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John Isaacs

1915 – 2009

American basketball player

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About John Isaacs

Lived 1915 – 2009 (aged 93). John Isaacs was an American basketball player.

John William Isaacs (September 15, 1915 – January 26, 2009) was a Panamanian-American professional basketball player. Born in Panama but raised in New York City, he was a member of the New York Renaissance, the Washington Bears, and various other teams.

Life and career Isaacs was born in 1915 in Panama to a Jamaican father and a Panamanian mother. He grew up bilingual in Harlem, speaking English. Isaacs won a second title in 1943 with the Washington Bears, again defeating Oshkosh. Paid $175 per month, plus expenses, to play basketball. Isaacs supplemented his professional salary with jobs on the assembly line at Grumman Aircraft and at New York Life Insurance during the off season.

Long after retiring from professional sports, Isaacs won medals at the New York State Senior Games in tennis, Frisbee, softball throwing, as well as in basketball.

On February 14, 2015, Isaacs was announced as a member of that year's induction class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He formally entered the Hall on September 11.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Bayard Rustin Educational Complex
Awards
World Professional Basketball Tournament
Also known as
John William Isaacs

People in John Isaacs's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Isaacs's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Isaacs?

American basketball player

When was John Isaacs born?

John Isaacs was born on 15 September 1915 in Panama City.

When did John Isaacs die?

John Isaacs died on 26 January 2009 in The Bronx.

What was John Isaacs's occupation?

John Isaacs was a basketball player.

What nationality was John Isaacs?

John Isaacs was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Isaacs

· Wikidata: Q6240897

· DBpedia: John Isaacs

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Isaacs. https://biography.guide/john-isaacs/

MLA: "John Isaacs." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-isaacs/.

Chicago: "John Isaacs." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-isaacs/.

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

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