Alex Hannum

Life and work

The story behind the role.

American basketball player and coach (1923-2002).

Alexander Murray Hannum (July 19, 1923 – January 18, 2002) was an American professional basketball player and coach. Known as Sarge because of his military background, Hannum played center for six different teams, most notably the Milwaukee (later St. Louis) Hawks in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he spent three seasons. Hannum went on to coach for 12 seasons in the NBA, where his Hawks captured the 1958 league championship and his Philadelphia 76ers did likewise nine years later. In that span, Hannum became known as something of a Boston Celtics killer, as his were the only teams to interrupt their 13-year dynasty. After Hannum moved on to the rival American Basketball Association (ABA), he guided the Oakland Oaks to the 1968-69 championship to become the first coach to win NBA and ABA titles. Bill Sharman was the only other coach to achieve the feat. Hannum was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.

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