Al Bianchi

1. Overview

Alfred A. Bianchi (1932-2019) was an American professional basketball player, coach, general manager, consultant, and scout. His extensive career in basketball spanned several decades, during which he contributed significantly to both the NBA and the ABA. Notably, he was recognized as the ABA Coach of the Year in 1971, and he played a crucial role in the development of future basketball legends such as Julius Erving and George Gervin. Bianchi's career showcased versatility and a deep commitment to the sport, impacting various facets of professional basketball from the court to the front office.

2. Early Life and Education

Alfred A. Bianchi's early life and educational background laid the foundation for his long and distinguished career in basketball.

2.1. Childhood and Background

Born on March 26, 1932, Alfred A. Bianchi was a native of Long Island City, New York. He was affectionately nicknamed "Blinky" during his early years. He attended P.S. 4 elementary school and graduated from Long Island City High School in 1950. Bianchi continued his academic and athletic pursuits at Bowling Green State University, from which he graduated in 1954. During his collegiate basketball career, he was named to the "All-Ohio Team" and received an honorable mention as a basketball All-American. In his final year at Bowling Green, he achieved an impressive average of 25.0 points per game.

2.2. Military Service

Following his college graduation, Bianchi served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1954 to 1956, fulfilling a period of military service before embarking on his professional basketball journey.

3. Professional Career

Alfred A. Bianchi's professional career was marked by his diverse involvement in basketball as a player, coach, and executive, leaving a lasting impact on multiple franchises and players.

3.1. Playing Career

Bianchi began his professional playing career in 1956, joining the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA. He remained with the team when it relocated to Philadelphia and became the 76ers for the 1963-64 season. Throughout his ten-year professional playing career, Bianchi was known as one of the last proponents in the NBA to utilize the distinctive two-handed set shot. He retired as a player in 1966, having played 687 career games and accumulating a total of 5,550 points, averaging 8.1 points per game. His playing height was 75 in ^{(190 cm)} and his weight was 185 lb ^{(84 kg)}.

3.2. Coaching Career

Upon retiring as a player, Bianchi transitioned into coaching, contributing his expertise to both the NBA and ABA. His coaching career spanned multiple teams and roles, including significant success in the ABA.

3.2.1. NBA Coaching

After his playing retirement in 1966, Bianchi was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA expansion draft on May 1, 1966, though he never played for them. He quickly moved into an assistant coaching role with the Bulls, serving under his former teammate, head coach Johnny "Red" Kerr. After one year in Chicago, Bianchi was hired as the inaugural head coach for the expansion team Seattle SuperSonics. During his two seasons as head coach for the SuperSonics, he compiled a record of 53 wins and 111 losses.

3.2.2. ABA Coaching

Bianchi moved to the ABA in 1969, taking on the roles of coach and general manager for the Washington Caps, which later became the Virginia Squires. He remained with the organization until 1975. In the 1970-71 season, Bianchi guided the Squires to the ABA's Eastern Division championship with an impressive record of 55 wins and 29 losses, achieving a winning percentage of .655. For this outstanding performance, he was honored with the ABA Coach of the Year Award in 1971. Despite their regular season success, the Squires were defeated by the New York Nets in the Eastern Division finals that season. Bianchi was instrumental in coaching and developing future basketball superstars Julius Erving and George Gervin during his tenure with the Squires. His ABA coaching career ended during the early part of the 1975-76 season when he departed from the Squires. He concluded his overall coaching career with a combined record of 283 wins and 392 losses across both the NBA and ABA.

3.3. Front Office and Scouting Career

After his coaching career, Bianchi continued to contribute to professional basketball through various front office and scouting capacities, utilizing his vast experience to identify and cultivate talent.

In 1976, Bianchi re-entered the NBA as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns, working under head coach John MacLeod. This eleven-year tenure, from 1976 to 1987, was highlighted by the Suns' memorable deep playoff run, which included a legendary triple-overtime loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals. The Celtics ultimately won that series 4 games to 2.

Following his time with the Suns, Bianchi transitioned into a front office role, serving as the general manager for the New York Knicks from 1987 to 1991. After his stint with the Knicks, he returned to Phoenix in 1991, where he took on the responsibility of scouting college players for the Suns. In 2004, Bianchi joined the Golden State Warriors as a consultant-scout, a position he held through the 2008-09 season, further solidifying his reputation as a knowledgeable talent evaluator. During his later years, Bianchi resided in Phoenix, Arizona, continuing to work as a consultant.

4. Honors and Inductions

Alfred A. Bianchi received several significant honors and inductions recognizing his enduring contributions to basketball. In September 2007, he was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame as a player by the New York City Athletic Club. Later, on May 21, 2016, Bianchi was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame during their 11th Annual Ceremony held in Columbus, Ohio. These inductions celebrated his legacy both as a collegiate and professional player and as a respected figure in the sport.

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1956-57	Syracuse	68	23.2	.351	.690	3.3	1.6	8.3
1957-58	Syracuse	69	20.6	.344	.683	3.2	1.7	8.3
1958-59	Syracuse	72	24.7	.377	.723	2.8	2.2	10.0
1959-60	Syracuse	69	18.2	.366	.703	2.6	2.4	7.7
1960-61	Syracuse	52	12.8	.345	.690	2.0	1.8	5.7
1961-62	Syracuse	80	24.1	.397	.697	3.5	3.3	10.3
1962-63	Syracuse	61	19.0	.424	.732	2.2	2.8	7.6
1963-64	Philadelphia	78	18.4	.376	.773	1.9	1.9	8.0
1964-65	Philadelphia	60	18.6	.360	.711	1.6	2.3	6.7
1965-66	Philadelphia	78	16.8	.382	.673	1.7	1.7	6.3
Career		687	19.9	.374	.707	2.5	2.2	8.1

6.1.2. Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1957	Syracuse	5	19.4	.316	.667	3.0	1.6	6.4
1958	Syracuse	2	18.5	.333	.375	3.5	1.0	5.0
1959	Syracuse	9	21.3	.459	.636	3.2	2.8	9.1
1960	Syracuse	2	9.0	.000
1.5	1.5	.0
1961	Syracuse	7	12.9	.370	.889	1.0	.7	6.0
1962	Syracuse	5	36.8	.391	.850	5.2	3.6	14.2
1963	Syracuse	5	15.4	.441	.571	1.6	.4	6.8
1964	Philadelphia	5	13.6	.414	.750	.8	.8	5.4
1965	Philadelphia	11	28.0	.381	.667	1.5	2.7	9.5
1966	Philadelphia	5	12.8	.419	.750	2.0	.8	9.0
Career		56	20.3	.391	.696	2.2	1.8	8.0

6.2. Coaching Record

The following table details Alfred A. Bianchi's coaching record in both the NBA and ABA.

6.2.1. NBA/ABA

Coaching Record
Team	Year	G	W	L	W-L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW-L%	Result
Seattle	1967-68	82	23	59	.280	5th in Western	-	-	-	-	Missed playoffs
Seattle	1968-69	82	30	52	.366	6th in Western	-	-	-	-	Missed playoffs
Washington	1969-70	84	44	40	.524	3rd in Western Division	7	3	4	.429	Lost in Div. semifinals
Virginia	1970-71	84	55	29	.655	1st in Eastern Division	12	6	6	.500	Lost in Div. finals
Virginia	1971-72	84	45	39	.536	2nd in Eastern Division	11	7	4	.636	Lost in Div. finals
Virginia	1972-73	84	42	42	.500	3rd in Eastern Division	5	1	4	.200	Lost in Div. semifinals
Virginia	1973-74	84	28	56	.333	4th in Eastern Division	5	1	4	.200	Lost in Div. semifinals
Virginia	1974-75	84	15	69	.179	5th in Eastern Division	-	-	-	-	Missed playoffs
Virginia	1975-76	7	1	6	.143	Left mid-season	-	-	-	-
Career		675	283	392	.419		40	18	22	.450