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{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1926–2013)}}
{{Distinguish|Bill Sherman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name         = Bill Sharman
| image        = SharmanatUSCjpeg.jpeg
| caption      = Sharman with [[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC]], {{c.|1950}}
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 2
| weight_lb    = 175
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1926|05|25}}
| birth_place  = [[Abilene, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{death date and age|2013|10|25|1926|05|25}}
| death_place  = [[Redondo Beach, California]], U.S.
| high_school  = [[Porterville High School|Porterville]] ([[Porterville, California]])
| college      = [[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC]] (1946–1950)
| draft_year   = 1950
| draft_round  = 2
| draft_pick   = 17
| draft_team   = [[Washington Capitols]]
| career_position = [[Shooting guard]]
| career_number = 10, 21
| career_start = 1950
| career_end   = 1962
| coach_start  = 1961
| coach_end    = 1976
| years1       = {{nbay|1950|full=y}}
| team1        = [[Washington Capitols]]
| years2       = {{nbay|1951|start}}–{{nbay|1960|end}}
| team2        = [[Boston Celtics]]
| years3       = 1961–1962
| team3        = [[Los Angeles Jets]]
| cyears1      = 1961–1962
| cteam1       = [[Los Angeles Jets]]
| cyears2      = 1962
| cteam2       = [[Cleveland Pipers]]
| cyears3      = {{nbay|1966|start}}–{{nbay|1967|end}}
| cteam3       = [[San Francisco Warriors]]
| cyears4      = [[1968–69 ABA season|1968]]–[[1970–71 ABA season|1971]]
| cteam4       = [[Utah Stars|Los Angeles / Utah Stars]]
| cyears5      = {{nbay|1971|start}}–{{nbay|1975|end}}
| cteam5       = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| highlights   = 
'''As player:'''
* 4× [[NBA champion]] ([[1957 NBA Finals|1957]], [[1959 NBA Finals|1959]]–[[1961 NBA Finals|1961]])
* 8× [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1953}}–{{nasg|1960}})
* [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|NBA All-Star Game MVP]] ([[1955 NBA All-Star Game|1955]])
* 4× [[All-NBA First Team]] ([[1955–56 NBA season|1956]]–[[1958–59 NBA season|1959]])
* 3× [[All-NBA Second Team]] ([[1952–53 NBA season|1953]], [[1954–55 NBA season|1955]], 1960)
* [[NBA anniversary team]] ([[NBA 25th Anniversary Team|25th]], [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|50th]], [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|75th]])
* No. 21 [[List of Boston Celtics accomplishments and records#Retired numbers|retired by Boston Celtics]]
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-America]] ([[1950 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1950]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-PCC]] (1949, 1950)
* No. 11 [[USC Trojans men's basketball#Retired numbers|retired by USC Trojans]]
'''As coach:'''
* [[NBA champion]] ([[1972 NBA Finals|1972]])
* [[ABA champion]] ([[1971 ABA Playoffs|1971]])
* [[American Basketball League (1961–63)|ABL champion]] ([[Cleveland Pipers|1962]]) 
* [[NBA Coach of the Year Award|NBA Coach of the Year]] ([[1971–72 NBA season|1972]])
* [[ABA Coach of the Year Award|ABA Coach of the Year]] ([[1969–70 ABA season|1970]])
* 3× [[List of NBA All-Star Game head coaches|NBA All-Star Game head coach]] ({{nasg|1968}}, {{nasg|1972}}, {{nasg|1973}})
'''As executive:'''
* 5×  [[NBA champion]] ([[1980 NBA Finals|1980]], [[1982 NBA Finals|1982]], [[1985 NBA Finals|1985]], [[1987 NBA Finals|1987]], [[1988 NBA Finals|1988]])
| stat1label  = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value  = 12,665 (17.8 ppg)
| stat2label  = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value  = 2,779 (3.9 rpg)
| stat3label  = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value  = 2,101 (3.0 apg)
| bbr         = sharmbi01
| cstats_league1  = NBA & ABA
| cwin1           = 466
| closs1          = 353
| HOF_player  = bill-sharman
| HOF_coach   = bill-sharman1
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2006
}}
'''William Walton Sharman''' (May 25, 1926&nbsp;– October 25, 2013) was an American professional [[basketball]] player and coach.  He is mostly known for his time with the [[Boston Celtics]] in the 1950s, partnering with [[Bob Cousy]] in what was then considered the greatest backcourt duo of all time.  As a coach, Sharman won titles in the [[American Basketball League (1961–63)|ABL]], [[American Basketball Association|ABA]], and [[National Basketball Association|NBA]], and is credited with introducing the now-ubiquitous morning [[shootaround]].

