James Clyde Abe Kelly, pushed his friend, Weir Washam, out the window of the bus just moments before impact, saving the life of Washam but costing Kelly his life. The bodies of Kelly and Robert Hailey were found stretched across the cow-catcher on the front of the train with arms locked around each other with Kelly missing a leg. Ivy Foster Sr. of Taylor, Texas, had heard of the accident and rushed to the station in Taylor to meet the train. The remainder of the 1927 season was canceled, the tragedy had reverberations over the entire state and nation and led to the construction of the first railway overpass in Texas where the event occurred at Round Rock. Buses were later required to come to a stop and open the door at all rail crossings to listen for trains. The Immortal Ten story has been commemorated each year since 1927 at first in Chapel services then later at the Freshman Mass Meeting during Homecoming Week, in 2007, the event was also memorialized in bronze on the Baylor campus in Traditions Plaza. On January 22,2017, on the 90th anniversary of the tragedy, at the event, the city dedicated the Immortal Bridge, which arcs over the railroad tracks where the accident occurred. Green lampposts, green-and-gold paint and other markings honor the 10 students who were killed there, the event was open to the public, and attendees included Baylor administrators and student leaders, the spirit squads, and Baylors Golden Wave Band. Baylor mens teams won five championships in the former Southwest Conference. The Bears reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 1946, bill Hendersons 1948 team advanced to play the Kentucky Wildcats for the NCAA championship, but fell 58–42 to Adolph Rupps first national championship team. The team again advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 1950 under Henderson losing to the Bradley Braves 68–66, bill Menefee would lead the Bears to a national ranking in 1969 but failed to make the postseason that year
6.
Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball
–
The Colorado Buffaloes mens basketball team represents the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. The team competes in the Pac-12 Conference of NCAA Division I and they are currently coached by Tad Boyle. The Buffaloes have competed in twelve NCAA Tournaments, making it to the Final Four twice, Colorado has played in nine National Invitation Tournaments, winning the tournament in 1940 and making the semi-finals in 1991 and 2011. The Buffs won the Pac-12 conference tournament in 2012, their first season as a member, the Colorado Mens Basketball team was initially known as the Silver and Gold, and began play on January 10,1901 and beat State Prep School 34–10. While unafiliated their first few seasons, the joined the Rocky Mountain Conference in 1909. From 1902–1935, the school racked up a 200–151 record, in 1934, the Silver and Gold became known as the Buffaloes. CU students rented a buffalo calf to cheer the team on for the football game that year. The first coaching star for CU was Forrest B, Cox spent 13 years on the sidelines from 1936–50. In his second season with the school, the Buffaloes joined the Mountain States Conference where they won four MSC titles, under Cox, the Buffs had quite a bit of success—both individually and as a team. Cox had four All-Americans during his time with the Buffs – Jack Harvey, Jim Willcoxon, Bob Doll, Cox lead the team to three NCAA tournament bids and two NIT bids while in Boulder. John also was drafted number 3 in 1974 to the Phoenix Suns, arguably the greatest team in CU Basketball history was the 1940 squad which not only got invited to the NCAA Tournament but to the NIT Tournament as well. The Buffs won the more prestigious at the time NIT Tournament, in 1942, the Buffs lost in the NCAA Tournament Championship game to the Stanford Cardinal, which is the schools all-time best finish in that tournament. In 1947, the Buffs left the Mountain States Conference and joined the Big Seven Conference, when Cox concluded his CU career, he had the best win-loss percentage of any CU coach that was there for more than one season. Lee took over as the Buffs head coach and he led the school to two NCAA Tournament bids, including a Third Place finish in the 1955 NCAA Tournament. However, the star of this era was Burdette Burdie Haldorson also known as The Big Burd, Haldorson is arguably the best player in Colorado Mens Basketball history. He also won two medals with USA Basketball. In 1955, Haldorson led the Big 7 Conference in scoring with 23.9 points per game as he led the Buffs to the finish in the 1955 NCAA Tournament. In 1956, CU named former player Russell Sox Walseth as their head coach, Walseth graduated from CU in 1948 as a three-time letterman in both basketball and baseball for the Buffaloes, and came back to coach after stints at High School and South Dakota State
7.
Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball
–
The Kansas Jayhawks mens basketball program is the intercollegiate mens basketball program of the University of Kansas. It is one of the oldest and is one of the most successful programs in the history of basketball, the program is classified in the NCAAs Division I and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks first coach was the inventor of the game, James Naismith, Allen founded the National Association of Basketball Coaches and, with Lonborg, was an early proponent of the NCAA tournament. In 2008, ESPN ranked Kansas second on a list of the most prestigious programs of the college basketball era. The program ranks third in Division I all-time winning percentage and second in Division I all-time wins, following a 19–11 defeat of William Jewell on February 10,1908, the Jayhawks had a winning all-time record for the first time. The Jayhawks havent had a losing record since. Since the opening of Allen Fieldhouse in 1955, the Jayhawks have established a record of 750–109. Under head coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks have a 212–10 record at Allen Fieldhouse, which includes win streaks of 69,33, Kansas ranks second all-time in NCAA Division I wins with 2,198 wins, against 837 losses. This record includes a 750–109 mark at historic Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks are first in NCAA history with 97 winning seasons, and tied for first in NCAA history with 100 non-losing seasons with Kentucky. Kansas has the fewest head coaches of any program that has been around 100 years, every head coach at Kansas since the inception of the NCAA Tournament has led the program to the Final Four. Kansas has had four head coaches inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, a perennial conference powerhouse, Kansas leads Division I all-time in regular season conference titles with 60 in 110 years of conference play through the 2016–17 regular season. The Jayhawks have won a record 17 conference titles and a record 10 conference tournament titles in the 21 years of the Big 12s existence. The program also owns the best Big 12 records in both areas with a 274–57 record in conference play and a 41–10 record in tournament play. The mens basketball program began in 1898, following the arrival of Dr. James Naismith to the school. Naismith was not initially hired to coach basketball, but rather to be a chapel director, other common opponents were Haskell Institute and William Jewell College. Under Naismith, the team played just one game against a current Big 12 school, Naismith was, ironically, the only coach in the programs history to have a losing record. Including his years as coach, Naismith served as the Athletic Director, Naismith died in 1939, and his remains are buried in Lawrence, Kansas. The basketball court in Allen Fieldhouse is named James Naismith Court, on December 10,2010, the David Booth family purchased Dr. James Naismiths 13 Original Rules of the game at a Sothebys auction in New York City for the sum of $4.3 million
8.
San Antonio Spurs
–
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its games at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs are one of four former American Basketball Association teams to remain intact in the NBA after the 1976 ABA–NBA merger, the Spurs five NBA championships are the fourth most in history behind only the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls. The Spurs currently rank first among active franchises for the highest winning percentage in NBA history, in their 40 NBA seasons since 1976–77, the Spurs have won 21 division titles. With their 50th win in the 2016–17 season, the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50-win seasons to 18. Thus, since the 1997–98 season, the Spurs have had 20 consecutive seasons with a percentage of.610 or greater during the regular season which is also an NBA record. Only the teams current head coach, Gregg Popovich, who had been the general manager before replacing Bob Hill in 1996, has had a longer tenure with the Spurs. The Spurs are the only team in any of the four major U. S. professional sports leagues. Since 2003, the team has been forced on a road trip for much of February since the AT&T Center hosts the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. This is informally known as the Rodeo Road Trip, the Spurs have consistently posted winning road records during this period, including an NBA-record longest single road trip winning streak. When the Spurs have won the NBA title, the victory parades have been boat trips on the San Antonio River Walk. The San Antonio Spurs started out as the Dallas Chaparrals of the version of the American Basketball Association. Coached by player/coach Cliff Hagan the Dallas Chaparrals were one of 11 teams to take the floor in the season of the upstart ABA. The Chaps second season was a bit of a disappointment, as the finished in 4th place with a mediocre 41–37 record. In the playoffs the Chaparrals quickly fell to the New Orleans Buccaneers, the team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas. While the Chaparrals had been successful on the court, they were sinking financially by their third season. After missing the playoffs for the first time in their existence in the 1972–73 season, a group of 36 San Antonio businessmen, led by Manager/Angelo Drossos, Chairman of the Board/John Schaefer and President/Red McCombs, worked out a lend-lease deal with the Dallas ownership group
9.
Los Angeles Clippers
–
The Los Angeles Clippers, often abbreviated as the LA Clippers, are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Pacific Division. The franchise was founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, one of three teams to join the NBA that year. The Braves moved from Buffalo, New York to San Diego in 1978, in 1984, the Clippers moved to Los Angeles. Through much of its history, the failed to see significant regular season or playoff success. The Clippers fortunes turned in the early 2010s with the acquisition of core players Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul. In 2013, the franchise won its first division title, as the made the playoffs for the ninth time in franchise history. They repeated as champions in 2014. They played their games at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, along with another Buffalo team that would begin play that year. After two bad seasons, the Braves fortunes started to change under coach Jack Ramsay and star forward/center Bob McAdoo, McAdoo led the NBA in scoring three consecutive seasons and was named the leagues MVP in the 1974–75 season. The Braves qualified for the three times in a row, losing thrice to the eventual Eastern Conference champions. As a result, after an attempt to sell the team to an owner who intended to move it to South Florida. Brown, Jr. who decimated the roster, traded away all of its stars. Eventually in 1978, Brown dealt with Celtics owner Irv Levin so they would trade franchise ownerships, southern California resident Levin then decided to move the Braves to San Diego, something the league would have never allowed him to do with the Celtics. In 1978, San Diego welcomed the relocation of the Buffalo Braves franchise because the city had lost their Rockets to Houston seven years earlier, when the Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984, they kept their nickname. Playing at the San Diego Sports Arena, the Clippers posted a record of 43–39 in their first season in California under new head coach Gene Shue and it would be the Clippers last winning season for 13 years. It was also in that first season in southern California that long-time announcer Ralph Lawler began his association with the club. The 1979–80 season saw the Clippers begin to struggle despite adding center Bill Walton, Walton missed 68 games due to foot injuries
10.
