Howie Komives
Encyclopedia
Howard K. "Butch" Komives (May 9, 1941 – March 22, 2009) was an American
professional basketball
player who spent ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA)
with the New York Knickerbockers
, Detroit Pistons
, Buffalo Braves
and Kansas City-Omaha Kings
.
Born in Toledo, Ohio
, he graduated from Woodward High School (Toledo)
in 1960.
at Bowling Green State University (BGSU)
, where he led the team in scoring in each of his three varsity seasons. As a starting shooting guard
, he teamed with Nate Thurmond
, the school's all-time leading rebounder
, to lead the Falcons to back-to-back Mid-American Conference (MAC)
championships and NCAA tournament
appearances in 1962 and 1963.
Despite Thurmond's graduation
and the team's fall to third place in the conference, Komives led the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
in scoring during the 1963–64 season with 36.7 points per game, still BGSU and MAC records. Even though he no longer is the school's all-time leading scorer (his 1,834 total points is currently third), his 25.8 scoring average is still a Falcons record.
He was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970. His son Shane was a four-year basketball letterman at the same school from 1993 to 1996.
. He was named to the All-Rookie Team
in 1965, after starting in every regular-season match and averaging 12.2 points per game. After the Knicks acquired Dick Barnett prior to the 1965–66 season, Komives was shifted to point guard
, a position with which he struggled, drawing the wrath of Knicks fans. The most productive campaign of his professional career was in 1967, when his averages per contest were 15.7 points and 6.2 assists.
By the time Red Holzman
became the Knicks' coach
midway through the 1967–68 season, Komives was involved in a personal feud with Cazzie Russell that negatively affected the rest of the team. With the emergence of Walt Frazier
as the starting point guard, Komives was traded along with Walt Bellamy to the Pistons for Dave DeBusschere
on December 19, 1968. This was what Komives is most remembered for, but only because DeBusschere was the last major addition to the Knicks before it won its first NBA Championship
in 1970.
In 2007, Komives was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
Komives died at University of Toledo Medical Center on March 22, 2009 at age 67. His wife Marcia had found him unconscious and unresponsive in their home three days earlier.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who spent ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA)
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
with the New York Knickerbockers
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Buffalo Braves
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
and Kansas City-Omaha Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
Born in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, he graduated from Woodward High School (Toledo)
Woodward High School (Toledo, Ohio)
Calvin M. Woodward High School is a public high school located in the north side of Toledo, Ohio, that was built in 1928. It was named after an early advocate for vocational education...
in 1960.
College career
Komives played college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at Bowling Green State University (BGSU)
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
, where he led the team in scoring in each of his three varsity seasons. As a starting shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
, he teamed with Nate Thurmond
Nate Thurmond
Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond is a retired American basketball player. Dominant at both center and power forward, he was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double....
, the school's all-time leading rebounder
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
, to lead the Falcons to back-to-back Mid-American Conference (MAC)
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
championships and NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances in 1962 and 1963.
Despite Thurmond's graduation
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
and the team's fall to third place in the conference, Komives led the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
in scoring during the 1963–64 season with 36.7 points per game, still BGSU and MAC records. Even though he no longer is the school's all-time leading scorer (his 1,834 total points is currently third), his 25.8 scoring average is still a Falcons record.
He was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970. His son Shane was a four-year basketball letterman at the same school from 1993 to 1996.
Professional career
Komives was selected thirteenth overall in the second round by the New York Knicks in the 1964 NBA Draft1964 NBA Draft
The 1964 NBA Draft was the 18th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 4, 1964 before the 1964–65 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility...
. He was named to the All-Rookie Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
in 1965, after starting in every regular-season match and averaging 12.2 points per game. After the Knicks acquired Dick Barnett prior to the 1965–66 season, Komives was shifted to point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
, a position with which he struggled, drawing the wrath of Knicks fans. The most productive campaign of his professional career was in 1967, when his averages per contest were 15.7 points and 6.2 assists.
By the time Red Holzman
Red Holzman
William "Red" Holzman was an NBA basketball player and coach probably best known as the head coach of the New York Knicks from 1967 to 1982. Holzman helped lead the Knicks to two NBA Championships in 1970 and 1973, and was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985...
became the Knicks' coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
midway through the 1967–68 season, Komives was involved in a personal feud with Cazzie Russell that negatively affected the rest of the team. With the emergence of Walt Frazier
Walt Frazier
Walter "Clyde" Frazier is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He was blessed with a unique combination of court vision, quickness, and size for a guard...
as the starting point guard, Komives was traded along with Walt Bellamy to the Pistons for Dave DeBusschere
Dave DeBusschere
David Albert DeBusschere was an American NBA and major league baseball player and coach in the NBA. In 1996, DeBusschere was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history....
on December 19, 1968. This was what Komives is most remembered for, but only because DeBusschere was the last major addition to the Knicks before it won its first NBA Championship
1970 NBA Finals
The 1970 NBA Finals was a best-of-7 series for the world championship of the National Basketball Association. It featured the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks and the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers...
in 1970.
In 2007, Komives was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
Komives died at University of Toledo Medical Center on March 22, 2009 at age 67. His wife Marcia had found him unconscious and unresponsive in their home three days earlier.
External links
- Howard Komives bio and stats at Hoops Analyst website
- Howard Komives NBA career stats
- Howard Komives biography at Ohio Hoop Zone website
- "Howard 'Butch' Komives, 1941–2009: Woodward basketball star excelled for BGSU," The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), Monday, March 23, 2009.
- Hackenberg, Dave. "Komives was Woodward, BGSU basketball legend," The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), Monday, March 23, 2009.
- "Falcon cage standout Komives died in Toledo," Sentinel-Tribune (Bowling Green, Ohio), Monday, March 23, 2009.