Sharman was the first North American sports figure to win a championship as a player, coach, and executive. He was a 15-time [[NBA champion]] (having won four titles as a player with the Celtics, one as head coach of the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], and ten as a Lakers executive), and a 17-time champion in basketball overall counting his ABL and ABA titles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/history/bill-sharman#:~:text=His%2017%20titles%2C%20including%2015,an%20active%20player%20in%201957. |title=Bill Sharman: Former Lakers Head Coach, General Manager, & President |work=NBA.com |date= |accessdate=2023-09-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1825127-former-lakers-coach-bill-sharman-passes-away-at-age-87 |title=Former Celtics Player, Lakers Coach Bill Sharman Passes Away at Age 87 |work=BleacherReport.com |date= |accessdate=2023-09-21}}</ref> Sharman is also a two-time [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] inductee, having been inducted in 1976 as a player, and in 2004 as a coach.<ref name=lavietes>{{citation |last=Lavietes |first=Stuart |title=Bill Sharman, N.B.A. Hall of Fame Player and Coach, Dies at 87 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 25, 2013 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/26/sports/basketball/bill-sharman-nba-hall-of-famer-dies-at-87.html?_r=0}}</ref> Only [[John Wooden]], [[Lenny Wilkens]], [[Tommy Heinsohn]] and [[Bill Russell]] share this double honor.

Sharman is also notable for coaching the [[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers]] to an NBA record 33-game win streak, a then-record regular season 69–13 win–loss mark, and the first Lakers championship in Los Angeles.

==Early life==
William Walton Sharman was born on May 25, 1926, in [[Abilene, Texas]]. The family moved to California when he was a child, and he grew up in [[Lomita, California]].<ref name="lavietes" /><ref name=":1" /> He originally attended [[Narbonne High School]] where he was on a championship basketball team in ninth grade. As a sophomore, he began attending [[Porterville High School]] (PHS), a high school in the Central California city of [[Porterville, California]], after his father obtained a newspaper dealership there. Narbonne's season had ended, and he joined PHS's basketball team and won another championship in the same year. This enabled Sharman to win five high school basketball championships in four years.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Winckel |first=Henry Winckel |date=2001-12-26 |title=Bill Sharman has the championship touch |url=https://www.recorderonline.com/bill-sharman-has-the-championship-touch/article_f14f0845-e19c-5486-ba7a-6c1ae257a142.html |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Porterville Recorder |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Kaplan |first=Dick |date=February 1965 |title=Bill Sharman: The Shooter |url=https://from-way-downtown.com/2022/08/14/bill-sharman-the-shooter-1965/ |journal=Sport Magazine}}</ref>

He was a 15-letter athlete at PHS, excelling in [[basketball]] and [[baseball]], competing in track, and winning the state amateur tennis title. He graduated in 1944, and was named California's Outstanding Athlete. He gave credit to PHS for its contributing to his later success in life.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Bill Sharman |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/bill-sharman |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=WHISNAND |first=CHARLES |date=2013-10-28 |title=Sports legend Bill Sharman dead at 87 |url=https://www.recorderonline.com/sports-legend-bill-sharman-dead-at-87/article_1edd6dba-fc6a-5b60-bc25-2791c896a6ec.html |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Porterville Recorder |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

Sharman died one day before his induction into the inaugural class of the Porterville High Athletic Hall of Fame.<ref name=":1" />