Miami Heat
–
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the leagues Eastern Conference Southeast Division and they play their home games at the American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami. The team owner is Carnival Corporation owner Micky Arison, the president and general manager is Pat Riley. The mascot is Burnie, an anthropomorphic fireball, formed in 1988 as an expansion team, the Heat have won three league championships, five conference titles and eleven division titles. In 2013, the Heat won twenty-seven regular season games in a row, in 2016, Forbes valued the Heat at $1.3 billion as the tenth most valuable among NBA franchises. In 1987 the NBA granted one of its four new teams to Miami. The Miami Heat began their early years with much mediocrity, only making the two times in their first eight years and falling in the first round both times. Upon the purchasing of the franchise by Micky Arison in 1995, Pat Riley was brought in as the team president, Riley acquired center Alonzo Mourning and point guard Tim Hardaway to serve as the centerpieces for the team, transforming Miami into a championship contender throughout the late 1990s. With them they brought in a new team trainer, Cody Posselt. The Heat underwent a dramatic turnaround in the 1996–97 season, improving to a 61–21 record – a franchise record at the time and that same year, Miami earned the moniker of Road Warriors for its remarkable 32–9 record on the road. Their biggest rivals of the time were the New York Knicks, Rileys former team, a period of mediocrity followed after, highlighted by missing the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. In the 2003 NBA draft, with the fifth overall pick, free-agent swing-man Lamar Odom was signed from the Los Angeles Clippers. Just prior to the start of the 03–04 season, Riley stepped down as coach to focus on rebuilding the Heat. In the offseason, Riley engineered a summer blockbuster trade for Shaquille ONeal from the Los Angeles Lakers, Alonzo Mourning returned to the Heat in the same season, serving as a backup to ONeal. Returning as championship contenders, Miami finished with a 59–23 record, sweeping through the first round and the semifinals, Miami went back to the Conference Finals for the first time in eight years, where it met the defending champion Detroit Pistons. Despite taking a 3–2 lead, Miami lost Wade to injury for Game 6, the Heat would go on to lose Game 7 at home despite Wades return. In the summer of 2005, Riley brought in free agent Gary Payton from the Boston Celtics. After a disappointing 11–10 start to the 05–06 season, Riley relieved Van Gundy of his duties, the Heat made it to the Conference Finals in 2006 and in a re-match, defeated the Pistons, winning the series 4–2
11.
Detroit Pistons
–
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Eastern Conference Central Division. The team plays its games at The Palace of Auburn Hills and was founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons in 1941. The Pistons joined the Basketball Association of America in 1948, in 1949, the NBL and BAA merged to become the NBA, and the Pistons became part of the merged league. Since moving to Detroit in 1957, the Pistons have won three NBA championships in 1989,1990 and 2004. The Detroit Pistons franchise was founded as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, owners Fred Zollner and his sister Janets Zollner Corporation was a foundry, manufacturing pistons, primarily for car, truck and locomotive engines. The Zollner Pistons were NBL champions in 1944 and 1945 and they also won the World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1944,1945 and 1946. In 1948, the became the Fort Wayne Pistons, competing in the Basketball Association of America. In 1949, Fred Zollner brokered the formation of the National Basketball Association from the BAA, there are suggestions that Pistons players conspired with gamblers to shave points and throw various games during the 1953–54 and 1954–55 seasons. In particular, there are accusations that the team may have intentionally lost the 1955 NBA Finals to the Syracuse Nationals, in the decisive Game 7, the Pistons led Syracuse 41–24 early in the second quarter, then the Nationals rallied to win the game. Syracuse won on a throw by George King with twelve seconds left in the game. After the 1956–57 season, Zollner decided that Fort Wayne was too small to support an NBA team, although it was the fifth largest city in the United States at the time, Detroit had not seen professional basketball in a decade. In 1947, they had lost the Detroit Gems of the NBL, Zollner decided to keep the Pistons name, believing it made sense given Detroits status as the center of the automobile industry. The new Detroit Pistons played in Olympia Stadium for their first four seasons, the franchise was a consistent disappointment, struggling both on the court and at the box office. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Pistons were characterized by strong individuals. In fact, in their first 27 years in Detroit, they only had three winning seasons, some of the superstars who played for the team included Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing, Jimmy Walker, and Bob Lanier. At one point DeBusschere was the youngest player-coach in the history of the NBA, DeBusschere became a key player in leading the Knicks to two NBA titles. Detroit qualified for the postseason in four seasons, but never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs
12.
New Orleans Pelicans
–
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays their games in the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans were established as the New Orleans Hornets in the 2002–03 season when then-owner of the Charlotte Hornets, George Shinn, relocated the franchise to New Orleans. Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City. The team returned to New Orleans full-time for the 2007–08 season, on January 24,2013, the franchise announced it would rename itself the Pelicans, effective after the conclusion of the 2012–13 season. Their achievements include one playoff victory and one division title. While the Charlotte Hornets put a team on the court throughout the 1990s. Many attributed this lapse in popularity to the owner, George Shinn. In 1997, a Charlotte woman claimed that Shinn had raped her, the consensus was that while Charlotte was as basketball-crazy as ever, fans took out their anger at Shinn on the team. On March 26,2001, both the Hornets and the Vancouver Grizzlies applied for relocation to Memphis, Tennessee, which was won by the Grizzlies. Shinn issued an ultimatum, unless the city built a new arena at no cost to him, the city initially refused, leading Shinn to consider moving the team to either Norfolk, Louisville, or St. Louis. Polls showed the referendum on its way to passage, however, just days before the referendum, Mayor Pat McCrory vetoed a living wage ordinance. The veto prompted many of the citys black ministers to oppose the referendum, while even the NBA acknowledged that Shinn had alienated fans, league officials felt such a demand would anger other owners. Before the Hornets were eliminated from the playoffs, the NBA approved the move, as part of a deal, the NBA promised that Charlotte would get a new team, which took the court two years later as the Charlotte Bobcats. He also said if he had it to do all over again. Shinn emphasized how he was making amends by committing to New Orleans saying, im not going to make one here. Were going to make this thing work, the Hornets opened their inaugural season in New Orleans on October 30,2002, against New Orleans original NBA franchise, the now-Utah Jazz
13.
