1. Early Life and Playing Career
Bob Nash's formative years and professional playing career laid the foundation for his extensive involvement in basketball, both in the United States and later in Japan.
1.1. Early Life and College
Robert Lee Nash was born on August 24, 1950, in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. He attended Hartford Public High School, graduating in 1968. For his collegiate basketball career, Nash first attended San Jacinto College before transferring to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he played for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. During his time with the Rainbow Warriors in the early 1970s, he was a key member of what was considered the school's most successful men's basketball team up to that point.
1.2. Professional Playing Career
Nash's professional playing career spanned the 1970s across various leagues. Standing 80 in (203 cm) tall and weighing 194 lb (88 kg), he primarily played as a forward. In the 1972 NBA draft, he was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Phoenix Suns, but his draft rights were subsequently traded, leading him to join the Detroit Pistons.
He played for the Pistons from 1972 to 1974. Following his tenure with Detroit, Nash moved to the American Basketball Association (ABA), where he played for the San Diego Conquistadors from 1974 to 1977. He then returned to the NBA, joining the Kansas City Kings (now the Sacramento Kings) from 1977 to 1979. His professional playing career concluded with the Hawaii Volcanos of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1979-80 season.
2. Coaching Career
Bob Nash transitioned from a professional player to an accomplished coach, making significant contributions at both the collegiate level in the United States and the professional level in Japan.
2.1. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
After concluding his playing career, Nash returned to his alma mater, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, where he embarked on a long and impactful coaching tenure. He served as an assistant coach for the team starting in 1987, holding that position for two decades until 2007. In April 2007, Nash was promoted to head coach, taking over from the retiring Riley Wallace. He led the Rainbow Warriors for three seasons, from the 2007-08 season through the 2009-10 season, compiling an overall record of 34 wins and 56 losses during his time as head coach.
2.2. Coaching in Japan
In 2010, Bob Nash moved to Japan, beginning a new chapter in his coaching career that would see him leave a significant mark on the bj league and later the B.League.
His first head coaching role in Japan was with the Saitama Broncos in the bj league, starting in 2010. During his time with the Broncos, the team achieved a new club record of seven consecutive victories between December 2010 and January 2011. However, his tenure was cut short by the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. The earthquake led to the suspension of the bj league season, and the Saitama Broncos ceased operations for the remainder of the season, resulting in Nash's departure from the team. His son, Bobby Nash, also played for the Saitama Broncos during this period.
In 2012, Nash was appointed head coach of the Toyama Grouses in the bj league, a position he held until 2017. Under his leadership, the Grouses experienced a period of unprecedented success. In the 2012-13 season, he led the team to its first-ever winning season and advanced to the playoff conference semifinals. The 2013-14 season saw further improvement, with the Grouses increasing their win total and finishing first in the Eastern Conference. They progressed through the playoff conference semifinals to reach the Final 4, ultimately securing a third-place finish, the highest in the team's history at that time. After a 2014-15 season where they finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and lost in the first round of the playoffs, Nash guided the team back to dominance in the 2015-16 season. The Grouses once again finished first in the Eastern Conference, and Nash was recognized with the bj league Coach of the Year award. He led Toyama to win the Eastern Conference Championship, ultimately guiding them to the league finals where they finished as runner-up. Nash's contract with the Toyama Grouses concluded after the 2016-17 season, and he resigned.
In July 2018, Nash joined Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka as an associate coach. However, on October 22, Fukuoka dismissed their head coach, Ryuji Kawai, and Nash was promoted to take over the head coaching duties. He served as the head coach for the remainder of the 2018-19 season, at the end of which his contract expired, and the team was relegated to the B2 League.
3. Career Statistics and Records
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Robert "Bob" Nash's statistical performance during his professional playing career and his coaching records at both the collegiate and professional levels.
3.1. Playing Statistics
The following tables detail Bob Nash's performance during his professional playing career in the NBA and ABA.
