Ken Cole (basketball)

Ken Cole
Personal information
Born(1943-10-15)15 October 1943
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died15 March 2026(2026-03-15) (aged 82)
Listed height204 cm (6 ft 8 in)
Listed weight88 kg (194 lb)
PositionSmall forward / shooting guard
Career history
Coaching
1983–1984West Adelaide Bearcats
1985–1986Adelaide 36ers
1987Sydney Supersonics
1988–1991Newcastle Falcons
Career highlights
As head coach:

Kenneth Frank Cole (15 October 1943 – 15 March 2026) was an Australian professional basketball coach and player. He represented the Australian national team as a player at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Cole was a head coach in the National Basketball League (NBL) for the West Adelaide Bearcats, Adelaide 36ers, Sydney Supersonics and Newcastle Falcons. He won an NBL championship and was selected as the NBL Coach of the Year with the 36ers in 1986.

Playing career

Cole competed in the men's tournament at the 1964 Summer Olympics with the Australian national basketball team.[1] He was selected for the Australian team in preparation for the 1968 Summer Olympics but the team lost during the qualifying tournament.[2]

Cole was the player-coach for the St. Kilda Saints for five seasons in the early 1970s.[3] At the state level, Cole represented New South Wales from 1961 to 1964, Tasmania in 1965, Victoria from 1966 to 1971, and South Australia in 1972.[2] He toured the United States with the New York Nationals but he was deemed as a professional when he returned to Australia and lost his amateur status.[2]

Cole played the forward and guard positions.[2]

Coaching career

Cole began his National Basketball League (NBL) coaching career with the West Adelaide Bearcats in 1983.[2] The Bearcats merged with the Adelaide 36ers at the end of the 1984 season and Cole was retained as head coach.[2] He led the 36ers to the 1985 NBL Finals during his first season.[4] The 36ers set a 24–2 record during the 1986 season and were nicknamed "The Invincibles."[4] On September 14, 1986, Cole smoked half a joint of marijuana after a victory over the Brisbane Bullets and was sacked by the club committee.[3] On September 18, he was reinstated for the 1986 NBL Finals after his players lobbied the committee but was suspended for three matches and told he would not be retained for the following season.[5] Cole led the 36ers to the league championship and was selected as the NBL Coach of the Year.[6]

Cole also coached for the Sydney Supersonics and Newcastle Falcons before he retired from coaching.[7]

Legacy

Cole was nicknamed "Old King Cole" and was known for his "vitriolic attacks" on referees.[3] He regularly wore full-length fur coats and cowboy hats as his sideline attire.[3]

In 2012, Cole was selected to become a member of the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.[8]

Cole returned to the 36ers in 2018 when he was appointed as team president.[9] He was inducted into the Adelaide 36ers Hall of Fame in 2021.[4]

Personal life

Cole was married to Pauline and had three children.[4]

Cole died on 15 March 2026, at the age of 82, after a decade-long battle with cancer.[4]

References

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ken Cole Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Nagy, Boti. "The King should be in HoF Castle". Boti Nagy. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d Blake, Martin (20 September 1986). "Basketball coach sees his career, house and sport go up in a puff of marijuana". The Age. p. 2. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Vale Ken Cole". Adelaide 36ers. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  5. ^ "Cole back as coach for NBL play-offs". The Age. 19 September 1986. p. 26. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Sacked Adelaide coach wins top NBL award". The Age. 10 November 1986. p. 36. Retrieved 15 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Boyce, Dan (4 September 2018). "New Adelaide 36ers President Ken Cole on this year's roster and the Mitch Creek situation". Aussie Hoopla. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  8. ^ "'King' Ken Cole to be inducted into Basketball Australia Hall Of Fame". Basketball Australia. 8 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  9. ^ "King Cole returns to Adelaide to preside over the 36ers". Adelaide 36ers. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
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