Phoenix Suns
–
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association as a team of the leagues Western Conference Pacific Division. Since 1992, the Suns have played their games at Talking Stick Resort Arena in downtown Phoenix. The Suns began play as a team in 1968. The franchise owns the NBAs fourth-best all-time winning percentage, winning 55 percent of its games, as a result, based on their all-time win-loss percentage, the Suns are the team with the highest winning percentage to have never won an NBA championship. The Suns were one of two franchises to join the NBA at the start of the 1968–69 season, alongside the Milwaukee Bucks, the team played its first 24 seasons at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, located northwest of downtown Phoenix. Besides, part of the group were entertainers, such as Andy Williams, Bobbie Gentry and Ed Ames. There were many critics, including then-NBA commissioner J. Walter Kennedy, who said that Phoenix was too hot, too small and they paid an entry fee of $2 million. Suns was preferred over Scorpions, Rattlers, Thunderbirds, Wranglers, Mavericks, Tumbleweeds, Mustangs and Cougars. Stan Fabe, who owned a printing plant in Tucson, designed the teams first iconic logo for a mere $200. However, they were disappointed with the results, in the 1968 NBA Expansion Draft, notable Suns pick-ups were future Hall of Famer Gail Goodrich and Dick Van Arsdale. Jerry Colangelo, a scout, came over from the Chicago Bulls as the Suns first general manager at the age of 28. Both Goodrich and Van Arsdale were selected to the All-Star Game in their first season with the freshly minted Suns. Goodrich returned to his team, the Lakers, after two seasons with the Suns, but Van Arsdale spent the rest of his playing days as a Sun. The Suns last-place finish that led to a coin flip for the number-one overall pick for the 1969 NBA draft with the expansion-mate Bucks. Milwaukee won the flip, and the rights to draft UCLA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while the Bucks went on to win the NBA Finals in 1971 and reach the Finals again in 1974, the Suns would not go to the Finals until 1976. The 1969–70 season posted better results for the Suns, finishing 39–43, the next two seasons, the Suns finished with 48- and 49-win seasons, however they did not qualify for the playoffs in either year, and would not reach the playoffs again until 1976. They also drafted center and eventual fan favorite Alvan Adams from the University of Oklahoma, the Suns and Buffalo Braves made a midseason trade, with Phoenix sending forward/center John Shumate to Buffalo in exchange for forward Gar Heard
14.
Golden State Warriors
–
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Pacific Division. The team was established in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1962, the franchise relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and was renamed the San Francisco Warriors. In 1971, the changed its geographic moniker to Golden State. Since 1972, the home court has been the Oracle Arena in Oakland. The team is nicknamed the Dubs, the Warriors have reached eight NBA Finals, winning four NBA championships in 1947,1956,1975 and most recently in 2015 when they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden States four NBA championships are the fifth most in history only the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls. Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry have both named the NBAs Most Valuable Player while playing for the Warriors, for a total of three MVP awards. Golden State holds the NBA record for best regular season with 73–9, the Warriors were founded in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, a charter member of the Basketball Association of America. They were owned by Peter A. Tyrrell, who owned the Philadelphia Rockets of the American Hockey League. Tyrrell hired Eddie Gottlieb, a longtime basketball promoter in the Philadelphia area, as coach, the owners named the team after the Philadelphia Warriors, an old basketball team who played in the American Basketball League in 1925. Led by early scoring sensation Joe Fulks, the won the championship in the leagues inaugural 1946–47 season by defeating the Chicago Stags. The NBA, which was created by a 1949 merger, officially recognizes that as its own first championship, Gottlieb bought the team in 1951. The Warriors won its championship in Philadelphia in the 1955–56 season. The Warrior stars of this era were future Hall of Famers Paul Arizin, Tom Gola, in 1959, the team signed draft pick Wilt Chamberlain. Known as Wilt the Stilt, he led the team in scoring six times, quickly began shattering NBA scoring records, in 1962, Franklin Mieuli purchased the majority shares of the team and relocated the franchise to the San Francisco Bay Area, renaming them the San Francisco Warriors. Prior to the 1963–64 NBA season, the Warriors drafted big man Nate Thurmond to go along with Chamberlain, the Warriors won the Western Division crown that season, but lost the 1964 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics, four games to one. In the 1964–65 season, the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers for Connie Dierking, Lee Shaffer, Paul Neumann and $150,000 and won only 17 games
15.
