Athletes - Bill Sharman

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	Athletes - Bill Sharman

William Walton "Bill" Sharman (born May 25, 1926 in Abilene, Texas) is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman served during World War II from 1944 to 1946 in the US Navy He is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest backcourt duo of all time. While Cousy was primarily the playmaker, Sharman was the shooter.

From 1950 to 1955 Sharman played professional baseball in the Brooklyn Dodgers minor league system.

He was one of the first guards to shoot better than .400 from the field. Sharman ended his career after 11 seasons in 1961. In 1970/71 he coached the Utah Stars to an ABA title. The following season he guided the Wilt Chamberlain-led Los Angeles Lakers to their first championship for more than a decade and was named NBA Coach of the Year. He is one of two men to win NBA and ABA championships as a coach; coincidentally, the other, Alex Hannum, also coached a Chamberlain-led team (the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers) to an NBA championship.

Sharman was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976 as a player. In 2004, he was also enshrined as a coach. He is one of only three people to be enshrined in both categories, after John Wooden and Lenny Wilkens. On October 29, 1996, Sharman was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.

His family includes: Sons Jerry Sharman and Tom Sharman; daughters Nancy and Janice. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

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