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John Bagley

b. 1960

American basketball player-coach

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About John Bagley

Born 1960. John Bagley is an American basketball player and basketball coach.

John Edward "Bags" Bagley (born April 23, 1960) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Boston College Eagles.

College career Bagley played for Boston College for three seasons, where he averaged nearly 18 points a game and became the first Eagle to earn Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors. He averaged 20.4 points per game during the 1980–81 season, his sophomore year, and led the Eagles to the regular-season championship and NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. The following year, Bagley scored 21.1 points per game and led Boston College to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. He left Boston College after his junior year and entered the 1982 NBA draft. He was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.

College statistics

Professional career

Cleveland Cavaliers Bagley was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 12th pick of the 1982 NBA draft, and was signed to a three-year contract on September 28, 1982.

He played with the Cavs for five seasons, from 1982 to 1987.

His best season was the 1985–86 season, where Bagley hit then career highs of 11.7 points per game and 9.4 assists per game. Bagley's first season with the Nets saw him play all 82 games, the only season he did this, as well as score a career high 12 points per game.

On November 17, 1987, Bagley hit a 75-footer at the buzzer against the Houston Rockets when the first quarter drew to a close. Bagley played in 68 games, missing some due to injury, and lost his starting position at point guard to Lester Conner.

Boston Celtics On October 5, 1989, Bagley was traded to the Boston Celtics for two draft choices and an undisclosed amount of cash. He has noted that playing with the Celtics in the Boston Garden has been the highlight of his basketball career. However, he did end up starting most of the 1991–92 season, mainly after Brian Shaw was traded to the Miami Heat. Despite the starting role, Bagley was not on the team as the 1992–93 season began, but was re-signed by the Celtics on December 23, 1992. Bagley ended up playing in only 10 games that season, then was granted free agency.

CBA He played with the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1993 off-season, playing for the Columbus Horizon and Rochester Renegade.

Atlanta Hawks Prior to the 1993 season, Bagley signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Hawks, but was released after three appearances on December 13, 1993.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Personal life Bagley resided in Elgin, Illinois, and coached the Harper College Men's Basketball team. the couple also had an infant son named John Rhyce Scruggs-Bagley, who died of a heart problem in 1993. Varissa Scruggs died in 2011.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Warren Harding High School, Boston College
Awards
Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year; List of All-Big East Conference men's basketball teams; NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
Also known as
John Edward Bagley

People in John Bagley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Bagley's

Frequently asked questions

Who is John Bagley?

American basketball player-coach

When was John Bagley born?

John Bagley was born on 23 April 1960 in Bridgeport.

What is John Bagley's occupation?

John Bagley is a basketball player and basketball coach.

What nationality is John Bagley?

John Bagley is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Bagley

· Wikidata: Q3809053

· DBpedia: John Bagley (basketball)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Bagley. https://biography.guide/john-bagley/

MLA: "John Bagley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-bagley/.

Chicago: "John Bagley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-bagley/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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