Joe Holland (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Burnett Holland, Sr. (September 26, 1925 - September 18, 2010) was an American
basketball
player. He won an NCAA championship at the University of Kentucky
and played three years in the National Basketball Association
from 1949 to 1952.
Holland, a 6'4 forward from Benton, Kentucky
, played for Kentucky
from 1945 to 1948. He was a key player for the Wildcats, earning first team All-Southeastern Conference
in 1947 and playing a key role in helping Adolph Rupp
win his first championship as a part of the 1947–48 Wildcats team.
After graduating from UK in 1949, Holland was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1948 BAA Draft
. Holland played three seasons with the Indianapolis Olympians
, where he was reunited with college teammates Cliff Barker
, Ralph Beard
, Wah Wah Jones
and Jack Parkinson
. Holland played three seasons for the Olympians, averaging 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 186 total games.
Holland died on September 18, 2010.
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. He won an NCAA championship at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
and played three years in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
from 1949 to 1952.
Holland, a 6'4 forward from Benton, Kentucky
Benton, Kentucky
Benton is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County....
, played for Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
from 1945 to 1948. He was a key player for the Wildcats, earning first team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
in 1947 and playing a key role in helping Adolph Rupp
Adolph Rupp
Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...
win his first championship as a part of the 1947–48 Wildcats team.
After graduating from UK in 1949, Holland was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1948 BAA Draft
1948 BAA Draft
The 1948 BAA Draft was the second annual draft of the Basketball Association of America , which later became the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 10, 1948 before to the 1948–49 season. In this draft, eight BAA teams along with four teams who moved from the National...
. Holland played three seasons with 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:...
, where he was reunited with college teammates Cliff Barker
Cliff Barker
Clifford "Cliff" Eugene Barker was a basketball player from the United States, who won the gold medal with the USA national basketball team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom.-References:...
, Ralph Beard
Ralph Beard
Ralph Milton Beard Jr. was an American collegiate and professional basketball player. He was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Beard was a member of Adolph Rupp's "Fabulous Five" University of Kentucky basketball team...
, Wah Wah Jones
Wallace Jones
Wallace "Wah Wah" Clayton Jones is a retired American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association from 1949 to 1952 with the Indianapolis Olympians....
and Jack Parkinson
Jack Parkinson (basketball)
Jack Gordon Parkinson was an American basketball player who is one of few players in National Collegiate Athletic Association history to win both the National Invitation Tournament and the NCAA Tournament ...
. Holland played three seasons for the Olympians, averaging 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 186 total games.
Holland died on September 18, 2010.