Raphael Eugene "Ray" Kuka (February 17, 1922 – March 27, 1990) was an American professional basketball player.[1] He played in the Basketball Association of America for the New York Knicks during the 1947–48 season and part of the 1948–49 season.[1] Kuka also served briefly as the Knicks' interim head coach for a few games in February 1949.[2] Joe Lapchick, the regular head coach, was hospitalized to treat a stomach disorder.[2] Kuka had also previously served as a team scout.[2]
 Kuka in 1948 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 17, 1922 Havre, Montana |
| Died | March 27, 1990 (aged 68) Havre, Montana |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Havre (Havre, Montana) |
| College |
|
| BAA draft | 1947: undrafted |
| Position | Forward |
| Number | 12 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1947–1949 | New York Knicks |
| As coach: | |
| 1949 | New York Knicks (interim HC) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Kuka played in college for Notre Dame before being drafted into the United States Air Force for World War II.[3] After World War II he returned home and played for Montana State, where he earned all-conference honors.[3]
Following his playing career, Kuka returned to hos hometown of Havre, Montana, where he was a successful high school coach and teacher.[4]
BAA career statistics
edit| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | FG% | Field-goal percentage | ||
| FT% | Free-throw percentage | APG | Assists per game | ||
| PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high | ||
Regular season
edit| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–48 | New York | 44 | .326 | .595 | .6 | 5.2 |
| 1948–49 | New York | 8 | .278 | .556 | 1.4 | 3.1 |
| Career | 52 | .320 | .591 | .7 | 4.9 | |
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | New York | 3 | .300 | 1.000 | .0 | 2.7 |
| Career | 3 | .300 | 1.000 | .0 | 2.7 | |
References
edit- ^ a b "Ray Kuka NBA stats". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Montanan' Now Knicks Coach". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. February 8, 1949. p. 17. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ a b "MHSA Athletes' Hall of Fame" (PDF). Montana High School Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 23, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ Vernoy, Lee (May 1, 2020). "Havre GOAT: Ray Kuka: From the Hi-Line to the New York Knicks". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
External links
edit- Career statistics from NBA.com and Basketball Reference
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