Al Bianchi

Al Bianchi was an American professional basketball player, coach, general manager, consultant, and scout. He spent his entire ten-year National Basketball Association playing career with the Syracuse Nationals, who later became the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bianchi was known as one of the last NBA players to use the two-handed set shot.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Alfred A. Bianchi was born on March 26, 1932, in New York City, United States. He stood 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds during his playing days.

Bianchi served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1954 to 1956 before beginning his NBA career. He passed away on October 28, 2019, in Phoenix, Arizona, from congestive heart failure.

High School and College Career

Bianchi attended Long Island City High School in New York. He played college basketball at Bowling Green State University from 1951 to 1954, where he led the team in scoring and was named to three All-America teams in 1954.

Professional Career

Bianchi was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1954 NBA Draft but began his professional career in 1956 with the Syracuse Nationals.

He played for the Nationals and the Philadelphia 76ers until 1966. Bianchi was later selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1966 NBA expansion draft but retired as a player without appearing in a game for the Bulls.

Coaching and Executive Career

After retiring as a player, Bianchi became an assistant coach for the Bulls.

He was the first Head Coach of the Seattle SuperSonics from 1967 to 1969. He then served as head coach and general manager for the Washington Caps and Virginia Squires from 1969 to 1975, earning ABA Coach of the Year honors in 1971.

Bianchi later spent eleven years as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns and served as general manager of the New York Knicks from 1987 to 1991. He also worked as a scout and consultant for several NBA teams.

Career Highlights

• 1954 – First-team All-MAC
• 1971 – ABA Coach of the Year