2015 NBA Finals
–
The 2015 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2014–15 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the seasons playoffs. Golden States Andre Iguodala was named the Finals Most Valuable Player, the Warriors were led by 2014–15 NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry, while the Cavaliers featured four-time league MVP LeBron James. Both teams entered the series with title droughts of four decades, with the Cavaliers having never won a title since their 1970–71 inception and the Warriors last title having been in 1975. This was also the first time that both participating teams had first-year head coaches since the league finals in 1947, when the NBA was known as the Basketball Association of America. James also became the first player in NBA Finals history to both teams in points, assists and rebounds for the entire series. He averaged 35.8 points,13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists for the series, for the second straight year, the Finals was played in the 2–2–1–1–1 format. The series began on June 4,2015, and it ended on June 16,2015, the Cavaliers entered the 2014–15 season after firing Mike Brown and replacing him with David Blatt as head coach, signing free agent forward LeBron James, and trading for forward Kevin Love. James previously played for Cleveland from 2003 to 2010, leading the Cavaliers to their only previous Finals appearance in 2007, James then played for the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014, leading the Heat to two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. During the 2014 NBA draft on June 26,2014, Cleveland held the first overall pick, later on August 23, a three-team trade was completed involving the Cavaliers, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Philadelphia 76ers. As part of the deal, Cleveland dealt Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, James, Love, and guard Kyrie Irving became dubbed nationally as the Big Three. The Cavaliers got off to a bad start that led to intense media scrutiny. The team got off to a 19–20 start in their first 39 games, injuries to LeBron James and chemistry issues, with James still learning how to play with his new teammates and vice versa, were considered to be the primary reasons for the underwhelming start. However, a number of trades turned the season around, the Cavaliers acquired J. R. Smith and Iman Shumpert from the Knicks in exchange for draft picks while sending Dion Waiters to the Thunder. The Cavaliers then acquired Timofey Mozgov, Jamess return to the Cavaliers lineup on January 12 completed the turnaround. The Warriors entered the 2014–15 season after replacing Mark Jackson with Steve Kerr as head coach and this was Kerrs first ever head coaching job. After retiring as a player in 2003, he served as a broadcast analyst from 2003 to 2007 and 2010 to 2014, in Kerrs first year, the Warriors finished with the best regular season record at 67–15, including an incredible 39–2 mark in home games. Kerr became the winningest rookie head coach in NBA history, passing Tom Thibodeau, point guard Stephen Curry set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a regular season with 286, eclipsing his own record that he set in 2012–13. Curry also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2014–15 season, the Cavaliers and Warriors tied the regular season series 1–1, with each team winning its home game
16.
Basketball
–
Basketball is a non-contact team sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players each. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate and it is a violation to lift, or drag, ones pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. The game has many techniques for displaying skill—ball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking, shot-blocking. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coachs game plan, Basketball is one of the worlds most popular and widely viewed sports. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague, the FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for teams, like EuroBasket. The FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup features the top womens basketball teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Womens Basketball Premier League, in early December 1891, Canadian Dr. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball and these laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith, dribbling was not part of the original game except for the bounce pass to teammates. Passing the ball was the means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a part of the game around the 1950s
17.
College basketball
–
The history of basketball is traced back to a YMCA International Training School, known today as Springfield College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The date of the first formal basketball game played at the Springfield YMCA Training School under Naismiths rules is generally given as December 21,1891, Basketball began to spread to college campuses by 1893. Governing bodies in Canada include U Sports and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, each of these various organizations are subdivided into from one to three divisions based on the number and level of scholarships that may be provided to the athletes. The first basketball games in the United States were played at YMCAs in 1891 and 1892, by 1893, the game was being played on college campuses. The original rules for basketball were very different from todays modern rules of the sport, in the beginning James Naismith established 13 original rules, The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands, but never with the fist, a player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, the ball must be held by the hands. The arms or body must not be used for holding it, no shouldering, holding, pushing, striking, or tripping in any way of an opponent is allowed. A foul will be called when a player is seen striking at the ball with the fist, or when violations of rules 3 and 4, if either side makes three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for the opponents. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, if the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal. When the ball out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field. In case of dispute the umpire shall throw it straight into the field, the thrower-in is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent, if any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on them. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and shall note the fouls and he shall have power to disqualify men according to rule 5. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to side it belongs. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep account of the goals, the time shall be two fifteen-minute halves, with five minutes rest between. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner, the following is a list of some of the major NCAA Basketball rule changes with the year they went into effect. The first known college to field a team against an outside opponent was Vanderbilt University
18.
Appalachian State University
–
Appalachian State University /ˌæpəˈlætʃən/ is a comprehensive, public, coeducational university in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State was founded as a college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. It expanded to other programs in 1967, and joined the University of North Carolina system in 1971. It is the sixth largest institution with about 16,000 undergraduate and 1,600 graduate students. It offers 174 undergraduate and 37 graduate majors as well as a degree in educational leadership. The university has ranked among the top 10 Southern Masters Universities since the U. S. News. Land was donated by Daniel B, Dougherty, father of the leaders in the enterprise, and by J. F. Hardin. On this site a wood building, costing $1,000, was erected by contributions from citizens of the town. In the fall of 1899, the Dougherty brothers, acting as co-principals, the first year saw 53 students enrolled in three grades. In 1903, after interest in the school had spread to adjoining counties and he traveled to the state capital, Raleigh, after drafting a bill. Newland of Caldwell County introduced the bill in the North Carolina Legislature to make this a school, with an appropriation for maintenance. Captain E. F. Lovill of Watauga County, R. B, white of Franklin County, Clyde Hoey of Cleveland County and E. J. Justice of McDowell County spoke in favor of the measure. On March 9,1903, the bill became law, the school opened on October 5,1903 with $2,000 from the state and 325 students. For 22 years, there was a period of growth, academic development. In 1925, the changed the name to the Appalachian State Normal School and appropriated additional funding for maintenance. Four years later, in 1929, the became a four-year degree granting institution and was renamed Appalachian State Teachers College. Over 1,300 students were enrolled in programs offered for primary grades education, physical education, math, English, science. Appalachian attained national standards by becoming accredited by the American Association for Teacher Education in 1939, in 1948 a Graduate School was formed
19.
