Johnny Bach
Johnny Bach (1924-2016)
Teams coached: Fordham Rams, Penn State Nittany Lions, Golden State Warriors
Fordham record: 262-193 (.576)
Penn State record: 122-121 (.502)
Overall record^: 384-314 (.550)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2 (1953, 1954)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 5 (1958, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1968)
- Metro NY Regular Season Champion: 1 (1963)
- Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion: 1 (1977)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
2003-2006 | Chicago Bulls (asst) |
2001-2003 | Washington Wizards (asst) |
1996-1998 | Detroit Pistons (asst) |
1994-1996 | Charlotte Hornets (asst) |
1986-1994 | Chicago Bulls (asst) |
1983-1986 | Golden State Warriors |
1980-1983 | Golden State Warriors (asst) |
1980 | Golden State Warriors |
1979-1980 | Golden State Warriors (asst) |
1968-1978 | Penn State |
1950-1968 | Fordham |
Johnny Bach Facts
- John William Bach
- Born July 10, 1924
- Died January 18, 2016
- Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
- Alma Mater: Fordham University (BA, 1948)
- Graduated from St. John’s Prep (NYC) and then played for head coach Frank Adams at Fordham
- Played 34 games for the Boston Celtics in 1948-49 (coached by Doggie Julian)
- Returned to his alma mater Fordham in 1950 to replace Adams as the Rams’ head coach
- Went 262-193 in eighteen seasons at the helm, appearing in two NCAA Tournaments and five NITs
- Won the 1963 Metro NY regular season title, the program’s first conference title
- Also served as Fordham’s athletic director from 1958 to 1968
- Left Fordham for Penn State in 1968, leading the Nittany Lions for ten seasons
- After being Independent for his first eight seasons, Bach’s 1976-77 team won an A-10 title
- Moved up to the NBA ranks in 1979, serving as an assistant Al Attles with the Golden State Warriors
- Was interim head coach for 21 games in 1980, then three full seasons 1983-86
- Went 95-172 overall, missing the Playoffs in each of the four seasons he was head coach
- Spent the rest of his career as an NBA assistant, working with four different franchises
- Head coaches he assisted include Doug Collins, Phil Jackson, Allan Bristow and Scott Skiles
- Was a part of the Bulls’ first three-peat, coaching the likes of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
- Returned to the Bulls in 2003 and coached three more seasons before retiring from the game in 2006
- Passed away in 2016, aged 91, from complications following a stroke
- Survived by his wife, Mary, his five children, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren
Johnny Bach Coaching Tree
- John Lucas II (Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Tropics)
- Frank McLaughlin (Harvard)
- Chris Mullin (St. John’s)
- Larry Smith (Alcorn State)
- Dick Tarrant (Richmond)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only