==College career==
Sharman served during World War II from 1944 to 1946 in the [[United States Navy|US Navy]], and was a graduate of the [[University of Southern California]]. He started on both the baseball and basketball teams.<ref name=":2" /> USC records describe him as playing on the school's baseball team for two years, in 1949 and 1950, and not as a member the [[1948 USC Trojans baseball team]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former USC Basketball Great Bill Sharman Passes Away |url=https://usctrojans.com/news/2013/10/25/Former_USC_Basketball_Great_Bill_Sharman_Passes_Away |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=USC Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2012 Trojans Baseball Media Guide |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/usctrojans.com/documents/2012/2/24/2012_USC_Baseball_Media_Guide.pdf}}</ref>

Sharman played basketball for four years at USC (1946–1950). He averaged 15.9 points per game as a junior (1948–1949), and 18.6 as a senior (1949–1950).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Sharman College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/bill-sharman-1.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Sharman was twice selected All-[[Pacific Coast Conference]] and twice as the Conference's MVP.<ref name=":6" /> Following his senior year, Sharman was selected as a member of the [[1950 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans]], first team, along with his future Boston Celtic teammate [[Bob Cousy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Men's Consensus All-America Teams (1949-50 to 1958-59) |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/men/all-america-1950-1959.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Sharman played USC basketball under Hall of Fame head coach [[Sam Barry]].<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Sam Barry |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/sam-barry/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref> In addition to Sharman, Barry coached two other future hall of fame coaches in college, [[Tex Winter]] and [[Alex Hannum]].<ref name=":22" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Tex Winter |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tex-winter/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Alex Hannum |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/alex-hannum/ |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref> Sharman was Hannum's teammate from 1946 to 1948 at USC.<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |last=Dominguez |first=Fernando |date=2002-01-20 |title=Alex Hannum, 78; Took 2 NBA Teams to Titles |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jan-20-me-hannum20-story.html |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> They both played with Winter during the 1946-47 USC season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |date=2018-10-11 |title=Tex Winter, Brain Behind Basketball's Triangle Offense, Dies at 96 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/obituaries/tex-winter-dead.html |access-date=2025-01-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Professional baseball career==
In 1950, the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] offered him a contract with a $12,000 signing bonus, at a time when professional baseball was more prestigious than professional basketball.<ref name=":2" /> However, Sharman knew he had been taken by the Washington Capitols in the NBA draft, so he got the Dodgers to agree that he not be prevented from playing professional basketball.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":6" />

===Minor leagues===
From [[1950 in baseball|1950]] to [[1955 in baseball|1955]], Sharman played [[professional baseball]] in the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] [[minor league]] system.  He played for the [[Pueblo Dodgers]], [[Elmira Pioneers]], [[Fort Worth Cats (Texas League)|Fort Worth Cats]], [[St. Paul Saints]], and the [[Mobile Bears]]. He had a lifetime .281 batting average in 638 games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Sharman |url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-f54cec99 |website=Statscrew.com}}</ref> He was called up to the Dodgers late in the [[1951 in baseball|1951]] season but did not appear in a game. He was part of a September 27 game in which the entire Brooklyn bench was cleared from the dugout for arguing with the home plate umpire over a ruling at the plate. This has led to the legend that Sharman holds the distinction of being the only player in baseball history to have ever been ejected from a major league game without ever appearing in one. However, although Sharman was among the Dodger bench players that had to go to the clubhouse, none of them were actually barred from playing in the game. In fact, in the top of the ninth, one of the other dismissed players, [[Wayne Terwilliger]], was used as a pinch-hitter in the game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://prestonjg.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/no-bill-sharman-was-never-ejected-from-a-major-league-baseball-game-as-a-member-of-the-dodgers/|title=No, Bill Sharman was never ejected from a major league baseball game as a member of the Dodgers|date=October 28, 2013}}</ref>

Sharman continued to play baseball until breaking his basketball shooting hand while sliding into home plate, after which he decided to focus solely on basketball.<ref name=":2" />

==Professional basketball career==
During the same time periond he was playing professional baseball, Sharman also played professional basketball for two different teams.<ref name=":2" />

===Washington Capitols (1950–1951)===
[[File:Bill Sharman, Boston Celtics, signed.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Sharman c. 1960]]
Sharman was drafted by the [[Washington Capitols]] in the second round of the [[1950 NBA draft]]. His future Celtics teammate Bob Cousy was taken in the first round of the same draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1950 NBA Draft |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1950.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The team offered him $5,000, the most ever paid to a rookie. After refusing the initial offer, and telling the Capitols he wanted to play baseball, the team increased the offer to $8,000 and Sharman joined the Capitols. The team failed financially 35 games into the 1950–1951 season.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington Capitols Historical Statistics and All-Time Top Leaders |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WSC/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

