Tom Nissalke
Thomas Edward "Tom" Nissalke (born July 7, 1932 in Madison, Wisconsin) is a retired former American professional basketball coach in the NBA and American Basketball Association. He has coached several teams in both leagues, and has an overall coaching record of 371-508.|
Coaching career
After a season with the then-Dallas Chapparals (where he won ABA coach of the Year), Nissalke moved to the NBA with the Sonics for one season. He returned to the team, now in San Antonio, in 1973, bringing with him a "a patterned, deliberate offense to San Antonio". During his tenure, the "Iceman" George Gervin had arrived from the Virginia Squires and was the center of the team. Though Nissalke's club was successful, he was fired in the beginning of the 1974-75 ABA season. Nissalke, who is a graduate of Florida State University, first got his start in coaching on the high school-prep level at the Beaver Dam Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He would later work his way onto the college ranks at the University of Wisconsin & Tulane.
Early pro coaching career
Nissalke then would take his act to Utah with the ABA's Stars, but the club folded, surprisingly, midseason in the ABA's last hurrah in 1975-76. According to Remember the ABA, he has the final game ball in his closet.
Later coaching career
Nissalke later coached the then other existing Texas professional basketball team, the NBA's Houston Rockets (winning another Coach of the Year in the NBA in 76-77), followed by the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers, retiring in 1985.
Nissalke holds the rare distinction of being named Coach of the Year in both the NBA and the ABA. He was also the commissioner of the short lived National Basketball League in Canada in 1993-94.
Family life and personal
Nissalke presently works as a radio pregame and halftime analyst and talk-show host for the Utah Jazz. In January 2006, his wife of 46 years, Nancy, who also was a native of Madison, Wisconsin, died, succumbing to cancer. Together they had two children, son Thomas Jr., and daughter Cassidy Holly, as well as a granddaughter, Caroline Anne.
When asked one time in an interview how his name was pronounced, Nissalke famously replied, "Tom".
External links
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v ABA Coach of the Year Award |
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1968: Vince Cazzetta, Pittsburgh Pipers | 1969: Alex Hannum, Oakland Oaks | 1970: Bill Sharman, Los Angeles Stars and Joe Belmont, Denver Rockets | 1971: Al Bianchi, Virginia Squires | 1972: Tom Nissalke, Dallas Chaparrals | 1973: Larry Brown, Carolina Cougars | 1974: Babe McCarthy, Kentucky Colonels and Joe Mullaney, Utah Stars | 1975: Larry Brown, Denver Nuggets | 1976: Larry Brown, Denver Nuggets
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Cagegory:Florida State University alumni
Categories: United States basketball coach stubs | American basketball coaches | 1932 births | People from Madison, Wisconsin | People from Wisconsin | BSN coaches | Charlotte Hornets assistant coaches | Cleveland Cavaliers head coaches | Dallas Chaparrals head coaches | Houston Rockets head coaches | National Basketball Association broadcasters | National Basketball Association head coaches | San Antonio Spurs head coaches | Seattle SuperSonics head coaches | Utah Jazz head coaches | Utah Stars coaches | Living people
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