Ed Badger

Teams coached: Cincinnati Bearcats, Chicago Bulls
Cincinnati record: 68-71 (.489)
Overall record^: 68-71 (.489)

Ed Badger
Born November 5, 1932
Hometown: West New York, New Jersey
Alma Mater: University of Iowa (BA & MA)
Played basketball for Bucky O’Connor at Iowa and then played while in the US Air Force
First coaching jobs were at St. Mary’s HS and Marengo HS, both in Iowa
Became the head coach at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago in 1958
- Won 25+ games in each of his 15 years at the helm, including two perfect 33-0 seasons
Joined Dick Motta‘s staff as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls in 1973
- The Bulls reached the Conference Finals in 1974 and 1975, but Motta resigned in May 1976 after missing the Playoffs
Badger was elevated to head coach, leading the Bulls for the next two seasons (1976-78)
- Made the Playoffs in his first season and went 85-82 in total as the Bulls’ head man
His only Division I college coaching job was a five-season stint at Cincinnati
- Badger finished above .500 just twice and left the team in 1983 with an overall record of 68-71
Spent the rest of his career in the NBA, with stints in Cleveland (under Tom Nissalke), Boston (under K. C. Jones), Charlotte (under Dick Harter), Indiana (under Bob Hill), Miami (under Kevin Loughery) and Philadelphia (under Johnny Davis)
- Won an NBA Championship ring in 1986 as a member of the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff
- Additionally worked in scouting with the Atlanta Hawks (1990-92) and Minnesota Timberwolves (1998-2002)
- Retired from basketball in 2003 after spending more than 50 years in the game

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only