[[Earl Lloyd]], the African American player who broke the NBA's [[color barrier]] was a Capitols' teammate. Lloyd did not have a car, and Sharman would drive over to Lloyd's home in segregated Washington, D.C. to pick Lloyd up, so Lloyd would not have to take long bus rides. Lloyd said of Sharman, "'Bill was a decent guy when it wasn't fashionable...."<ref name="espn" />

===Boston Celtics (1951–1961)===
Following the disbanding of the Capitols, Sharman was selected by the [[Fort Wayne Pistons]] in the dispersal draft and was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics (possibly with [[Bob Brannum]]) for [[Chuck Share]] prior to the 1951–52 season.<ref name=bref>{{cite web | last = basketball-reference.com | title = Bill Sharman | url= https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sharmbi01.html | access-date = 2013-10-27}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> Sharman played a total of ten seasons for the Celtics,<ref name="lavietes" /><ref name=":6" /> leading the team in scoring between the 1955–56 and 1958–59 seasons, and averaging over 20 points per game during three of them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1955-56 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1956.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1956-57 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1957.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1957-58 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1958.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=1958-59 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1959.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=nbaencycPlayer>{{cite book | title = The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia | publisher =  Villard Books | year = 1994 | page = 749 | isbn = 0-679-43293-0}}</ref>

Sharman was one of the first NBA guards to shoot better than .400 from the field, with a .450 percentage in 1953–1954.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Legends profile: Bill Sharman |url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-bill-sharman |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=NBA.com |language=en}}</ref> He led the NBA in free throw percentage a record seven times (including a record five consecutive seasons),<ref name=lavietes/> and his mark of 93.2% in the [[1958–59 NBA season|1958–59 season]]<ref name=":5" /> remained the NBA record until [[Ernie DiGregorio]] topped it in 1976–77 (94.5%).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ernie DiGregorio Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/digreer01.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  His career percentage was .883.<ref name=":6" /> Sharman still holds the record for consecutive free throws in the playoffs with 56.<ref name=espn>{{cite web | last = Shouler | first = Ken | title=Sharman was HOF player, coach|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/9878413/hall-famer-brought-celtics-lakers-new-heights?src=mobile| date=October 25, 2013}}</ref>  Sharman was named to the All-NBA First Team from 1956 through 1959, and was an All-NBA Second Team member in 1953, 1955, and 1960.<ref name=bref/> He won four NBA championships with the Celtics.<ref name=":2" />

Sharman played in eight NBA All-Star games,<ref name=":6" /> scoring in double figures in seven of them.  He was named the [[1955 NBA All-Star Game]] MVP after scoring ten of his fifteen points in the fourth quarter.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=nbaencycAllstar>{{cite book | title = The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia | publisher =  Villard Books | year = 1994 | page = 238 | isbn = 0-679-43293-0}}</ref>  Sharman still holds the NBA All-Star Game record for field goals attempted in a quarter with 12.

The pairing of Sharman and fellow Celtics guard Bob Cousy, combining a pure shooter with a playmaker, formed the first modern backcourt.<ref name="espn" /> In one NBA ranking of the greatest backcourt duos in league history, Sharman and Cousy were ranked ninth out of seventy pairs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ranking 70 Greatest Backcourt Duos in NBA History |url=https://www.nba.com/magic/gallery/ranking-70-greatest-backcourt-duos-nba-history-20171227 |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

Sharman ended his NBA playing career after 11 seasons in [[1960–61 NBA season|1961]].<ref name=":6" />

==Coaching career==
===Los Angeles Jets and Cleveland Pipers (1961–1962)===
After retiring from the NBA in 1961, in the 1961–1962 season, he became a player-coach for the [[Los Angeles Jets]] of the [[American Basketball League (1961–63)|American Basketball League]], appearing in 19 games; but the franchise folded during the season.<ref name=":6" /> He remained in the ABL and coached the [[Cleveland Pipers]] to the league championship in 1962.<ref name="lavietes" /><ref name=":6" />

