Jack Laub

Jack Laub (May 9, 1926 – June 29, 2023) was an American professional basketball player and pharmaceutical executive best known as the only NCAA player to ever play six varsity years. He is a recipient of the French Legion of Honor for his military service in World War II, and an inductee to the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the City College of New York Basketball Hall of Fame, the University of Cincinnati's James P. Kelly Athletics Hall of Fame and the Brooklyn Jewish Hall of Fame. He was also a pioneer in the development of generic drugs and is recognized for his commitment to reducing the cost of prescription drugs for consumers.

Early years Laub was born in Brighton Beach, New York in 1926. He lived with his parents and five brothers in a flat above Laub's, a kosher restaurant his family opened after immigrating to the U.S. from Poland to escape persecution. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he played on the varsity basketball team and graduated with honors in 1943. Laub was the first Abraham Lincoln graduate to be drafted into the NBA, and he is succeeded by other notable NBA players to graduate from that school, including Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair.

College career Laub's college basketball career spanned two colleges and was interrupted by his military service during World War II. While the NCAA typically granted only four years of eligibility, an exception was made for veterans whose eligibility was interrupted by their military services. Consequently, he is the only player in NCAA history to play for a total of six varsity years.

City College, 1943–1945 After graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1943, Laub enrolled at City College of New York. From 1943 to 1945, he played for two varsity years under legendary City College coach Nat Holman.

Laub was recognized for his contributions to City College basketball with an Honorable Mention Award from the NY City All-Stars, and his election to the City College of New York Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Laub was considered one of the team's best shooters, helping the Bearcats win four conference championships and gain a reputation as one of the top teams in the country.

Refused to throw games in point shaving scandal In 1951, several college basketball teams were involved in a point-shaving scandal that was at that time considered the biggest scandal in the history of college sports. The scandal primarily centered on players at City College of New York who accepted bribes to fix games by preventing their teams from covering a point spread. Several players were indicted for their participation.

In January 1952, as the point-shaving scandal was spreading to other schools in New York and the Midwest, sports promoter Sam D. Feinberg was accused of attempting, unsuccessfully, to bribe Laub and Alvin Rubenstein, another University of Cincinnati player, to throw games during the 1948–1949 and 1949–1950 seasons. Assistant District Attorney Vincent O’Connor praised Laub and Rubenstein for turning down the bribes. Sam Feinberg's half-brother Saul Feinberg was indicted for bribing players at the University of Kentucky and Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.

NBA career, 1950–1952 In 1950, Laub was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets, becoming one of the first two University of Cincinnati players to be drafted into the NBA. During his NBA career, he also played for the Minneapolis Lakers and Scranton Miners. While Laub was with the Miners, he helped the team win two regular season championships from 1951 to 1952.

Coaching career In 1951, Laub was appointed University of Cincinnati's first assistant basketball coach and later became its head scout.

Awards and recognition In 2002, Laub was inducted into the City College of New York Basketball Hall of Fame.

In September 2014, he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum for his contributions to basketball.