James D. Iverson (August 22, 1930[1] – October 26, 2020) was an American basketball player and coach.
 Iverson receiving a coaching award in 1963. | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 22, 1930 Mitchell, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | October 26, 2020 (aged 90) Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Platte (Platte, South Dakota) |
| College | Kansas State (1949–1952) |
| NBA draft | 1952: 2nd round, 17th overall pick |
| Selected by the Boston Celtics | |
| Position | Guard |
| Coaching career | 1956–1965 |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
| 1956–1965 | South Dakota State |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As coach:
| |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Career coaching record | |
| College | 142–65 (.686) |
Career
editAfter a college career at Kansas State (KSU), he was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 1952 NBA draft. Iverson later coached South Dakota State University from 1956 to 1965, winning the 1963 NCAA College Division Tournament.
Iverson was a high school star at Platte High School in Platte, South Dakota, where he was named all-state three times.[2] He played college basketball at Kansas State, where he started three seasons for coach Jack Gardner. In his three seasons there, the Wildcats won two Big Seven Conference titles and in 1951 played for the NCAA title, losing to the Kentucky Wildcats. Iverson also played baseball at KSU.[2]
Following the close of his Kansas State career, Iverson was drafted in the second round of the 1952 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He served two years in the U. S. Army, then joined the Celtics for the 1954–55 preseason.[3] However, he was one of the final cuts for the team.[4]
After his playing career, Iverson coached several service teams in the United States and Japan before earning the head coaching position at South Dakota State (SDSU) in 1956.[5] Iverson had success at SDSU, winning a North Central Conference title in 1959, then leading the Jackrabbits to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) College Division title in 1963, defeating Wittenburg 44–42 on a last-second shot.[6] Iverson was ultimately fired in 1965 for providing excessive aid to student athletes, when it came to light that he had given player Maurice White $275.[7]
Head coaching record
edit| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State Jackrabbits[10] (North Central Conference) (1956–1965) | |||||||||
| 1956–57 | South Dakota State | 19–3 | 11–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 1957–58 | South Dakota State | 12–11 | 9–3 | 2nd | |||||
| 1958–59 | South Dakota State | 17–7 | 11–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1959–60 | South Dakota State | 17–7 | 10–2 | 1st | |||||
| 1960–61 | South Dakota State | 21–6 | 10–2 | 1st | NCAA College Division Final Four | ||||
| 1961–62 | South Dakota State | 13–9 | 7–5 | 3rd | |||||
| 1962–63 | South Dakota State | 22–5 | 11–1 | 1st | NCAA College Division Champion | ||||
| 1963–64 | South Dakota State | 14–7 | 9–3 | 2nd | |||||
| 1964–65 | South Dakota State | 7–10 | 2–4 | T–4th | |||||
| South Dakota State: | 142–65 (.686) | 80–22 (.784) | |||||||
| Total: | 142–65 (.686) | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Birthdays: Jim Iverson". Argus Leader. August 15, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "Jim Iverson named South Dakota State basketball mentor". Argus Leader. March 27, 1956. p. 13. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Iverson signs with pro Boston Celtics". The Manhattan Republic. August 25, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Celtics release Iverson". The Newport Daily News. October 19, 1954. p. 13. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "More coaching changes; Wesleyan to play Air Force". The Salina Journal. March 29, 1956. p. 16. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bostic's bucket brings NCAA crown". Argus Leader. March 16, 1963. p. 5. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Iverson says other Jacks were given minor help". Sioux City Journal. February 14, 1965. p. 39. Retrieved November 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Jim Iverson of Fort Wayne, Indiana
- ^ Black, Ryan (November 1, 2020). "Jim Iverson, starting guard on Kansas State's 1951 Final Four team, dies at 90". Manhattan Mercury. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "2017–18 South Dakota State Jackrabbits men's basketball media guide, pages 48–49" (PDF). South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