Press Maravich
–
Petar Press Maravich was an American college and professional basketball coach. He received the nickname Press for always having gossip-styled updates in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, Maravich, Sr. also served in the United States Naval Air Corps during World War II. Despite a long career as a coach, Maravich may best be remembered as Pistol Pete Maravichs father, Maravich graduated from Davis & Elkins College in 1941 and was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. Maravich was the son of Serbian immigrants, after college, he played professional basketball with the Youngstown Bears of the National Basketball League, and the Pittsburgh Ironmen of the Basketball Association of America. Press Maravichs first head coaching job at the level was West Virginia Wesleyan College. From there he went on to head coach of his alma mater, Davis & Elkins. He had previously served as an assistant under Red Brown from 1947 to 1949, Maravich was head coach of the Tigers of Clemson University from 1956 to 1962. He then went to North Carolina State University to be an assistant coach under Everett Case, Maravich took over the head coaching duties when health problems, primarily cancer, forced Case to retire early in the 1964–1965 season. Maravich led the Wolfpack to the Atlantic Coast Conference title that season, Maravich left for Louisiana State University in April 1966 where he coached his son, Pete Maravich. Upon offering the LSU scholarship to Pistol, Press told his boy that If you dont sign this, dont ever come into my house again. Pete, originally wanted to go to the West Virginia University, in spite of coaching his prolific son for half of his coaching career at LSU, Maravich had an overall losing record at the school. Maravich was replaced at LSU by Dale Brown in 1972 and he then went on to coach the Mountaineers of Appalachian State, shepherding them through their early years in Division I, before retiring from coaching in 1975. Maravich returned to coaching in the early 1980s as associate coach at Campbell University. Petar Maravich was diagnosed prostate cancer in the spring of 1985. During a basketball clinic in Israel, signs of his condition appeared when he had begun to urinate blood, due to son Pete Maravichs strong belief in holistic healing and herbal medication, proper cancer treatment was delayed for too long to have a significant effect. Press eventually was persuaded to receive treatment for his condition at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Through the next two months, Presss condition deteriorated while Pete took constant care of him with his sister, Press Maravich lived his last days in Highland Park Hospital in Covington, Louisiana, where he died on April 15,1987. Press Maravich lived just long enough to see Pete selected as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
20.
University of Colorado Boulder
–
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado, United States. It is the university of the University of Colorado system and was founded five months before Colorado was admitted to the Union in 1876. In 2015, the university consisted of nine colleges and schools and offered over 150 academic programs, twelve Nobel Laureates, nine MacArthur Fellows, and 20 astronauts have been affiliated with CU Boulder as students, researchers, or faculty members in its history. The university received nearly $454 million in sponsored research in 2010 to fund programs like the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, the Colorado Buffaloes compete in 17 varsity sports and are members of the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes have won 28 national championships,20 in skiing, seven total in mens and womens cross country, approximately 1,500 students participate in 34 intercollegiate club sports annually as well. Two cities competed for the site of the University of Colorado, Boulder, the consolation prize for the losing city was to be home of the new Colorado State Prison. Cañon City was at a disadvantage as it was already the home of the Colorado Territorial Prison, the cornerstone of the building that became Old Main was laid on September 20,1875. The doors of the university opened on September 5,1877, at the time, there were few high schools in the state that could adequately prepare students for university work, so in addition to the University, a preparatory school was formed on campus. In the fall of 1877, the student body consisted of 15 students in the proper and 50 students in the preparatory school. There were 38 men and 27 women, and their ages ranged from 12–23 years, during World War II, Colorado was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a navy commission. The main CU Boulder campus is located south of the Pearl Street Mall and it consists of academic and residential buildings as well as research facilities. The East Campus is about a mile from the main campus and is composed mainly of athletic fields. CU Boulders distinctive architecture style, known as Tuscan Vernacular Revival, was designed by architect Charles Klauder. A month or so after approval, however, Klauder updated his design by sketching in a new wrap of rough, textured sandstone walls with sloping, multi-leveled red-tiled roofs and Indiana limestone trim. This formed the basis of a style which was used in the design of fifteen other buildings between 1921 and 1939. The sandstone used in the construction of all the buildings on campus was selected from a variety of front range mountain quarries. In 2011, Travel+Leisure named the Boulder campus as one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States. Currently Freshmen and others attending the University of Colorado Boulder have an option of 24 on-, Residence halls have 17 varieties of room types from singles to four-person rooms and others with apartment style amenities
21.
