 Kerr coaching the Bulls in 1966 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 17, 1932 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | February 26, 2009 (aged 76) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Tilden (Chicago, Illinois) |
| College | Illinois (1951–1954) |
| NBA draft | 1954: 1st round, 6th overall pick |
| Selected by the Syracuse Nationals | |
| Playing career | 1954–1966 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 10, 43 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1954–1965 | Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1965–1966 | Baltimore Bullets |
| As coach: | |
| 1966–1968 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1968–1970 | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach: | |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 12,480 (13.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 10,092 (11.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,004 (2.2 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
John Graham Kerr (July 17, 1932[1] – February 26, 2009), also known as Red Kerr, was an American basketball player, coach, executive and broadcaster who devoted six decades to the sport at all levels. The affable 6'9", 230-pound center starred for the University of Illinois (1951–1954) before he became a three-time All-Star and one-time league champion in the NBA (1954–66), primarily as a member of the Syracuse Nationals.
Kerr was the first of the NBA iron men in the early years of the league. From 1954 to 1965, he played in 917 consecutive games, including 844 in the regular season, a record that stood for 17 years. He averaged 13.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 905 games over 12 seasons, all except one with the Nationals (later the Philadelphia 76ers). More consistent than spectacular, Kerr averaged in double figures in points and rebounds in seven consecutive seasons (1956–64), when he earned the reputation as one of the best big men in the league.
After retirement as a player, Kerr held several coaching and administrative positions, most notably coach of the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns in their first-ever seasons. In his debut on the bench, the 1966-67 Bulls defied long odds to earn a postseason berth, the first expansion team in major professional team sports to do so.
The Chicago native concluded his career as a Bulls television analyst for thirty-three years, during which he was one of the most recognizable personalities of the Bulls dynasty in the 1990s decade.
- ^ Brian Hanley. "Johnny Kerr". Chicago Sun-Times. May 14, 1990. 105.