About Don Anielak
Lived 1930 – 1995 (aged 65). Don Anielak was an American basketball player and basketball coach.
Donald Robert Anielak (November 1, 1930 – November 19, 1995) was an American professional basketball player and a high school coach. He starred at Southwest Missouri State University before playing professionally for the New York Knicks in 1954.
College career Anielak played collegiately for two seasons at Moberly Junior College before transferring to Southwest Missouri State University where he played from 1952 to 1954. He originally signed on to play with Bradley, but left the school shortly before the first game of the 1951 season. In January 1953, he set the schools then single-game scoring record with 39 points at Northeast Missouri. He was a MIAA All-Conference selection in 1953 after leading the conference in scoring with 21.9 points per game. He won the NAIA championship the same season
Professional career After college, Anielak was selected by the New York Knicks in the third round (26th overall) of the 1954 NBA draft and signed with the team in August 1954. He appeared in one regular season game for the Knicks, scoring three points, before being waived in November 1954.
Later life After his playing career ended, Anielak became a high school coach, first at St. Peter's High in St. Charles. He later coached at Ramsey Illinois where he accumulated a 56–18 record in three seasons before moving to Williamsville where he posted a 134–55 record in nine seasons. In 1972, he was hired as the head coach Koshkonong High School in Missouri and in 1974 he moved to North Boone High School in Illinois.
Career statistics
NBA Source
Regular season
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Don Anielak's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Don Anielak?
American basketball player (1930-1995)
When was Don Anielak born?
Don Anielak was born on 1 November 1930 in St. Louis.
When did Don Anielak die?
Don Anielak died on 19 November 1995 in Sandwich.
What was Don Anielak's occupation?
Don Anielak was a basketball player and basketball coach.
What nationality was Don Anielak?
Don Anielak was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Don Anielak. https://biography.guide/don-anielak/
MLA: "Don Anielak." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/don-anielak/.
Chicago: "Don Anielak." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/don-anielak/.
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