Basketball Hall of Famer Cliff Hagan Dies at age 94

Cliff Hagan, a five-time NBA All-Star who averaged 18.0 points and 6.9 rebounds over a 10-year professional career, has died at age 94.

The University of Kentucky announced Friday that Hall of Fame forward Cliff Hagan died at age 94. A five-time All-Star who played his entire NBA career for the St. Louis Hawks, Hagan averaged 18.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He was the first player in basketball history to earn All-Star honors in both the NBA and the ABA, later serving as a player-coach for the Dallas Chaparrals.

Originally drafted by the Boston Celtics in the third round of the 1953 NBA draft, Hagan never played for the franchise. Following two years of military service, he was traded to St. Louis in April 1956 alongside Ed Macauley in exchange for the draft rights to Bill Russell. Hagan subsequently led the Hawks to the 1958 NBA championship, defeating the Celtics in the Finals while averaging a league-best 27.7 points during that postseason run. Under his contribution, St. Louis reached the Finals in four of his first five seasons.

Before his professional career, Hagan played for coach Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky, helping the Wildcats secure the 1951 NCAA title and an 86-5 overall record. He set a school single-game scoring record of 51 points that stood until 1970. In 1978, the Owensboro native became the first Kentucky player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He also served a tenure as the athletics director for the university.