Baylor University
–
Baylor University is a private Baptist university in Waco, Texas. It is the largest Baptist university in the world, the universitys 1, 000-acre campus is located on the banks of the Brazos River next to I-35, between the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Austin. Baylor Universitys athletic teams, known as the Bears, participate in 19 intercollegiate sports, the university is a member of the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA Division I. In 1841,35 delegates to the Union Baptist Association meeting voted to adopt the suggestion of Rev. William Milton Tryon, Baylor to establish a Baptist university in Texas, then an independent republic. Baylor, a Texas district judge and onetime U. S, congressman and soldier from Alabama, became the schools namesake. In the fall of 1844, the Texas Baptist Education Society petitioned the Congress of the Republic of Texas to charter a Baptist university, Republic President Anson Jones signed the Act of Congress on February 1,1845, officially establishing Baylor University. The founders built the university campus in Independence, Texas. Rev. James Huckins, the first Southern Baptist missionary to Texas, was Baylors first full-time fundraiser and he is considered the third founding father of the university. Although these three men are credited as being the founders of the university, many others worked to see the first university established in Texas, the noted Texas revolutionary war leader and hero Sam Houston gave the first $5,000 donation to start the university. In 1854, Houston was also baptized by the Rev. Rufus Columbus Burleson, future Baylor President, during the 1846 school year Baylor leaders would begin including chapel as part of the Baylor educational experience. The tradition continues today and has been a part of the life of students for over 160 years. Baylor and Abner S. Lipscomb of the Texas Supreme Court began teaching classes in the science of law, making Baylor the first in Texas, during this time Stephen Decatur Rowe would earn the first degree awarded by Baylor. He would be followed by the first female graduate, Mary Kavanaugh Gentry, in 1851, Baylors second president Rufus Columbus Burleson decided to separate the students by sex, making the Baylor Female College an independent and separate institution. Baylor University became an all-male institution, during this time, Baylor thrived as the only university west of the Mississippi offering instruction in law, mathematics, and medicine. At the time a Baylor education cost around $8–$15 per term for tuition, and many of the early leaders of the Republic of Texas, such as Sam Houston, would later send their children to Baylor to be educated. For the first half of the American Civil War, the Baylor president was George Washington Baines, maternal great-grandfather of the future U. S. President, Lyndon Baines Johnson. He worked vigorously to sustain the university during the Civil War, following the war, the city of Independence slowly declined, primarily caused by the rise of neighboring cities being serviced by the Santa Fe Railroad. Because Independence lacked a railroad line, university fathers began searching for a location to build a new campus, beginning in 1885, Baylor University moved to Waco, Texas, a growing town on the railroad line
22.
University of Kansas
–
The University of Kansas, often referred to as KU or Kansas, is a public research university in the U. S. state of Kansas. The main campus in Lawrence, one of the largest college towns in Kansas, is on Mount Oread, two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, and the universitys medical school and hospital in Kansas City. There are also educational and research sites in Parsons, Topeka, Garden City, Hays, and Leavenworth, the university is one of the 62 members of the Association of American Universities. The university overall employed 2,814 faculty members in fall 2015, on February 20,1863, Kansas Governor Thomas Carney signed into law a bill creating the state university in Lawrence. The law was conditioned upon a gift from Lawrence of a $15,000 endowment fund, if Lawrence failed to meet these conditions, Emporia instead of Lawrence would get the university. The site selected for the university was a known as Mount Oread. Robinson and his wife Sara bestowed the 40-acre site to the State of Kansas in exchange for land elsewhere, the philanthropist Amos Adams Lawrence donated $10,000 of the necessary endowment fund, and the citizens of Lawrence raised the remaining cash by issuing notes backed by Governor Carney. On November 2,1863, Governor Carney announced that Lawrence had met the conditions to get the university. The schools Board of Regents held its first meeting in March 1865, work on the first college building began later that year. The university opened for classes on September 12,1866, during World War II, Kansas was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission. KU is home to the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, the Beach Center on Disability, Lied Center of Kansas and radio stations KJHK,90.7 FM, and KANU,91.5 FM. The university is host to several including the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. The University of Kansas is a large, state-sponsored university, with five campuses, the university offers more than 345 degree programs. In its 2017 list, U. S. News & World Report ranked KU as tied for 118th place among National Universities and 56th place among public universities. The city management and urban policy program was ranked first in the nation, uSN&WR also ranked several programs in the top 25 among U. S. universities. The Bachelor of Architecture degree was added in 1920, in 1969, the School of Architecture and Urban Design was formed with three programs, architecture, architectural engineering, and urban planning. In 2001 architectural engineering merged with civil and environmental engineering, the design programs from the discontinued School of Fine Arts were merged into the school in 2009 forming the current School of Architecture, Design, and Planning. S in 2012. The University of Kansas School of Business is a business school on the main campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence
23.
