NBA2d ago
Cliff Hagan, Hall of Fame Forward and Kentucky Star, Dies at 94
The five-time All-Star spent his full NBA career with the St. Louis Hawks after a standout college run at Kentucky.
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College Achievements at Kentucky
Born in Owensboro, Kentucky, Cliff Hagan played under coach Adolph Rupp and helped the Wildcats capture the 1951 NCAA title while compiling an 86-5 record during his time there. His single-game scoring mark of 51 points remained the school record until 1970. He later served as athletics director at the university.
NBA Career and Trade Impact
Drafted in the third round of the 1953 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, Hagan served two years in the military before a 1956 trade sent him and Ed Macaulay to the St. Louis Hawks in exchange for the rights to Bill Russell. Over a 10-year NBA career he averaged 18.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game with his signature hook shot and earned five All-Star selections.
Championship Success and Later Honors
Hagan led the Hawks to the 1958 NBA title, averaging 27.7 postseason points that year, and guided the team to the Finals in four of his first five seasons in St. Louis. He finished his playing days as player-coach for the ABA's Dallas Chaparrals, becoming the first to earn All-Star honors in both leagues, and was the first Kentucky player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.
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