Jerry Oliver
1965 Indiana State Champion | ABA & NBA Coach | Indiana Basketball Legend
Jerry Oliver was born in Rochester, Indiana, November 3, 1930. He spent his entire coaching career in the state of Indiana where he was the head coach of 2 high school basketball teams, an assistant coach for the Indiana Hoosiers and later the Indiana Pacers in their final years of being in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and their beginning years post-merger in the NBA. Oliver also served in the United States Army
Coach Oliver passed away on September 25, 2020, at the age of 89.
Coaching Career
Jerry Oliver started his coaching career as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at George Washington Community High School. In 1965, they won the state championship.
Notable Players Coached
- George McGinnis
- 3× NBA All-Star (1976, 1977, 1979)
- All-NBA First Team (1976)
- 2× ABA champion (1972, 1973)
- ABA Playoffs MVP (1973)
- ABA MVP (1975)
- 3× ABA All-Star (1973–1975)
- 2× All-ABA First Team (1974, 1975)
- ABA scoring champion (1975)
- ABA All-Time Team
- No. 30 retired by Indiana Pacers
- Steve Downing (Future NBA 1973 17th overall pick & 1974 NBA champion)
- Billy Kelly (Future 1969 NBA 87th overall pick)
Coach Oliver became an assistant coach under Lou Watson for the Indiana Hoosiers of the University of Indiana.
Oliver served as acting head coach of the Hoosiers for the final 20 games of the 1969–70 season while Watson was recovering from surgery. He went 7-17 in those games. He also served as acting head coach again the following season when Watson resigned before the final game of the season.
Notable Players Coached
- George McGinnis
- 3× NBA All-Star (1976, 1977, 1979)
- All-NBA First Team (1976)
- 2× ABA champion (1972, 1973)
- ABA Playoffs MVP (1973)
- ABA MVP (1975)
- 3× ABA All-Star (1973–1975)
- 2× All-ABA First Team (1974, 1975)
- ABA scoring champion (1975)
- ABA All-Time Team
- No. 30 retired by Indiana Pacers
- Joe Cooke (Future 1970 94th overall pick)
- Joby Wright (Future 1972 94th overall pick)
After 3 seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers, Coach Oliver became the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Warren Central High School.
Coach Oliver was hired as an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers under Bobby Leonard. In his first season as an assistant coach, the Pacers made the ABA finals but lost to the Kentucky Colonels in 5 games. The following season, the Pacers lost to the Colonels in the first round of the ABA playoffs in 3 games (2-1).
Notable Players Coached
- George McGinnis
- 3× NBA All-Star (1976, 1977, 1979)
- All-NBA First Team (1976)
- 2× ABA champion (1972, 1973)
- ABA Playoffs MVP (1973)
- ABA MVP (1975)
- 3× ABA All-Star (1973–1975)
- 2× All-ABA First Team (1974, 1975)
- ABA scoring champion (1975)
- ABA All-Time Team
- No. 30 retired by Indiana Pacers
- Roger Brown
- 3× ABA champion (1970, 1972, 1973)
- 1970 ABA Playoffs MVP
- 4× ABA All-Star (1968, 1970–1972)
- All-ABA First Team (1971)
- Bob Netolicky
- 2× ABA champion (1970, 1972)
- 4× ABA All-Star (1968–1971)
- All-ABA Second Team (1970)
- Billy Knight (2x NBA All-Star & 1976 ABA All-Star)
- Darnell Hillman (2× ABA champion (1972, 1973) & 1977 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion)
- Don Buse (1973 ABA champion, 1976 ABA All-Star, & 1977 NBA All-Star)
- Billy Kelly (1969 NBA 87th overall pick)
- Dan Roundfield (3× NBA All-Star, 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1980, 1982, 1983), & 1980 All-NBA Second Team)
- John Williamson (2× ABA champion (1974, 1976)
- Jerome Anderson (1976 NBA champion)
- James Edwards (Future 3x NBA champion)
- Johnny Davis (1977 NBA champion & Future NBA coach)
- Corky Calhoun (1977 NBA champion)
- John Kuester (Future NBA Coach & NBA 2004 Champion as an assistant)
- Joe Hasset (1979 NBA Champion)
- Clemon Johnson (Future 1983 NBA Champion)