Jack Coleman (basketball)

Jack Coleman

Personal information
Born	(1924-05-23)May 23, 1924 Burgin, Kentucky
Died	Burgin, Kentucky
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College	Louisville (1946–1949)
NBA draft	1949 / Round: 2
Selected by the Rochester Royals
Playing career	1949–1958
Position	Power forward / Center
Number	10, 15, 12, 11
Career history
1949–1956	Rochester Royals
1956–1958	St. Louis Hawks
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (1951, 1958) NBA All-Star (1955)
Career statistics
Points	6,721 (10.6 ppg)
Rebounds	5,186 (9.2 rpg)
Assists	1,749 (2.8 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Jack L. Coleman (May 23, 1924 – December 11, 1998) was an American professional basketball player.

A 6 ft 7 in forward/center from the University of Louisville, Coleman played nine seasons (1949–1958) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Rochester Royals and St. Louis Hawks. He tallied 6,721 points and 5,186 rebounds in his career, and he represented Rochester in the 1955 NBA All-Star Game. Coleman also appeared in three NBA Finals, winning championships with Rochester in 1951 and St. Louis in 1958.

During the Hawks' losing effort in the 1957 NBA Finals, Coleman became the unwitting victim of one of Bill Russell's greatest defensive plays. In the final game of the series, Coleman had an opportunity to clinch the Hawks' championship with a layup after receiving an outlet pass at midcourt. Bill Russell, who had been standing at his own baseline when the play began, ran the entire length of the floor and managed to block Coleman's shot, preserving the victory for the Celtics. Celtics announcer Johnny Most screamed, "Blocked by Russell! Blocked by Russell! He came from nowhere!" The play has since gone down in history as the "Coleman Play."