John Kundla
John Kundla (1916-2017)
Teams coached: St. Thomas Tommies, Minneapolis Lakers, Minnesota Golden Gophers
St. Thomas record^: 11-11 (.500)
Minnesota record: 110-105 (.512)
Overall record^: 121-116 (.511)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
Awards:
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted 1995)
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted 2006)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1959-1968 | Minnesota |
| 1947-1959 | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1946-1947 | St. Thomas |
| 1939-194? | Minnesota (asst) |
John Kundla Facts
- John Albert Kundla
- Born July 3, 1916
- Died July 23, 2017
- Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Alma Mater: University of Minnesota (BA, 1939)
- Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Minneapolis, Kundla played at Minnesota for head coach Dave MacMillan
- Stayed at UM after graduation as one of MacMillan‘s assistants, then coached at DeLaSalle HS (MN)
- Was drafted into the US Navy during World War II and served in both the European and Pacific theaters
- Upon returning to the States, he spent one season as head coach at (then D-III) University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities
- Became the head coach of the Minneapolis Lakers in 1947, a professional team in the National Basketball League (NBL)
- On the court, Kundla’s Lakers were led by George Mikan – considered by some to be the league’s first superstar
- Kundla led the Lakers to a NBL title in his first season, going 51-19 (regular season + playoffs)
- The Lakers moved to the BAA the following season and won another title, going 52-18 overall
- In 1949, the BAA became the NBA and Kundla led the Lakers to win four of the first five NBA Championships
- With six total league titles, Kundla’s overall record with the Lakers was 483-337 (including 60-35 Playoffs record)
- Returned to his alma mater in 1959, coaching the Golden Gophers for nine seasons
- Went 110-105 overall, failing to reach the postseason in any of his seasons at the helm
- Was the first Minnesota head coach to award scholarships to African-American players
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial HOF in 1995; part of inaugural 2006 class of the National College Basketball HOF
- Named one of the “Top 10 Coaches In NBA History” by the NBA in 1996 alongside their “50 Greatest Players” list
- Along with his wife, Marie, had six children
- One grandson, Noah Dahlman, was the 2010 SoCon POY playing for Wofford
John Kundla Coaching Tree
- Elgin Baylor (New Orleans Jazz)
- George Hanson (Minnesota)
- Jim Holstein (Ball State, St. Joseph’s IN)
- Slater Martin (Houston Mavericks, St. Louis Hawks)
- George Mikan (Minneapolis Lakers)
- Jim Pollard (Florida Atlantic, Chicago Packers, Minneapolis Lakers, La Salle)
- Herm Schaefer (Indianapolis Olympians)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA level only (St. Thomas was a D-III program during Kundla’s tenure there)
