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Kevin Loughery

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Kevin Loughery
Born
Kevin Michael Loughery

(1940-03-28) March 28, 1940 (age 86)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Professional basketball player, coach, broadcaster
Years active1962–1995 (player and coach), 1980s–2000s (broadcaster)
Known forNBA player and coach; coaching Julius Erving and Michael Jordan; hiring Phil Jackson as assistant coach

Kevin Michael "Murph" Loughery (born March 28, 1940) is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. Throughout his coaching career, he worked with icons such as Julius Erving and Michael Jordan, and was responsible for hiring Phil Jackson in his inaugural NBA head coaching position. Loughery guided five distinct franchises to postseason appearances in the NBA.

Early life

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Loughery completed his high school education at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx in 1957. His father served as a police detective. During his high school years, he earned All-City recognition and was named MVP of the Bronx Catholic tournament, which his team won.

College basketball

Loughery commenced his collegiate basketball journey at Boston College during the 1958-59 season, where he averaged 16.8 points across 19 contests. He then transferred to St. John's University, competing for two seasons from 1960 to 1962 under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Joe Lapchick. Lapchick confirmed the transfer with Boston College’s coach Dino Martin, who supported Loughery’s choice to return closer to home.

At St. John's, the team compiled a 41–10 record. Loughery posted averages of 10.6 points over 25 games in the 1960-61 season and increased to 15.5 points per game the following year. Among his teammates was LeRoy Ellis, who later became his teammate in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Baltimore Bullets. The Red Storm advanced to the semifinals of the NIT Tournament in 1962. That same year, Ellis led the Metropolitan New York Conference in both scoring and rebounding, while Loughery ranked seventh in scoring average.

Professional basketball

Loughery was commonly known by his nickname "Murph" during his playing days.

Detroit Pistons and Baltimore Bullets

Selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 13th overall pick in the second round of the 1962 NBA draft, Loughery’s NBA playing career spanned 11 seasons from 1962 to 1973 with Detroit, Baltimore, and the Philadelphia 76ers. He spent nearly nine years as a member of the Bullets franchise. After completing his rookie year with Detroit—where he averaged fewer than seven points per game while playing under 15 minutes—he was traded early in the 1963-64 season to Baltimore in exchange for Larry Staverman.

Loughery attributes much of his development to Bullets coach and Naismith Hall of Famer Bobby "Slick" Leonard, who provided him an opportunity to establish himself on the team. As a shooting guard for Baltimore, he averaged 16.6 points and logged over 31 minutes per contest. During the 1965 playoffs against the St. Louis Hawks, he produced averages of 21.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and four assists per game.

His highest scoring outputs came during the 1968-69 season (22.6 points per game) and the following year (21.9 points per game), where he formed a backcourt duo with future Hall of Famer Earl Monroe. Alongside Hall of Famers Wes Unseld and Gus Johnson, Loughery’s Bullets qualified for postseason play from 1969 through 1971. In the 1969 playoffs versus the New York Knicks, he averaged 20.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists; during the 1971 playoffs against Philadelphia, he contributed averages of 19.6 points and five assists per game.

Philadelphia 76ers

He was traded alongside Fred Carter from the Bullets to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Archie Clark, a second-round draft pick in 1973 (19th overall–Louie Nelson), and cash on October 17, 1971. His coaching journey began when he took over as player-coach of the 76ers, replacing Roy Rubin, who had led the team to a 4–47 start by January 23, 1973. The contract he signed included an option to extend his tenure for two additional seasons beyond that year. Under his leadership, the team marginally improved to a 5–26 record. He chose not to continue, and on June 15, 1973, Gene Shue succeeded him.

New York/New Jersey Nets and Julius Erving

Upon retiring as a player, he accepted a five-year head coaching contract with the New York Nets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) on April 26, 1973, taking over from Lou Carnesecca. With the star presence of Julius Erving, Loughery guided the Nets to capture two ABA championships within three seasons. Following the ABA's dissolution and the Nets’ transition into the NBA, he continued as coach for their initial five NBA campaigns. The team encountered difficulties after financial constraints forced the sale of Erving’s contract to the Philadelphia 76ers. Loughery regarded Erving’s performance against the Denver squad during their second ABA finals series as unparalleled in his experience.