=== California State-Los Angeles ===
The ABL folded altogether, and Sharman next became a college coach at Los Angeles State (now [[California State, Los Angeles]]) for two seasons.<ref name="lavietes" /> The team went 27-20 during that time, before Sharman left to become a broadcaster for two years.<ref name=":6" />

===San Francisco Warriors (1966–1968)===
In 1966, Sharman became the coach of the NBA's [[San Francisco Warriors]].<ref name=":6" /> In their first season under Sharman, the Warriors won the Western Division and made it to the [[1967 NBA Finals|Finals]], where they lost to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966-67 San Francisco Warriors Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SFW/1967.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> In his second and final season with the Warriors, the team finished third and lost in the Division Finals to the Lakers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1967-68 San Francisco Warriors Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SFW/1968.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Los Angeles / Utah Stars (1968–1971)===
[[File:Bill Sharman 1971.jpeg|thumb|left|150px|Sharman as a coach in 1971]]
{{Expand section |date=June 2024}}
Sharman became coach of the [[Los Angeles Stars]] of the [[American Basketball Association]] for the 1968–1969 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Sharman: Coaching Record, Awards |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/sharmbi01c.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was a co-recipient of the ABA Coach of the Year honors in 1969–1970, with [[Joe Belmont]] of the [[Denver Rockets]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA & ABA Coach of the Year Award Winners |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/coy.html |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="lavietes" /> The Stars moved to Utah for the 1970–71 season, when Sharman coached the [[Utah Stars]] to an ABA title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Utah Stars Historical Statistics and All-Time Top Leaders |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/UTS/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  The championship team's star player was league MVP and future hall of fame center [[Zelmo Beaty]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award Winners |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/playoffs_mvp.html |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Stars defeated the Kentucky Colonels, and their future hall of fame center [[Dan Issel]], four games to three for the championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1970-71 Kentucky Colonels Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/KEN/1971.html |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Los Angeles Lakers (1971–1976)===
After resigning as coach for the Utah Stars, Sharman signed a contract to coach the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].  Controversy later ensued when the owner of the Utah Stars brought suit against Sharman for breach of contract stemming from his resignation, and a tort case against the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers for inducing such breach of contract. Sharman was originally ordered to pay $250,000 in damages, but later appealed the trial court decision and the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit]] reversed the judgement.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 16, 1971 |title=Stars Warn Lakers Not to Sign Sharman In Coaching Hassle |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/16/archives/stars-warn-lakers-not-to-sign-sharman-in-coaching-hassle.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Krell |first=David |date=2023 |title=The NBA-ABA Merger |url=https://nysba.org/app/uploads/2023/03/EASL-Journal-2023-Vol-34-No-1_WEB.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOope9wZM3n6sMbzMCxAFSBopLJtDS77gH659yhY-Xw9BdcIdFX5H |journal=New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=89–90}}</ref>

The following season, Sharman guided the [[Wilt Chamberlain]] and [[Jerry West]]-led [[Los Angeles Lakers]] to an NBA record [[List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks|33 game win streak]], a then-record 69–13 win–loss mark, the first Lakers championship in Los Angeles and the first for the team in more than a decade.<ref name="lavietes" /> They had been to the finals seven times since moving from Minneapolis, losing each time.<ref name=":6" />  That season, Sharman was named [[NBA Coach of the Year Award|NBA Coach of the Year]].<ref name="lavietes" /> He is one of two men to win NBA and ABA championships as a coach; coincidentally, the other, [[Alex Hannum]], also coached a Chamberlain-led team (the 1967 [[Philadelphia 76ers]]) to an NBA championship, defeating the Sharman-coached San Francisco Warriors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1967.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Alex Hannum: Coaching Record, Awards |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/hannual01c.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Hannum and Sharman had been teammates at USC, under coach Sam Barry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1947-48 USC Trojans Men's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/southern-california/men/1948.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Including the ABL, Sharman is the only coach to win championships in three different professional leagues.<ref name=":6" />

