Roy Rubin (basketball)

Roy Rubin
Roy Rubin
Born	9 December 1925 (age 100); Bronx, New York, U.S.
Died	5 August 2013 (aged 87); Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Basketball coach
Years active	1949–1973

Roy Rubin (December 9, 1925 – August 5, 2013) was known for his roles as a basketball coach at both collegiate and professional levels.

Career as coach

From 1949 to 1951, Rubin was a player on the University of Louisville basketball team. During the 1972–73 NBA season, he served as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers for the first 51 games, overseeing a team that recorded a historically poor 9–73 overall season, with his personal coaching record standing at 4–47.

Prior to his NBA tenure, Rubin led the basketball program at Christopher Columbus High School in New York City, where he guided the squad to six borough titles over nine years. Recognized for his expertise in defense, he authored a book focused on defensive tactics. His coaching career also included a role as athletic director and head coach at Long Island University (LIU), compiling an overall record of 174–94 across eleven seasons.

Philadelphia 76ers

On June 15, 1972, Rubin departed LIU to accept a three-year agreement as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. He succeeded Jack Ramsay, who had stepped down following the franchise’s first-ever failure to reach the playoffs. Although only six years removed from their 1967 NBA championship, the Sixers had experienced significant decline; prominent coaches such as Al McGuire and Adolph Rupp had declined opportunities to take charge. In a rare move driven by urgency, the team placed a coaching advertisement in The Philadelphia Inquirer, which ultimately led to Rubin’s appointment.

Rubin took over a roster featuring veteran Hal Greer as the sole remaining member from their title-winning squad. His stint began disastrously with an 0–15 losing streak and only saw its first victory after approximately one month, concluding with four wins in 51 games coached. Following a then-record 20-game losing streak, Rubin was dismissed on January 23, 1973, and replaced by player-coach Kevin Loughery. Reports suggested that Rubin had lost the confidence of his players well before his termination.

Criticism from team members targeted Rubin’s coaching approach as ineffective and poorly organized, highlighting chaotic practice sessions and unproductive timeout strategies. For example, he considered full-court one-on-one drills adequate preparation for competitive play. Former player Fred Carter later likened hiring Rubin to "letting a teenager run a big corporation," remarking on Rubin’s misplaced confidence after a preseason victory against a Boston Celtics lineup mostly composed of reserve players.

Tough to Get Help

Prior to joining the Sixers, Rubin was involved in co-producing the Broadway play Tough to Get Help. The production was penned by Steve Gordon and directed by Carl Reiner, featuring actors John Amos, Dick O'Neill, and Abe Vigoda. The storyline revolved around an African American couple employed as domestic workers for a white liberal advertising executive's family, focusing on tensions surrounding their militant son’s return home.

The show received largely negative critiques; notably, Clive Barnes of The New York Times criticized its ineffective dream sequences and underdeveloped characters. It closed after just one performance at the Royale Theatre on May 4, 1972.

Later life

Following his coaching career, Rubin settled in Florida where he operated an International House of Pancakes restaurant and did not return to basketball coaching. He died from cancer in Miami in 2013, leaving behind his wife, Marsha.

External links

BasketballReference.com: Roy Rubin