Richie Guerin

Richard Vincent Guerin (born May 29, 1932) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) New York Knicks from 1956 to 1963 and was a player-coach of the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks franchise where he spent nine years. On February 15, 2013, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Guerin had been elected as one of its 2013 inductees.

Guerin served in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1947 to 1954. While a reservist, Guerin attended Iona College from 1950 to 1954 where he scored 1,375 points in 67 games playing for coach Jim McDermott. After graduation, Guerin served on active duty at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia for two years.

Guerin was a gifted scorer, passer, playmaker, and was one of the most successful rebounding and driving guards of his era. He led the Knicks in assists for five consecutive seasons and in scoring three times during his seven full seasons in the Big Apple, and he tallied more than 20 points per game in four consecutive years. Guerin also set Knicks single-game records for scoring, with 57 points in 1959, and assists, with 21 in 1958.

A fan and media favorite, Guerin played in six consecutive NBA All-Star Games. As a team, New York struggled, reaching the playoffs only once during Guerin's tenure. He was traded to the St. Louis Hawks midway through the 1963–64 season and spent the next eight years as the team's player-coach and then head coach. With St. Louis (and eventually Atlanta), Guerin played alongside Bob Pettit, Lou Hudson, Lenny Wilkens, and Cliff Hagan. Guerin helped the Hawks to nine consecutive playoff appearances and was named NBA Coach of the Year for 1967–68.

College career Guerin attended Iona College in 1950 where he played center for coach Jim McDermott. He commuted to school daily. He averaged at least 19.9 points per game in his three years of varsity basketball, and set the freshman team scoring record at the time. In his third year Guerin led the Knicks in assists (5.1 apg) and ranked second in scoring (18.2 ppg). He made a (then) team-record 21 assists against St. Louis on December 12, 1958. The 21 assists he totaled were also Madison Square Garden high until John Stockton broke the record 41 years later. That year New York made its only postseason appearance with Guerin on the team, losing to the Syracuse Nationals in a first-round sweep. By the end of the campaign Guerin had firmly established himself among the league's backcourt elite. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the third time in his first six seasons. St. Louis had gone 17–16 under Gallatin, and the team went 28–19 under Guerin. The Hawks earned a playoff spot but lost to the Baltimore Bullets in a division semifinal series. Under Guerin's direction, the Hawks reached the playoffs in each of the next seven seasons.

On May 1, 1967, Guerin was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics from the St. Louis Hawks in the NBA expansion draft.

The fourth game of the 1970 Western Division Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 19, 1970, was Guerin's last game as a player. He contributed 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, but his team failed to avoid a four-game sweep.

Legacy and honors In 2013, Guerin was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Guerin was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

Guerin is considered the last NBA player to use a two-handed set shot. ). His successor as head coach was Cotton Fitzsimmons who was appointed just over five weeks later on May 31. Guerin was fired on August 4, 1973, despite having four years remaining on a five‐year contract. Feeling the need for a promoter as general manager, the Hawks replaced Guerin with Pat Williams two days later on August 6.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Head coaching record

Marine Corps

Guerin enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and served from 1947 to 1954. While a reservist, Guerin attended Iona College from 1950 to 1954, and upon graduation was commissioned a second lieutenant. He served on active duty with the T&T Regtiment, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia until his discharge as a first lieutenant in June 1956. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Organized Marine Corps Rerserve Medal.

Personal Following his retirement from professional basketball, Guerin became a Knicks sportscaster and a Wall Street stockbroker.