The Lakers went to the 1973 NBA finals, but lost to the Knicks 4–1.<ref name=":6" /> By 1974, Chamberlain and West had both retired, but the Lakers had traded for [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] in 1975.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cady |first=Steve |date=June 17, 1975 |title=Abdul‐Jabbar Traded by Bucks for Four Lakers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/17/archives/abduljabbar-traded-by-bucks-for-four-lakers-jabbar-traded-to-lakers.html |work=New York Times}}</ref> Sharman ended his coaching career after the 1975–1976 season to become the Lakers general manager.<ref name=":6" />

Sharman invented the morning [[shootaround]] as a way to burn off nervous energy on game days. He took the shootaround with him to his first coaching jobs in the ABL, the ABA, and later, the NBA.  After the Lakers won the championship in 1972, every other team in the league added the shootaround to its game-day regimen.<ref name=lavietes/><ref name=":6" />

==Post-playing career==
[[File:Press conference announcing Lakers' signing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.jpg|thumb|L-R: Sharman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jack Kent Cooke at press conference announcing Lakers' signing Kareem in Los Angeles, 1975]]
Sharman was enshrined in the [[Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 1976 as a player and again in 2004 as a coach.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Bill Sharman |url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/bill-sharman1/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref> He is one of only five people to be enshrined in both categories, the others being [[John Wooden]], [[Lenny Wilkens]], and his former teammates [[Tom Heinsohn]] and [[Bill Russell]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-08 |title=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Full list of players to also be inducted as coaches {{!}} Sporting News Canada |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-full-list-of-players-to-also-be-inducted-as-coaches/1b10zrdzke8rh1r7gfelv3nj6l |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-ca}}</ref>

In 1971, Sharman was named to the [[NBA 25th Anniversary Team]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/nba_silver_anniversary.html| title = NBA Silver Anniversary Team {{!}} Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> On October 29, 1996, Sharman was named one of the [[NBA's 50 Greatest Players]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/history/nba-at-50/top-50-players |title=NBA at 50: Top 50 Players |work=NBA.com |date= |accessdate=2022-09-03}}</ref> In October 2021, Sharman was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://nba.com/75 | title=My Finals Moment | website=[[NBA.com]] | access-date=September 3, 2022 | archive-date=February 17, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217170248/https://www.nba.com/75 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Executive career==
As Lakers general manager, Sharman built the 1980 and 1982 NBA championship teams, and as Lakers president he oversaw the 1985, 1987, and 1988 NBA championship teams after naming West his successor as GM in 1982. Sharman retired from the Lakers front office in 1991 at age 65.<ref name=espn/>

In the 1971–72 season, Sharman suffered a vocal cord injury while coaching that never fully healed. In 1988, he spent a year in total silence, but a medical procedure that involved crushing a vocal cord left his voice permanently strained, making it an effort for him to speak.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dwyre |first=Bill |date=2013-10-21 |title=Bill Sharman, L.A. sports legend, speaks softly, carries a big heart |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-oct-21-la-sp-dwyre-20131022-story.html |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The voice problems later limited his ability to function as an executive.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-25 |title=Hall of Famer Bill Sharman, former Lakers coach and USC All American, dies at 87 |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2013/10/25/hall-of-famer-bill-sharman-former-lakers-coach-and-usc-all-american-dies-at-87/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Daily News |language=en-US}}</ref>

Sharman was the author of two books, ''Sharman on Basketball Shooting'' and ''The Wooden-Sharman Method: A Guide to Winning Basketball'' with John Wooden and Bob Selzer.

The gymnasium at [[Porterville High School]] is named after Sharman.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Dosu |first=Nayirah |date=2018-11-19 |title=Sharman challenges, empowers Panthers |url=https://www.recorderonline.com/sports/sharman-challenges-empowers-panthers/article_8a9b2de8-ebb6-11e8-bb80-33cbfe9cc1c5.html |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Porterville Recorder |language=en}}</ref> After his former basketball team the [[Los Angeles Jets]] dissolved in 1962, he sued to enforce his employment contract with the Jets, culminating in the case ''Sharman v. Longo'' (1967) 249 Cal.App.2d 948.

