John Stroud

John Stroud (born October 29, 1957) is an American former basketball player and coach who played four years at the University of Mississippi, before being drafted by the Houston Rockets in the second round of 1980 NBA draft as their first pick. Following his playing career Stroud coached for 32 years at various levels.

Biography

College career Source:

Stroud signed with the University of Mississippi out of West Union High School in Union County, Mississippi where he had received both all state and All America honors. He played for the Rebels from 1976 until 1980. In 1978–79 he led the SEC in scoring with 26.3 points per game and was named as an All-America honorable mention. He again led the SEC in scoring in 1979–80 with 25.2 points per game. During his time at Ole miss he led the Rebels to their first postseason tournament victory over Grambling 76–74 at Tad Smith Coliseum in the National Invitational Tournament.

During his career in Oxford Stroud recorded the highest career point total in Ole Miss history and is still the third-most in league history with 2,328 points and sixth in field goals made in the SEC with 894. He is fifth in free throws made in a season at 233. Only Pete Maravich and Bailey Howell made more free throws in a season. Only five players have attempted more free throws in a single season in the SEC than Stroud. His 39 points in the first round of the 1979 SEC tournament ranks as the second most points ever scored in an SEC tournament game. Likewise, his 15 field goals in that game are the second most in a tournament game. Following his senior season in 1979–80 Stroud was selected to All-America honors for the second straight season and named SEC Athlete of the year.

Professional career Following his senior year at Ole Miss, Stroud was the top choice of the Houston Rockets in the 1980 NBA draft. He played with the Rockets from 1980 to 1981 and was a member of the 1981 team that lost to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Stroud played the 1982–83 season in Europe with Caja de Ronda, located in Malaga, Spain.

New Albany High School In 1985, he became the head basketball coach at W.P. Daniel High School in New Albany, Mississippi, where helmed the boy's program to back-to-back state championships in 1986 and 87. He compiled a 71–24 record in three years.

East Mississippi Community College In 1988, Stroud accepted the head coaching position at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi. Making an immediate impact in Scooba, Stroud led EMCC to its first-ever state tournament appearance and its first regional tournament appearance in 25 years. In his two seasons at EMCC, Stroud compiled a 30–30 record and was named the Mississippi Junior College Coach of the Year following the 1989–90 season before assuming the reins of the Millsaps' basketball program the following year. He has subsequently been inducted into the SEC Business Hall of Fame.

Return to Coaching

New Albany High School (Girls) Source:

As coach

At Millsaps College Two-time SCAC Coach of the Year All-time wins leader Seven seasons of at least sixteen wins Three season of twenty wins or more 1995 SCAC title NCAA Division III Sweet 16.

In High School Back-to-back boys state championships in 1986 and 1987. Girls state championship in 2011

As Business Executive Regions SEC Business Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame Memberships Ole Miss Student Hall of Fame, Colonel Rebel & Student Senate (1980) Outstanding Young Men of America (1987) Runner-up Clarion Ledger's Most Popular Athlete MS sports history (1989) West Union HS Alumni Hall of Fame (1991) Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame (1995) SEC Living Legends Team, Atlanta, GA (1999) Millsaps Athletic Hall of Fame (2005) SEC Business Hall of Fame (2007) Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (2009)

Personal life