1996
Gregg Popovich makes his debut as head coach of the Spurs, in a 93-76 loss to the Suns. Popovich had previously served as the team’s general manager and installed himself as coach after firing Bob Hill mid-season. Over the next three decades, he would lead San Antonio to five championships while setting the career record for NBA coaching wins.
1930
NBA All-Star Ray Felix is born in New York City, New York.
1939
Dick Bavetta is born in Brooklyn, New York. He played on the basketball team at Power Memorial Academy, a former all-boys Catholic school that later produced Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Chris Mullin.
1946
John Barr of the St. Louis Bombers hits the first verified buzzer beater in NBA history, giving his team an overtime victory over the Cleveland Rebels.
1959
Mark Aguirre is born in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a Mexican immigrant and Aguirre was offered citizenship to represent Mexico at the 1992 Olympic qualifying tournament but declined.
1970
Bryant Stith is born in Emporia, Virginia. For his contributions at Brunswick High School (as player and as coach) and the University of Virginia, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
1971
In a 120-104 Bucks victory over the Celtics, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 55 points, a career high and the franchise record for nearly 35 years until it’s broken by Michael Redd.
1976
John McGlocklin has his jersey #14 retired by the Bucks. McGlocklin becomes the second Bucks player honored as such, getting his jersey raised to the rafters alongside his 1971 championship teammate, Oscar Robertson.
1977
China edges South Korea 61-58 in Kuala Lumpur to clinch their second consecutive FIBA Asia Cup title. South Korea finishes with the silver medal and Japan earns bronze.
1991
Dion Waiters is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylviania. He was offered a scholarship to Syracuse University after his freshman year at Bartram High School, despite not playing on the school’s basketball team.
1995
Tacko Fall is born in Dakar, Senegal. Already 7’3″ as a teenager, he was discovered by a local coach and starred at a basketball academy in Dakar, before moving to Houston to attend high school and train with Hakeem Olajuwon.
James Worthy has his jersey #42 retired by the Lakers. In a 12-year career all spent with Los Angeles, Worthy was an All-Star seven times and part of three championship teams.
2003
Mike D’Antoni is hired as head coach of the Suns, replacing Frank Johnson, who was fired mid-season. In his first head coaching role at the NBA level, D’Antoni would completely turn the franchise around with his run-and-gun offense, executed to perfection by Steve Nash.
2008
Carmelo Anthony scores 33 points in the third quarter of a 116-105 Nuggets win over the Timberwolves, tying the NBA record for most points in a single quarter. Anthony finishes the game with 45 points. The record had previously been held solely by George Gervin since 1978, and would later be broken by Klay Thompson in 2015.
2011
An incredible buzzer beater from Christian Watford gives Indiana a shocking 73-72 upset over #1 ranked and previously undefeated Kentucky.
More on Coaches
- Thanks for your service, we got it from here: 13 NBA coaches fired mid-season with a winning record
- Larry Bird isn’t walking through that door: 14 successful NCAA coaches who struggled at the NBA level
- Meet the new boss, same as the old boss: 22 NBA coaches who had multiple stints with the same franchise
- Line of succession: 20 NCAA coaches who replaced departing legends
- Those who can’t do, teach: Nine non-star players who became legendary coaches
- We’re not gonna take it: Eight NBA teams that openly rebelled against their head coach
- Costs of being the boss: 13 Hall of Fame players who struggled as coaches
Basketball, Listed 