In 2013, Sharman sold his 2010 NBA championship ring from the Lakers to benefit charity.<ref name="Brian Rzeppa">{{cite web|last=Rzeppa|first=Brian|title=Inside The League (Bonus Edition): A TLN Exclusive Interview with Hall of Fame Player/Coach Bill Sharman|url=http://theleaguenews.com/inside-the-league-bonus-edition-a-tln-exclusive-interview-with-hall-of-fame-playercoach-bill-sharman/|work=Interview|publisher=The League News|access-date=June 18, 2013}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Sharman's marriage to his first wife, Illeana, lasted over 20 years and resulted in four children before their divorce in 1968. He was married to his second wife, Dorothy, from 1969 until her death from cancer in 1975. Sharman married Joyce McLay in 1981, with whom he remained married until his death.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Teetor |first=Paul |title=A legend remembered: Bill Sharman, the man who began the Lakers championship tradition [VIDEO] |url=https://easyreadernews.com/remembering-legend/ |website=Easy Reader News |date=November 8, 2013 |access-date=June 27, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lavietes |first=Stuart |title=Bill Sharman, Two-Time Basketball Hall of Famer, Dies at 87 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/26/sports/basketball/bill-sharman-nba-hall-of-famer-dies-at-87.html |website=The New York Times |date=October 25, 2013 |access-date=June 27, 2024}}</ref>

Sharman died at his home in [[Redondo Beach, California]], on October 25, 2013, at the age of 87, after having had a [[stroke]] the week prior.<ref name=crowe>{{citation |last=Crowe|first=Jerry |title=Bill Sharman dies at 87; basketball legend and former Lakers coach  | newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=October 25, 2013 |url=http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-bill-sharman-20131026,0,7649457,full.story#axzz2imPX3b2P|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026073411/http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-me-bill-sharman-20131026,0,7649457,full.story#axzz2imPX3b2P|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 26, 2013}}</ref>

== NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y}}

=== Regular season ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
!Year
!Team
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950–51 NBA season|1950–51]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950–51 Washington Capitols season|Washington]]
|31
|{{sort|-|—}}
|.370
|.889
|3.5
|1.3
|12.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1951–52 NBA season|1951–52]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1951–52 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|63
|22.0
|.389
|.859
|3.5
|2.4
|10.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1952–53 NBA season|1952–53]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1952–53 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|71
|32.9
|.436
| style="background:#cfecec;"|.850*
|4.1
|2.7
|16.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1953–54 NBA season|1953–54]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1953–54 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|'''72'''
|34.3
|.450
| style="background:#cfecec;"|.844*
|3.5
|3.2
|16.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1954–55 NBA season|1954–55]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1954–55 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|68
|36.1
|.427
| style="background:#cfecec;"|.897*
|4.4
|4.1
|18.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1955–56 NBA season|1955–56]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1955–56 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|'''72'''
|'''37.5'''
|.438
| style="background:#cfecec;"|.867*
|3.6
|'''4.7'''
|19.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1956–57 NBA season|1956–57]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1956–57 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|67
|35.9
|.416
| style="background:#cfecec;"|.905*
|4.3
|3.5
|21.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1957–58 NBA season|1957–58]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1957–58 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|63
|35.1
|.424
|.893
|'''4.7'''
|2.7
|'''22.3'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1958–59 NBA season|1958–59]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1958–59 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|'''72'''
|33.1
|.408
| style="background:#cfecec;"|'''.932*'''
|4.1
|2.5
|20.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1959–60 NBA season|1959–60]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1959–60 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|71
|27.0
|'''.456'''
|.866
|3.7
|2.0
|19.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1960–61 NBA season|1960–61]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1960–61 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|61
|25.2
|.422
| style="background:#cfecec;"|.921*
|3.7
|2.4
|16.0
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
|711
|32.0
|.426
|.883
|3.9
|3.0
|17.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |All-Star
|8
|24.3
|.385
|.815
|3.9
|2.0
|12.8
|}

