John Roche
Encyclopedia
John Michael Roche is a retired American
professional basketball
player in both the ABA
and the NBA
. The 6'3" (1.90 m), 170 lb (77 kg) guard's career spanned from 1971 to 1982
.
Roche attended high school at La Salle Academy
and college at the University of South Carolina
and was a three-time All-American and two-time MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference
). Roche played for the legendary Frank McGuire
at Carolina. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns
in the first round (14th pick) of the 1971 NBA Draft
and also selected by the Kentucky Colonels
in the 1971 ABA Draft. Roche signed with the New York Nets of the ABA, who had obtained the rights to him from the Colonels. He was selected to the 1972 ABA All-Rookie team, and played with the Nets during his first three seasons. During the 1973–74 season, he was traded back to Colonels for Mike Gale
and Wendell Ladner
. Roche is one of three players in NBA history to hit 7 three-point field goal
s in a quarter (along with Henry James
and Steve Smith
).
Roche earned a law degree from the University of Denver College of Law, while playing for the Denver Nuggets
. As of 2006, Roche was a Partner at the Denver office of the law firm Snell & Wilmer
.
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 in both the ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
and the 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...
. The 6'3" (1.90 m), 170 lb (77 kg) guard's career spanned from 1971 to 1982
1981-82 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Moses Malone, Houston Rockets*Rookie of the Year: Buck Williams, New Jersey Nets*Coach of the Year: Gene Shue, Washington Bullets*All-NBA First Team:**Larry Bird, Boston Celtics...
.
Roche attended high school at La Salle Academy
La Salle Academy
La Salle Academy is a private, all boys high school in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York....
and college at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and was a three-time All-American and two-time MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
). Roche played for the legendary Frank McGuire
Frank McGuire
Frank Joseph McGuire was an American athletic coach who gained his greatest renown in collegiate basketball....
at Carolina. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
in the first round (14th pick) of the 1971 NBA Draft
1971 NBA Draft
The 1971 NBA Draft was the 25th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 29, 1971 before the 1971–72 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
and also selected by the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
in the 1971 ABA Draft. Roche signed with the New York Nets of the ABA, who had obtained the rights to him from the Colonels. He was selected to the 1972 ABA All-Rookie team, and played with the Nets during his first three seasons. During the 1973–74 season, he was traded back to Colonels for Mike Gale
Mike Gale
Michael Eugene Gale is a retired American basketball player.Gale was a 6'4" guard at Elizabeth City State University. He was drafted in the third round of the 1971 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and by the Kentucky Colonels in the 1971 American Basketball Association draft...
and Wendell Ladner
Wendell Ladner
Wendell Ladner was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball at The University of Southern Mississippi where he became a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity....
. Roche is one of three players in NBA history to hit 7 three-point field goal
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
s in a quarter (along with Henry James
Henry James (basketball)
Henry Charles James is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Undrafted out of St...
and Steve Smith
Steve Smith (basketball)
Steven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
).
Roche earned a law degree from the University of Denver College of Law, while playing for the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
. As of 2006, Roche was a Partner at the Denver office of the law firm Snell & Wilmer
Snell & Wilmer
Snell & Wilmer LLP is a law firm based in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm is the largest in the state of Arizona and the 99th largest in the United States by number of lawyers, according to the National Law Journal's 2007 statistics.-History:...
.
External links
- ABA/NBA stats @ basketball-reference.com
- College & ABA/NBA stats @ basketballreference.com
- http://www.swlaw.com/attorneys/detail.aspx?professional=112 @ swlaw.com
- SC Athletic History as gamecocksonline.cstv.com