Neil Cohalan
1st New York Knicks Head Coach | BAA Playoff Coach | Manhattan College Coach
Neil Cohalan was born on July 31, 1906, in the Bronx, New York. He played and later coached basketball at Manhattan College before entering professional basketball.
Cohalan became the first head coach in New York Knickerbockers history when the franchise joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946.
He led the Knicks to a 33-27 record and the BAA playoffs during his only season as an NBA/BAA head coach.
Coach Cohalan passed away on January 22, 1968, at the age of 61.
- Overall Coaching Record: 33-27
Coaching Career
Neil Cohalan became the first head coach of the New York Knickerbockers for the inaugural 1946-1947 Basketball Association of America season.
On November 1, 1946, Cohalan coached the Knicks in the first game in BAA history against the Toronto Huskies. New York won the game 68-66.
The Knicks finished the regular season with a 33-27 record and placed third in the Eastern Division. New York defeated the Cleveland Rebels in 3 games in the opening round before being eliminated by the Philadelphia Warriors in the BAA Semifinals.
Cohalan finished with a 2-3 playoff record. The season became his only BAA/NBA head coaching year.
Notable Players Coached
- Ossie Schectman
- Scored the first basket in BAA/NBA history
- Sonny Hertzberg
- Member of the original 1946-1947 New York Knicks