Roger Potter
1st Tri-Cities Blackhawks NBA Head Coach | Professional Basketball Coach
Roger Potter was born on October 5, 1907, in Albany, Illinois. He spent many years coaching basketball in the Quad Cities area before joining the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.
Potter was hired as head coach of the Blackhawks before the 1949-1950 season, the franchise’s first season in the newly formed NBA.
He coached the first 5 games of the season and finished with a 1-4 record before Red Auerbach took over the team.
Coach Potter passed away on June 8, 1982, at the age of 74.
- Overall Coaching Record: 1-4
Coaching Career
Roger Potter was hired as head coach of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks before the 1949-1950 NBA season.
Potter coached the first 5 games and went 1-4 before the Blackhawks made a coaching change and hired Red Auerbach.
Auerbach went 28-31 for the remainder of the season as Tri-Cities finished with a 29-35 record and placed third in the Western Division.
The Blackhawks reached the playoffs but were eliminated by the Anderson Packers in the Western Division Semifinals. Potter’s five games became his only NBA head coaching stint.
Notable Players Coached
- Dike Eddleman
- 2× NBA All-Star (1951, 1952)
- Jack Nichols
- 1957 NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics