John Bagley (basketball)

infobox NBA Player
name = John Bagley
nickname = Bags
position = Point guard
height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0
weight_lbs = 185
birth_date = Birth date and age|1960|4|23
birth_place = Bridgeport, Connecticut
college = Boston College
draft = 12th overall
draft_year = 1982
draft_team = Cleveland Cavaliers
career_start = 1982
career_end = 1993
former_teams = Cleveland Cavaliers (1982-1987)
New Jersey Nets (1987-1989)
Boston Celtics (1989-1993)
Atlanta Hawks (1993)
awards =

John Edward "Bags" Bagley (born April 23, 1960 in Bridgeport, Connecticut) is a former basketball player in the National Basketball Association.

College career

Bagley played for Boston College for three seasons, where he averaged nearly 18 points a game and became the first Eagle to earn Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year honors.cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2005/04/14/from_bc_to_cs/|title=Catching up with John Bagley|accessdate=2007-10-17] He averaged 20.4 points per game during the 1980-81 season, his sophomore year, and led the Eagles to the regular-season championship and NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.cite web|url=http://bceagles.cstv.com/genrel/bagley_john00.html|title=Player Bio: John Bagley|accessdate=2007-10-17] The following year, Bagley scored 21.1 points per game and led Boston College to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Bagley also played in the Men's World University Games in 1981, and led the team with 14.8 points per game. [cite web|url=http://www.usabasketball.com/history/mwug_1981.html|title= ELEVENTH WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES -- 1981|accessdate=2007-10-18] He left Boston College after his junior year and entered the 1982 NBA Draft. He was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.

Pro career

Bagley was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 12th pick of the 1982 NBA Draft, and was signed to a three-year contract on September 28, 1982. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9405EEDB1E38F93AA1575AC0A964948260&sec=&spon=|title=SPORTS PEOPLE; King Signs Knick Offer|accessdate=2007-10-18] He played with the Cavs for five seasons, from 1982 to 1987.cite web|url=http://basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BAGLEJO01|title=John Bagley Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards|accessdate=2007-10-18] His best season was the 1985-86 season, where Bagley hit then career highs of 11.7 points per game and 9.4 assists per game. During the 1986-87, Bagley had career highs in both free throw and three point percentage, with .831 and .301, respectively. After the 1986-87 season, Cleveland traded Bagley to the New Jersey Nets along with Keith Lee for Darryl Dawkins (who was subsequently sent to the Utah Jazz in a three-way deal) and James Bailey. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D9113FF93AA35753C1A961948260|title=Transactions - New York Times|accessdate=2007-10-18] Bagley's first season with the Nets saw him play all 82 games, the only season he did this, as well as score a career high 12 points per game. He was also the only Net to play 82 games, and as a result, Bagley was given a multiyear extension on September 6, 1988. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0D81538F934A3575AC0A96E948260|title=Sports People; Nets Re-Sign Bagley|accessdate=2007-10-18] Bagley played in 68 games, missing some due to injury, and lost his starting position at point guard to Lester Conner. As a result, Bagley was traded to the Boston Celtics for two draft choices and an undisclosed amount of cash on October 5, 1989. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE1DF1138F935A35753C1A96F948260|title=New Faces and a New Attitude for Nets|accessdate=2007-10-18] He has noted that playing with the Celtics in the Boston Garden has been the highlight of his basketball career.

After playing one season for the Celtics, Bagley did not play the entire 1990-91 season. He began the season on the injured list with tendinitis of the right knee, and received arthroscopic surgery on March 3, 1991, ending his season and even becoming an afterthought, with the Celtics emphasizing Brian Shaw and Dee Brown. [cite news | first = Larry | last = Whiteside | title = So far, the condition isn't ideal for Bagley as starter | publisher = The Boston Globe | page = 57 | date = 1991-11-08 | accessdate = 2007-10-18] However, he did end up starting most of the 1991-92 season, mainly after Brian Shaw was traded to the Miami Heat. Despite the starting role, Bagley was not on the team as the season began, but was re-signed by the Celtis on December 23, 1992. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEED81039F937A15751C1A964958260|title=BASKETBALL; Jordan Goes to High Gear and Scores 57 in Victory|accessdate=2007-10-18] Bagley ended up playing in only 10 games that season, then was granted free agency. He played with the Continental Basketball Association during the 1993 off-season, playing for the Columbus Horizon and Rochester Renegade. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE6DB1F31F933A05754C0A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print|title=Transactions - New York Times|accessdate=2007-10-18] He signed with the Atlanta Hawks, but was released after three appearances on December 13, 1993. [cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4DC113CF937A25751C1A965958260|title=TRANSACTIONS - New York Times|accessdate=2007-10-18]

Personal life

John Bagley now resides in Elgin, Illinois, and coaches the Harper College Men's Basketball team. He also has run a 32-team high school summer league, works at a camp at Harper College, and is coaching the Chicago Dogs, a semi-pro basketball team.

John Bagley now resides in Elgin, Illinois, and coaches the Harper College Men's Basketball team. He also has run a 32-team high school summer league, works at a camp at Harper College, and is coaching the Chicago Dogs, a semi-pro basketball team. He later returned to Bridgeport, Connecticut where he was a gym teacher for Roosevelt Elementary School. There he helped a young and upcomming star Vincent Shanks, Jr on some fundamental basketball tips.

External links

[http://www.thedraftreview.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2004&Itemid=33 John Bagley on TheDraftReview]