NEY YORK, NY AND SPRINGFIELD, MA – Announced today at NBA All-Star weekend, Rod Thorn has been selected by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to receive the 2015 John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award after more than 50 years within the NBA in multiple capacities.
The Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award was instituted by the Board of Trustees of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973 and is the most prestigious award presented by the Hall of Fame outside of Enshrinement. Named in honor of Hall of Famer John W. Bunn (Class of 1964), the first chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame Committee who served from 1949-1964, the award honors coaches, players and contributors whose outstanding accomplishments have impacted the high school, college, professional or International game.
“As the recipient of this year’s John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, Rod Thorn is one of few people to have contributed to the game of basketball as a standout player, coach and executive,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “We are honored to recognize Mr. Thorn with this prestigious award.”
Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame added, “I have been fortunate to know Rod Thorn as a colleague and friend for many years. He is extremely deserving of this recognition and truly encompasses the spirit of the Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Thorn began his basketball career at Princeton High School in West Virginia where he averaged over 30 points per game. He was a three-time All-State selection and two-time All-American. He then attended West Virginia University where he again earned All-American honors, while also playing three seasons of collegiate baseball.
In 1963, Thorn was the second pick in the NBA Draft and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. During his eight-year NBA career (1963-1971), Thorn played for the Baltimore Bullets, Detroit Pistons, St. Louis Hawks and Seattle SuperSonics.
After his retirement, Thorn remained with the SuperSonics as an assistant coach and in 1973 was hired as an assistant coach with the New York Nets of the ABA. The Nets won the 1974 ABA Championship led by Julius Erving.
From 1978 to 1986, Thorn served as the general manager of the Chicago Bulls, also taking on the role of interim Head Coach for a brief stint from 1981-82. As general manager, he was instrumental in the 1984 draft selection of Michael Jordan.
Thorn joined the NBA league office in 1986 and spent the majority of his 14 years as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. During this time, he also served as chair of the Senior Men’s Basketball Committee for USA Basketball from 1992 to 2000.
He then spent 11 seasons with the New Jersey Nets as the President of Basketball Operations from 2000 to 2011 and was named the 2000-2001 NBA Executive of the Year. The Nets won back-to-back Eastern Conference titles under his leadership in 2002 and 2003.
Prior to rejoining the NBA league office in the summer of 2013, Thorn served as President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers. Thorn is presently the President of Basketball Operations for the National Basketball Association.
Thorn will be presented the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2015 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies, to be held at the “Hall of Fame Family Reunion Dinner” on September 10th. For more information, please visit www.hoophall.com.
Previous John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award Winners:
1973 - John Bunn
1974 - John Wooden
1975 - J. Walter Kennedy
1976 - Henry P. Iba
1977 - Clifford B. Fagan
1978 - Curt Gowdy
1979 - Eddie Gottlieb
1980 - Arnold "Red" Auerbach
1981 - Ray Meyer
1982 - Daniel Biasone
1983 - Robert J. Cousy
1984 - Lawrence F. O'Brien
1985 - Lee Williams
1986 - Grady W. Lewis
1987 - David R. Gavitt
1988 - Haskell Hillyard
1989 - George E. Killian
1990 - Pat Head Summitt
1991 - Morgan B. Wootten
1992 - Will Robinson
1993 - Joe Vancisin
1994 - William Wall
1995 - Pete Carlesimo
1996 - Vic Bubas
1997 - C.M. Newton
1998 - Tex Winter
1999 - The Harlem Globetrotters
2000 - Meadowlark Lemon
2001 - Tom Jernstedt
2002 - Harvey Pollack
2003 - Joe O'Brien
2004 - Zelda Spoelstra
2005 - Marty Blake
2006 - Betty Jaynes
2007 - Thomas “Satch” Sanders
2008 - Val Ackerman
2009 - Johnny "Red" Kerr
2010 - Don Meyer
2011 - Brian McIntyre
2012 - Pat Williams
2013 - George Raveling
2014 - Alvin Attles
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
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