Monday, July 6, 2026

Question: Which Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame inductee from Newark coached in both college basketball and the NBA?

Answer: Fred Schaus. As a player, Schaus helped lead Newark High School to a state championship in 1943 before becoming West Virginia University’s first 1,000-point scorer.

He later coached WVU to the NCAA tournament in each of his six seasons, including a trip to the national championship game.

In the NBA, Schaus coached former WVU star Jerry West with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the team to seven straight playoff appearances. He later became the Lakers’ general manager and helped build the roster that won the 1972 NBA championship.