=== Playoffs ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
!Year
!Team
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1952 NBA Playoffs|1952]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1951–52 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|1
|27.0
|'''.583'''
|'''1.000'''
|3.0
|'''7.0'''
|15.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1953 NBA Playoffs|1953]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1952–53 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|6
|33.5
|.333
|.938
|2.5
|2.5
|11.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1954 NBA Playoffs|1954]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1953–54 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|6
|34.3
|.432
|.860
|4.2
|1.7
|18.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1955 NBA Playoffs|1955]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1954–55 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|7
|'''41.4'''
|.500
|.921
|5.4
|5.4
|20.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1956 NBA Playoffs|1956]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1955–56 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|3
|39.7
|.391
|.941
|2.3
|4.0
|17.3
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1957 NBA Playoffs|1957]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1956–57 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|10
|37.7
|.381
|.953
|3.5
|2.9
|'''21.1'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1958 NBA Playoffs|1958]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1957–58 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|11
|36.9
|.407
|.929
|'''4.9'''
|2.3
|'''21.1'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1959 NBA Playoffs|1959]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1958–59 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|11
|29.3
|.425
|.966
|3.3
|2.5
|20.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1960 NBA Playoffs|1960]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1959–60 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|'''13'''
|28.0
|.421
|.811
|3.5
|1.5
|16.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;background:#AFE6BA" |[[1961 NBA Playoffs|1961]]†
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1960–61 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|10
|26.1
|.511
|.889
|2.7
|1.7
|16.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
|78
|33.0
|.426
|.911
|3.7
|2.6
|18.5
|}

==Head coaching record==
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1966–67 San Francisco Warriors season|San Francisco]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1966}}
|81||44||37||{{Winning percentage|44|37}}|| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Western||15||9||6||{{Winning percentage|9|6}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1967 NBA Playoffs|NBA Finals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1967–68 San Francisco Warriors season|San Francisco]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1967}}
|82||43||39||{{Winning percentage|43|39}}|| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Western||10||4||6||{{Winning percentage|4|6}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1968 NBA Playoffs|Div. Finals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1968–69 Los Angeles Stars season|Los Angeles]] (ABA)
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1968}}
|78||33||45||{{Winning percentage|33|45}}|| style="text-align:center;"|5th in Western||-||-||-||{{Winning percentage|-|-}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1969–70 Los Angeles Stars season|Los Angeles]] (ABA)
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1969}}
|84||43||41||{{Winning percentage|43|41}}|| style="text-align:center;"|4th in Western||17||10||7||{{Winning percentage|10|7}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1970 ABA Playoffs|ABA Finals]]
|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1970–71 Utah Stars season|Utah]] (ABA)
| style="text-align:left;"|{{abay|1970}}
|84||57||27||{{Winning percentage|57|27}}|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Western||18||12||6||{{Winning percentage|12|6}}
| style="text-align:center;"|'''Won [[1971 ABA Playoffs|ABA Championship]]'''
|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1971}}
|82||69||13||{{Winning percentage|69|13}}|| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Pacific||15||12||3||{{Winning percentage|12|3}}
| style="text-align:center;"|'''Won [[1972 NBA Playoffs|NBA Championship]]'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1972}}
|82||60||22||{{Winning percentage|60|22}}|| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Pacific||17||9||8||{{Winning percentage|9|8}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1973 NBA Playoffs|NBA Finals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1973–74 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1973}}
|82||47||35||{{Winning percentage|47|35}}|| style="text-align:center;"|1st in Pacific||5||1||4||{{Winning percentage|1|4}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1974 NBA Playoffs|Conf. Semifinals]]
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1974–75 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1974}}
|82||30||52||{{Winning percentage|30|52}}|| style="text-align:center;"|5th in Pacific||-||-||-||{{Winning percentage|-|-}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1975–76 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1975}}
|82||40||42||{{Winning percentage|40|42}}|| style="text-align:center;"|4th in Pacific||-||-||-||{{Winning percentage|-|-}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:left;"|'''Career'''
| ||819||466||353||{{Winning percentage|466|353}}|| ||97||57||40||{{Winning percentage|57|40}}||
{{s-end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports|Biography}}
* [[List of National Basketball Association career free throw percentage leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Bill Sharman}}
*{{IMDb name|1528475}}
* {{Basketballhof|bill-sharman|Bill Sharman (as a player)}}
* {{Basketballhof|bill-sharman1|Bill Sharman (as a coach)}}
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sharmbi01.html Profile as a player]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/sharmbi01c.html Profile as a coach]

{{Navboxes
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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharman, Bill}}
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