Jim Pollard
Chicago Packers | |
1967–1969 | Minnesota Muskies / Miami Floridians |
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Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career BAA and NBA statistics | |
Points | 5,762 (13.2 ppg) |
Rebounds | 2,487 (7.8 rpg) |
Assists | 1,417 (3.2 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 |
James Clifford Pollard (July 9, 1922 – January 22, 1993) was an American professional
Pollard was inducted into the
High school career
Pollard attended Oakland Technical High School in his hometown of Oakland, California. He led the school's basketball team to three consecutive conference titles from 1937–38 to 1939–40. He averaged 19.8 points per game in his senior year, setting a school record.[3]
College career and military service
Pollard was recruited to
Pollard's college career was ended early due to World War II, and he served with the United States Coast Guard from 1942 to 1946. During his service, he starred with the Coast Guard basketball team in Alameda, winning a Northern California title in 1943 and the Service League championship in 1946.[3]
Pollard went on to graduate from the University of Minnesota in 1954.[4]
Amateur career
After World War II, Pollard played amateur basketball for one season with the San Diego Dons of the Amateur Athletic Union. The following season, he played for the Oakland Bittners in the same league. He led the AAU in scoring and earned Most Valuable Player honors both years. His teams were runners-up in the national AAU tournament both seasons.[3]
Pollard also played amateur baseball for Jordan, Minnesota's
Professional career
Minneapolis Lakers (1947–1955)
Pollard began his professional basketball career in 1947 after signing with the
Pollard was renowned for his tremendous leaping ability, and subsequently earned the nickname "The Kangaroo Kid". He could reportedly touch the top of the backboard and dunk from the foul line,[2] being one of the few players in his era who was capable of dunking a basketball.[4] Pollard was also known for his corner jumpshot,[3] and was a respected player and teammate.[2] In 1952, the Basketball Association of America selected Pollard as the best player of the era.[2]
Pollard retired from playing basketball after eight seasons, and finished with career averages of 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.[6]
Coaching career
Pollard immediately moved into coaching after retiring, taking the head coach position at La Salle University for the Explorers men's basketball team in 1955. Over three seasons with the team, Pollard compiled a record of 48–28.[3]
Pollard was named interim head coach of the Lakers midway through the
He moved to the American Basketball Association for the league's inaugural season in 1967, and coached the Minnesota Muskies, which relocated to Miami and became the Miami Floridians the following season. He was fired by the team midway through the 1969–70 season.[7]
BAA/NBA career statistics
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1948–49† | Minneapolis | 53 | – | .396 | .687 | – | 2.7 | 14.8 |
1949–50† | Minneapolis | 66 | – | .346 | .764 | – | 3.8 | 14.7 |
1950–51 | Minneapolis | 54 | – | .352 | .750 | 9.0 | 3.4 | 11.6 |
1951–52† | Minneapolis | 65 | 39.2 | .356 | .704 | 9.1 | 3.6 | 15.5 |
1952–53† | Minneapolis | 66 | 36.4 | .357 | .769 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 13.0 |
1953–54† | Minneapolis | 71 | 35.0 | .370 | .778 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 11.7 |
1954–55 | Minneapolis | 63 | 31.1 | .354 | .812 | 7.3 | 2.5 | 10.8 |
Career | 438 | 35.4 | .360 | .750 | 7.8 | 3.2 | 13.2 | |
All-Star | 4 | 24.3 | .304 | .750 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 12.0 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1949 †
|
Minneapolis | 10 | – | .293 | .710 | – | 3.9 | 13.0 |
1950 †
|
Minneapolis | 12 | – | .286 | .710 | – | 4.7 | 12.0 |
1951
|
Minneapolis | 7 | – | .324 | .833 | 8.9 | 3.9 | 13.6 |
1952 †
|
Minneapolis | 11 | 42.6 | .405 | .740 | 6.3 | 3.0 | 16.1 |
1953 †
|
Minneapolis | 12 | 37.9 | .371 | .774 | 7.2 | 4.1 | 14.3 |
1954 †
|
Minneapolis | 13 | 41.8 | .361 | .800 | 8.5 | 3.2 | 12.3 |
1955
|
Minneapolis | 7 | 36.7 | .317 | .717 | 11.1 | 2.0 | 14.1 |
Career | 72 | 40.1 | .339 | .750 | 8.1 | 3.6 | 13.6 |
Head coaching record
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minneapolis | 1959–60 | 39 | 14 | 25 | .359 | 3rd in Western | 9 | 5 | 4 | .556 | Lost in Conference finals
|
Chicago | 1961–62 | 80 | 18 | 62 | .225 | 5th in Western | — | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs |
Minnesota | 1967–68 | 78 | 50 | 28 | .641 | 2nd in ABA Eastern Division | 10 | 4 | 6 | .400 | Lost in Conference finals |
Miami | 1968–69 | 78 | 43 | 35 | .551 | 2nd in ABA Eastern Division | 12 | 5 | 7 | .417 | Lost in Conference finals |
Miami | 1969–70 | 20 | 5 | 15 | .250 | (fired) | — | — | — | — | — |
Total | 295 | 130 | 165 | .441 | 31 | 14 | 17 | .452 |
See also
References
- ^ Krentzman, Jackie (February 12, 1996). "Jam boree – basketball's dunk shot; includes related articles". The Sporting News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Jim Pollard". Accessed on June 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Sutton, Jeff. "NBA Hall of Famer Jim Pollard was ahead of his time". Lodi News-Sentinel. June 3, 2002. Accessed on June 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Jim Pollard, a Star In N.B.A. in 50's; Ex-Laker Was 70". The New York Times. January 25, 1993. Accessed on June 10, 2017.
- ISBN 0-8166-4675-9
- ^ a b "Jim Pollard Stats". Basketball Reference. Accessed on June 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c Galluzzo, Steve. "Jim Pollard". Los Angeles Times. February 12, 2011. Accessed on June 11, 2017.