Hall of Famer Kundla dies at 101
Before Phil Jackson and Pat Riley, before Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown, even before Red Auerbach, there was John Kundla.
Kundla, the Hall of Fame coach who led the Minneapolis Lakers to five NBA championships, died Sunday. He was 101.
Son Jim Kundla said his father died at an assisted living facility in Northeast Minneapolis that he called home for years.
With George Mikan in the middle and Kundla the calm, steady hand directing the team, the Lakers won the 1949 championship in the BAA — the league that preceded the NBA and NBA titles in 1950 and 1952-54, cementing the franchise’s place as the league’s first true dynasty. The Lakers also won an NBL title in 1948, but the NBL marks are not included in the NBA’s records.
Kundla was the oldest living Hall of Famer in any of the four major pro sports.
Kundla was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995. A year later, he was named one of the league’s 10 greatest coaches as part of the league’s “NBA at 50” celebration.
He was hired at 31 and resigned at 42 with a career record of 423-302, happy to cede the attention and the accolades to his players over himself. He was known for his understated sideline demeanor, which was unique compared to the fiery drill sergeants of the era.
“John wasn’t a screamer and was very mild-mannered, but he’d let loose when we deserved it, and usually I was the first one he bawled out,” Mikan once told Sports Illustrated. “The message he sent was that no one on the team was above criticism.”
Hawks claim Brussino off waivers
The Hawks claimed Nicolas Brussino off waivers Saturday. The guard/ forward was waived by the Mavericks on Thursday. The Hawks were looking to add another wing to the roster and saw Brussino as a fit by being a young player with upside they can work with as a project.
The 6-foot-8 Brussino appeared in 54 games with the Mavericks last season as a rookie. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds in 9.6 minutes. Brussino, a native of Argentina, also played in five games in the NBA G League with the Texas Legends, where he averaged 16.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 35.8 minutes.