The franchise relocated to New Jersey, becoming the New Jersey Nets. Midway through the 1980–81 season, Loughery was dismissed and replaced by interim head coach Bob MacKinnon. It was reported that his departure stemmed from fundamental disagreements with team ownership. Notably, Loughery provided future Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson with his inaugural assistant coaching position while Jackson concluded his playing career with the Nets.

Atlanta Hawks

He was appointed head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, succeeding Hubie Brown, and retained Mike Fratello as his assistant. Under his guidance, the Hawks secured playoff berths in consecutive seasons, including one featuring rookie standout Dominique Wilkins. After the conclusion of the 1982–83 season, Loughery was relieved of his duties and succeeded by Fratello.

Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan

Loughery served as head coach for the Chicago Bulls over two seasons. In his sophomore year at the helm, with rookie sensation Michael Jordan, the Bulls advanced to the playoffs. Jordan acknowledged Loughery in both The Jordan Rules and a 1992 interview for instilling confidence and allowing him freedom to express his playing style. Ultimately, Loughery was dismissed due to "philosophical differences" with Bulls vice president Jerry Krause, who had effectively assumed general manager responsibilities.

Washington Bullets

The following season saw Loughery join the Washington Bullets as an assistant under Gene Shue. After Shue was dismissed with just thirteen games remaining in the 1985–86 season, Loughery took over and led the team into the playoffs, repeating this feat in the subsequent season. Nonetheless, he was replaced by Wes Unseld on January 3, 1988, after an 8–19 start during the Bullets’ campaign.

Miami Heat

Following a period working as a broadcaster for TBS and TNT, Loughery was appointed head coach of the Miami Heat three years after their NBA expansion inception. He successfully guided the franchise to its first-ever playoff appearances during both the 1991-92 and 1993–94 seasons.

Legacy

Larry Brown, a Hall of Fame coach inducted by Naismith, attributed much of Loughery's achievements to his deep respect for the efforts and sacrifices made by his players. Renowned for his spirited exchanges with officials, Loughery was ranked second in the NBA for technical fouls as of the year 2000.

Known for his physical resilience, Loughery played through severe injuries, including competing in playoff games while suffering from four broken ribs and a punctured lung. On one occasion, he lost a dental bridge following a blow from Hall of Famer Guy Rodgers.

During his time coaching the Nets, Loughery was at the center of a significant event when referee Richie Powers issued three technical fouls against him—surpassing the NBA's limit—resulting in the game being replayed and Powers facing suspension. This particular game was notable for a unique situation where Eric Money scored points for both teams due to a mid-season trade.

Although Loughery faced a three-game suspension that season after making physical contact with an official, he maintained the admiration of both players and team owners by leading a financially challenged squad to notable achievements.

Broadcasting career

Throughout the 1980s, Loughery served as a prominent broadcaster for CBS Sports' NBA coverage, providing commentary on regular season and late-stage playoff contests.

Following his dismissal as Washington’s coach in January 1988, he resumed part-time broadcasting roles with TBS and TNT. After concluding his coaching stint with the Miami Heat, Loughery joined CNN/SI until it ceased operations in 2002. He occasionally appeared on ESPN Radio and was featured as a guest during their 2002 NBA Finals coverage. Subsequently, he secured a full-time position as an NBA radio analyst for ESPN beginning with the 2002–03 season.

Honors

Loughery was honored with induction into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.

NBA

Source

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1962 Detroit 57 14.8 .368 .710 1.9 1.8 6.4
1963 Detroit 1 2.0 .250 – 0.0 0.0 2.0
1963 Baltimore 65 22.4 .375 .712 2.1 2.8 9.2
1964 Baltimore 80* 30.2 .424 .754 2.9 3.7 12.8
1965 Baltimore 74 33.2 .416 .830 3.1 4.8 18.2
1966 Baltimore 76 33.9 .398 .825 '4.6' 3.8 18.2
1967 Baltimore 77 29.8 .406 .778 3.2 3.3 15.9
1968 Baltimore 80 '39.2' .438 .803 3.3 '4.8' '22.6'
1969 Baltimore 55 "37.0" " .441 " " .849 " "3.1" "5.3" "21.9"
" 1970 " " 1970–71 Baltimore Bullets season " " 82 " " 27.6 " " .403 " " .831 " " 2.7 " " 3.7 " " 15.1 "
" 1971 " " 1971–72 Baltimore Bullets season " " 2 " " 21 " " .235 " " .625 " " 2.5 " " 4 " " 6.5 "
" 1971 " " 1971–72 Philadelphia 76ers season " " 74 " " '29' " " 23.4 " " .426 " " .827 " " 2.4 " " 2.5 " " 12.6 "
" 1972 " " 1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers season " " 32 " " 21 " " 29.8 " " .396 " " .823 " " 3.5 " " 4.6 " " 13.9 "
Career "755" '50' '29.4' ' .413 ' ' .803 ' '3' '3.7' '15.3'


Playoff Performance

Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1963 Detroit 2 13.0 .100 1.000 0.0 2.0 1.5
1965 Baltimore 10 29.7 .387 .895 3.4 3.0 14.0
1966 Baltimore 3 9.0 .429 .500 0.3 0.3 3.0
1969 Baltimore 4 43.3 .367 .657 4.5 5.3 20.3
1970 Baltimore 7 21.9 .338 .714 2.3 1.1 9.6
1971 Baltimore 17 29.4 .396 .753 2.2 3.1 13.6
Overall Career Totals 43 27.3 .375 .753 2.5 2.7 12.4

Coaching Record

Team Season GP W L Win% Division Rank Playoff GP Playoff W Playoff L Playoff Win% Remarks
Philadelphia 76ers 1972 31 5 26 .161 4th Atlantic Division
New York Nets 1973 ABA 84 55 29 .655 1st Eastern Division 14 12 2 .857 Captured 1974 ABA Championship
1974 ABA 84 58 26 .690 1st Eastern Division 5 1 4 .200 Eliminated in Division Semifinals
1975 ABA 84 55 29 .655 2nd Place 13 8 5 .615 Won the 1976 ABA Finals
1976 NBA 82 22 60 .268 Fifth in Atlantic Division
1977 NBA 82 24 58 .293 Fifth in Atlantic Division
1978 NBA 82 37 45 .451 Third in Atlantic Division 2 0 2 .000 Defeated in First Round
1979 NBA 82 34 48 .415 Fifth in Atlantic Division
1980 NBA (dismissed) 35 12 23 .343
1981 NBA 82 42 40 .512 Second in Central Division 2 0 2 .000 Exited in First Round
1982 NBA 82 43 39 .524 Second in Central Division 3 1 2 .333 Lost in First Round
1983 NBA 82 27 55 .329 Fifth in Central Division
1984 NBA 82 38 44 .463 Third in Central Division 4 1 3 .250 Eliminated in First Round
1985 NBA (partial) 13 7 6 .538 Third in Atlantic Division 5 2 3 .400 Lost First Round
1986 NBA 82 42 40 .512 Third in Atlantic Division 3 0 3 .000 Defeated in First Round
1987 NBA (dismissed) 27 8 19 .296
1991 NBA 82 38 44 .463 Fourth in Atlantic Division 3 0 3 .000 Lost First Round
1992 NBA 82 36 46 .439 Fifth in Atlantic Division
1993 NBA 82 42 40 .512 Fourth in Atlantic Division 5 2 3 .400 Exited in First Round
1994 NBA (dismissed) 46 17 29 .370

|-class="sortbottom" !ABA Career!!252!!168!!84!!!! !!32!!21!!11!! |-class="sortbottom" !NBA Career!!1136!!474!!662!!!! !!27!!6!!21!! |-class="sortbottom" !Total Coaching!!1304!!642!!746!!!! !!59!!27!!32!!

External links

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