3.1.1. NBA/ABA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-73 | Detroit (NBA) | 36 | 4.7 | .222 | .647 | .9 | .4 | 1.2 | |||
| 1973-74 | Detroit (NBA) | 35 | 8.0 | .357 | .615 | 2.1 | .4 | .1 | 0.3 | 3.0 | |
| 1974-75 | San Diego (ABA) | 17 | 10.3 | .346 | .000 | .722 | 3.2 | .7 | .2 | .1 | 3.9 |
| 1977-78 | Kansas City (NBA) | 66 | 12.1 | .516 | .725 | 2.6 | .7 | .4 | 0.3 | 5.5 | |
| 1978-79 | 82* | 15.9 | .435 | .802 | 2.5 | .9 | .4 | .2 | 6.4 | ||
| Career (NBA) | 219 | 11.7 | .435 | .730 | 2.2 | .7 | .3 | .2 | 4.7 | ||
| Career (overall) | 236 | 11.6 | .429 | .000 | .729 | 2.3 | .7 | .3 | .2 | 4.7 | |
3.1.2. NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Kansas (NBA) | 5 | 12.8 | .296 | .800 | 2.2 | .0 | .0 | .8 | 4.8 |
3.2. Head Coaching Record
The following tables present Bob Nash's head coaching records for his collegiate and professional teams.
3.2.1. College Coaching Record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | Hawaii | 11-19 | 7-9 | 5th | |
| 2008-09 | Hawaii | 13-17 | 5-11 | 8th | |
| 2009-10 | Hawaii | 10-20 | 3-13 | 9th | |
| Hawaii Total | 34-56 (.378) | 15-33 (.313) | |||
3.2.2. Professional Coaching Record (Japan)
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W-L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW-L% | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saitama Broncos | 2010-11 | 38 | 14 | 24 | .368 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Toyama Grouses | 2012-13 | 52 | 35 | 17 | .673 | 3rd in Eastern | 6 | 3 | 3 | .500 | Lost in 2nd round | |
| Toyama Grouses | 2013-14 | 52 | 42 | 10 | .808 | 1st in Eastern | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3rd place | |
| Toyama Grouses | 2014-15 | 52 | 35 | 17 | .673 | 5th in Eastern | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Lost in 1st round | |
| Toyama Grouses | 2015-16 | 52 | 39 | 13 | .750 | 1st in Eastern | 6 | 5 | 1 | .833 | Eastern Champions | |
| Toyama Grouses | 2016-17 | 60 | 18 | 42 | .300 | 5th in Central | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka | 2018-19 | 53 | 12 | 41 | .226 | 6th in Western | - | - | - | - | - | relegated to B2 |
4. Personal Life
Bob Nash is married and has a son, Bobby Nash, who also became a professional basketball player. Bobby Nash played college basketball for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, following in his father's footsteps, and later played professionally in Japan, including for the Saitama Broncos when his father was coaching the team.
5. Awards and Legacy
Bob Nash's career has been marked by significant achievements and a lasting impact on the sport of basketball, particularly through his coaching in Japan.
5.1. Awards and Honors
Nash's contributions to basketball have been recognized through various honors. In 2004, he was inducted into the Hartford Public High School Hall of Fame, acknowledging his achievements during his high school years. During his coaching tenure in Japan, he received the bj league Coach of the Year award for the 2015-16 season, a testament to his exceptional leadership and the remarkable success of the Toyama Grouses under his guidance.
5.2. Impact and Influence
Bob Nash's influence extends beyond his playing days, particularly through his extensive coaching career. His long tenure as an assistant coach and later as head coach for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors solidified his legacy within the collegiate basketball program, contributing to the development of numerous players over two decades.
His move to Japan marked a pivotal chapter in his career and had a significant impact on Japanese professional basketball. Nash is credited with elevating the performance and profile of the Toyama Grouses, transforming them into a top-tier team in the bj league. His leadership led the Grouses to their first winning season, multiple playoff appearances, a third-place finish, and an Eastern Conference Championship, culminating in a runner-up finish in the league finals. These achievements not only brought success to the team but also contributed to the growing popularity and competitive standard of basketball in Japan. His ability to build winning teams and develop players left a lasting positive impression on the Japanese basketball community.