Gene Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Eugene Stephen Rhodes (born September 2, 1927) is a retired American
basketball
player and coach.
Rhodes played college basketball
at Western Kentucky University
. While Rhodes was a player, Western Kentucky won the Ohio Valley Conference
championship in 1949, 1950 and 1951, playing in the National Invitational Tournament in each of those seasons.
Rhodes played in the NBA for the Indianapolis Olympians
.
Rhodes was later head basketball coach at Louisville St. Xavier High School, leading that team to the 1958 Kentucky state championship.
In 1964 Rhodes later returned to Western Kentucky University as an assistant coach under John Oldham
, to 1968. In that time the team went to two NCAA tournaments and appeared once in the National Invitational Tournament.
During the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association
the Kentucky Colonels
started out with a record of 5-12, which led to the firing of head coach John Givens
. Rhodes replaced Givens and guided the Colonels to fourth place in the Eastern Division. The Colonels lost the 1968 Eastern Division semifinals to the Minnesota Muskies
3 games to two.
In the 1968-1969 season Rhodes led the Colonels to a record of 42-36 which was good for third place in the Eastern Division. Rhodes also coached the East team in the ABA All Star game. The Colonels made history this season as Penny Early became the first female player in the history of professional basketball. In the playoffs, the Colonels lost a close series, 4 games to 3, to the Indiana Pacers
.
During the 1969-1970 season the Colonels posted a record of 45 wins and 39 losses, claiming second place in the Eastern Division. The Colonels beat the New York Nets 4 games to 3 in the Eastern Division semifinals bust lost the Eastern Division finals to the Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
Rhodes began the 1970-1971 season with a 10-5 record with the Colonels but was fired at that point. Alex Groza
was briefly the Colonels' head coach for two games (winning both) and Frank Ramsey
assumed the reins for the remainder of the season as the Colonels defeated the Miami Floridians
4 games to 2 in the Eastern Division semifinals, defeated the Virginia Squires
4 games to 2 in the Eastern Division finals but then lost a very close ABA Championship series, 4 games to 3, to the Utah Stars
.
In 1973 Rhodes became general manager for the Kentucky Colonels.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach.
Rhodes played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
. While Rhodes was a player, Western Kentucky won the Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
championship in 1949, 1950 and 1951, playing in the National Invitational Tournament in each of those seasons.
Rhodes played in the NBA for the Indianapolis Olympians
Indianapolis Olympians
The Indianapolis Olympians were a National Basketball Association team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. They were founded in 1949 and folded in 1953. Their home arena was the Hinkle Fieldhouse.-Franchise history:...
.
Rhodes was later head basketball coach at Louisville St. Xavier High School, leading that team to the 1958 Kentucky state championship.
In 1964 Rhodes later returned to Western Kentucky University as an assistant coach under John Oldham
John Oldham (basketball)
John Oldham is a former college player, athletic director and basketball coach who gave the idea of Western Kentucky University's "Red Towel" logo, an iconic towel used by former coach E.A. Diddle....
, to 1968. In that time the team went to two NCAA tournaments and appeared once in the National Invitational Tournament.
During the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
started out with a record of 5-12, which led to the firing of head coach John Givens
John Givens
John Givens was a basketball player and coach.Givens, a native of McHenry, Kentucky, played college basketball at Western Kentucky University. He was drafted by the NBA's Rochester Royals in the sixth round of the 1950 draft....
. Rhodes replaced Givens and guided the Colonels to fourth place in the Eastern Division. The Colonels lost the 1968 Eastern Division semifinals to the Minnesota Muskies
Minnesota Muskies
The Minnesota Muskies were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, born with the league's creation on February 2, 1967. L.P. Shields and Fred Jefferson bought in to create the franchise for $30,000...
3 games to two.
In the 1968-1969 season Rhodes led the Colonels to a record of 42-36 which was good for third place in the Eastern Division. Rhodes also coached the East team in the ABA All Star game. The Colonels made history this season as Penny Early became the first female player in the history of professional basketball. In the playoffs, the Colonels lost a close series, 4 games to 3, to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
During the 1969-1970 season the Colonels posted a record of 45 wins and 39 losses, claiming second place in the Eastern Division. The Colonels beat the New York Nets 4 games to 3 in the Eastern Division semifinals bust lost the Eastern Division finals to the Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
Rhodes began the 1970-1971 season with a 10-5 record with the Colonels but was fired at that point. Alex Groza
Alex Groza
Alex John Groza was an American professional basketball player from Martins Ferry, Ohio who was banned from the NBA for life in 1951 for point shaving...
was briefly the Colonels' head coach for two games (winning both) and Frank Ramsey
Frank Ramsey (basketball)
Frank Vernon Ramsey, Jr. is a former professional basketball player and coach. A 6-3 guard, he played his entire nine-year NBA career with the Boston Celtics and played a major role in the early part of their dynasty, winning seven championships...
assumed the reins for the remainder of the season as the Colonels defeated the Miami Floridians
Miami Floridians
The Miami Floridians, later in their history known simply as The Floridians, were a professional basketball franchise in the original, now-defunct American Basketball Association. The Miami Floridians played in the ABA from 1968 through 1970 when they became simply The Floridians...
4 games to 2 in the Eastern Division semifinals, defeated the Virginia Squires
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
4 games to 2 in the Eastern Division finals but then lost a very close ABA Championship series, 4 games to 3, to the Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
.
In 1973 Rhodes became general manager for the Kentucky Colonels.