Larry Brown (basketball)
–
Lawrence Harvey Larry Brown is an American basketball coach, who was most recently head mens basketball coach at Southern Methodist University. He is the coach in basketball history to win both an NCAA national championship and an NBA title. He also won an ABA championship as a player with the Oakland Oaks in the 1968–69 season, and he is also the only person ever to coach two NBA franchises in the same season. Before coaching, Brown played collegiately at the University of North Carolina and he has been a basketball coach since 1972. Brown was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach on September 27,2002, Brown is Jewish, and was born in Brooklyn, New York. A5 ft 9 in point guard, he attended Long Beach High School and then played at the University of North Carolina under legendary coaches Frank McGuire and Dean Smith. During that time Brown was selected for the 1964 Summer Olympics team, on which he played and with which he won a gold medal, Brown was named MVP of the ABAs first All-Star Game in 1968, and was named to the All-ABA Second Team the same year. Brown led the ABA in assists per game during the leagues first three seasons, and when he ended his career, Brown was the ABAs all-time assist leader. His total of 2,509 assists places him seventh on the ABAs career list, Browns first head coaching job was at Davidson College in North Carolina in 1969. Unfortunately for Wildcat fans, it would only last during the summer offseason, Brown moved on to the ABA and coached with the Carolina Cougars and then the Denver Nuggets, who later joined the NBA in 1976, for five and a half seasons from 1974 to 1979. He then moved on to coach for UCLA, leading his freshman-dominated 1979–80 team to the NCAA title game before falling to Louisville, 59–54. However, that appearance was vacated by the NCAA after two UCLA players were found to be ineligible—one of the few times a Final Four squad has had its record vacated. Brown was the coach for the NBAs New Jersey Nets for two years following that, from 1981 to 1983. Brown began his tenure at the University of Kansas, replacing the fired Ted Owens, who had overseen back-to-back losing seasons in 1981-82 and 1982-83. In the meantime Brown signed the most coveted high school player in the country, Danny Manning, to play for KU after signing his father, Ed Manning, perhaps Browns finest team at Kansas was the 1985-86 team. This squad put together a 35-4 record, the first 30-win season in KU history, in the 1987-88 season, Kansas got off to a mediocre 12–8 start, including 1–4 in the Big 8, and the end of the Jayhawks 55-game homecourt winning streak in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas then proceeded to defeat 11th-seed Xavier, 14th-seed Murray State, and 7th-seed Vanderbilt before meeting rival Kansas State, KU upset the 4th-seeded Wildcats 71-58 in the Elite Eight to reach the Final Four in Kansas Citys Kemper Arena. Once there, Kansas upset the East Regions #2 seed Duke, 66-59, Manning, who scored 31 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in the final, was named Most Oustanding Player of the Tournament
24.
Gregg Popovich
–
Gregg Charles Popovich is an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association. Taking over as coach of the Spurs in 1996, Popovich is the longest tenured coach in both the NBA and all US major sports leagues. He is often referred to as Coach Pop or simply Pop, Popovich is considered one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. He is currently tied with Phil Jackson with a record 20 consecutive winning seasons and he has won five NBA championships as a head coach, a feat achieved only by four others in NBA history. He is also one of nine coaches to have won 1,000 NBA games, Popovich was born in East Chicago, Indiana on January 28,1949, to a Serb father and Croat mother. He started his career playing Biddy Basketball and was on the 1960 Gary Biddy Basketball All-Star Team which finished third in the World Tournament. He attended Merrillville High School and graduated in 1970 from the United States Air Force Academy and he played basketball for four seasons at the Academy and in his senior year was the team captain and the leading scorer. He graduated with a degree in Soviet Studies, and he underwent Air Force intelligence gathering and processing training. At one point, Popovich considered a career with the Central Intelligence Agency, Popovich served five years of required active duty in the United States Air Force, during which he toured Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union with the U. S. In 1972, he was selected as captain of the Armed Forces Team and this earned him an invitation to the 1972 U. S. Olympic Basketball Team trials. Popovich returned to the Air Force Academy as an assistant coach in 1973 under head coach Hank Egan, Egan would later become an assistant coach under Popovich for the San Antonio Spurs. During his time with the staff of the U. S. Air Force Academy, Popovich attended the University of Denver and earned his masters degree in physical education. In 1979, he was named the basketball coach of Pomona-Pitzers mens team. Popovich coached Pomona-Pitzer mens basketball from 1979 to 1988, leading the team to its first outright title in 68 years, during his time as head coach at Pomona-Pitzer, Popovich became a disciple and later a close friend of head coach Larry Brown at the University of Kansas. Popovich took off the 1985–1986 season at Pomona-Pitzer to become an assistant at Kansas. Popovich returned to Pomona-Pitzer and resumed his duties as coach the next season. Following the 1987–88 season, Popovich joined Larry Brown as the assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. From 1988 to 1992, Popovich was the top assistant under Brown, in 1994, Popovich returned to San Antonio as the general manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations after current owner Peter Holt purchased the team
25.
Ed Manning
–
Edward R. Manning was an American professional basketball player and college and NBA assistant coach. He was the father of former NBA player and current college coach Danny Manning and he played college basketball for the Jackson State University Tigers from 1963 to 1967 and scored 1,610 career points. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Manning was inducted into the Jackson State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. He was drafted in the round of the 1967 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. In four NBA seasons with the Bullets, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers and he then played five seasons in the ABA—three with the Carolina Cougars and one each with the New York Americans and Indiana Pacers—averaging 6.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He later played for several professional European teams, in 1983, he was hired as an assistant basketball coach at the University of Kansas under Larry Brown and was on the staff of the team that won the 1988 national championship. Manning followed Brown to San Antonio in 1988 to serve as an assistant coach for the Spurs, Manning later served as a scout for the Spurs. He died from a condition at age 67 in Fort Worth
