Bob Nash: From NBA First-Round Pick To Acclaimed Coach In Japan
Discover the inspiring journey of Bob Nash, the first University of Hawaiʻi player drafted in the NBA first round. Learn how he became a standout player and a respected basketball coach in both the U.S. and Japan.
Jul 25, 202529.4K Shares392.1K Views
Bob Nashwas born on August 24, 1950, in Hartford, Connecticut, in the United States. He grew up in Hartford and attended Hartford Public High School, where he stood out in basketball before graduating in 1968.
After high school, he played at San Jacinto Junior College from 1968 to 1970, before moving on to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where he played for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors from 1970 to 1972.
At Hawai‘i, he became part of the famous "Fabulous Five" team that led the school to its first-ever NIT appearance in 1971 and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1972. Nash set school records for rebounds in a game (30) and rebounds in a season (361), and he averaged 13.6 rebounds per game during his time there. He earned honors as an All-American player and graduated with strong academic success at Hawaii, and he completed his education degree in 1984 while beginning his coaching journey.
Career
Bob Nash was chosen in the first round of the 1972 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, the ninth overall pick, making him the first player from the University of Hawaiʻi drafted in the first round. He played professionally in the NBA for the Pistons from 1972 to 1974, then spent the 1974–75 season in the ABA with the San Diego Conquistadors, and returned to the NBA with the Kansas City Kings, playing from 1977 to 1979. He also played for the Hawaii Volcanos in the Continental Basketball Association in 1979–80.
After ending his playing career around 1980, Nash started coaching. In 1987, he joined his alma mater, the University of Hawaiʻi, as an assistant coach, serving for 20 years under head coach Riley Wallace. He became the program’s head coach in April 2007, becoming the 18th head coach in the school’s history. Over three seasons as head coach (2007–2010), he compiled a record of 34 wins and 56 losses; his teams made the postseason and scored upset wins against teams like New Mexico State and Utah State before he was let go in March 2010.
Following his departure, Nash moved to Japan to continue his coaching career. In 2010–11, he led the Saitama Broncos in the Japanese bj‑League, then coached the Toyama Grouses from 2012 to 2017, earning Coach of the Year in 2015–16 and reaching two league Final Fours. He also served as head coach of Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka from 2018 to 2019.
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