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{{Short description|American basketball player (1915–1978)}}
'''Michael D. Novak''' (April 23, 1915 – August 15, 1978) was an [[United States| American]] [[basketball]] player who played in the [[National Basketball League (United States)|NBL]], [[Basketball Association of America|BAA]], and [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] from 1939 to 1954. A 6'9" [[center (basketball)|center]] from [[Loyola University Chicago]], he was one of the first prominent "big men" to play professional basketball, averaging 8.5 points per game over the course of his career as a member of the [[Chicago Bruins]], [[Chicago Studebaker Flyers]], [[Sheboygan Red Skins]], [[Syracuse Nationals]], [[Rochester Royals]], and [[Philadelphia Warriors]].
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Mike Novak
| image = Mike_Novak_Loyola.jpg
| caption = Novak from the 1937 ''Loyolan''
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb = 219
| nationality = American
| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|4|23}}
| birth_place = [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|08|15|1915|4|23}}
| death_place = [[Red Creek, New York]]
| highschool = [[Tilden High School (Chicago)|Tilden]] (Chicago, Illinois)
| college = [[Loyola Ramblers men's basketball|Loyola Chicago]] (1936–1939)
| career_start = 1939
| career_end = 1954
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]] / [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]]
| career_number = 18, 19, 6
| years1 = 1939–1942
| team1 = [[Chicago Bruins]]
| years2 = 1942–1943
| team2 = [[Chicago Studebaker Flyers]]
| years3 = 1943–1946
| team3 = [[Sheboygan Red Skins]]
| years4 = 1946–1948
| team4 = [[Syracuse Nationals]]
| years6 = [[1948–49 BAA season|1948]]–{{nbay|1949|start}}
| team6 = [[Rochester Royals]]
| years7 = {{nbay|1949|full=y}}
| team7 = [[Philadelphia Warriors]]
| years8 = 1950–1951
| team8 = [[Louisville Alumnites]]
| years9 = {{nbay|1953|end}}
| team9 = Syracuse Nationals
| highlights =
* [[All-National Basketball League (United States) Team|All-NBL Second Team]] (1946)
* Consensus second-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1939 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1939]])
* Second-team All-American – [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]] ([[1938 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1938]])
}}
'''Michael Donald Novak''' (April 23, 1915 – August 15, 1978) was an American professional [[basketball]] player. He played in the [[National Basketball League (United States)|NBL]], [[Basketball Association of America|BAA]], and [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] from 1939 to 1954. A 6'9" [[center (basketball)|center]] from [[Loyola University Chicago]], he was one of the first prominent "big men" to play professional basketball, averaging 8.5 points per game over the course of his career as a member of the [[Chicago Bruins]], [[Chicago Studebaker Flyers]], [[Sheboygan Red Skins]], [[Syracuse Nationals]], [[Rochester Royals]], and [[Philadelphia Warriors]].


Novak was the seventh-highest scorer in the history of the 12-season NBL. Some of his greatest seasons came during his middle years, with the Sheboygan Red Skins. He joined the team in 1943-44, played in all 22 games and helped Sheboygan to a 14-8 record, good for second place in the four-team league. He scored 92 points during the regular season. In the playoffs, Sheboygan advanced to the NBL finals opposite the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, who won the title.
Novak was the seventh-highest scorer in the history of the 12-season NBL. Some of his greatest seasons came during his middle years, with the Sheboygan Red Skins. He joined the team in 1943–44, played in all 22 games and helped Sheboygan to a 14–8 record, good for second place in the four-team league. He scored 92 points during the regular season. In the playoffs, Sheboygan advanced to the NBL finals opposite the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, who won the title.


In 1944-45, Novak teamed with 6-7 forward Eddie Dancker to form the league's best 1-2 punch in the middle. He increased his scoring to 233 points in 27 games, and Western Division champion Sheboygan (19-11) again advanced to the finals to play Fort Wayne. The Red Skins won the first two games of the best-of-five series, only to get swept in the next three.
In 1944–45, Novak teamed with 6-7 forward Eddie Dancker to form the league's best 1-2 punch in the middle. He increased his scoring to 233 points in 27 games, and Western Division champion Sheboygan (19–11) again advanced to the finals to play Fort Wayne. The Red Skins won the first two games of the best-of-five series, only to get swept in the next three.


The following season, Novak was named a second-team choice on the all-league team. He scored 310 points in 34 games for Hall of Famer Dutch Dehnert's Red Skins, who won the Western Division title with a 21-13 record and advanced to the NBL championship series against the powerful Rochester Royals, who included Hall of Famers [[Al Cervi]], [[Bob Davies]] and [[Red Holzman]]. Rochester, which would win the NBA championship five years later, swept Sheboygan for the title.
The following season, Novak was named a second-team choice on the all-league team. He scored 310 points in 34 games for Hall of Famer Dutch Dehnert's Red Skins, who won the Western Division title with a 21–13 record and advanced to the NBL championship series against the powerful Rochester Royals, who included Hall of Famers [[Al Cervi]], [[Bob Davies]] and [[Red Holzman]]. Rochester, which would win the NBA championship five years later, swept Sheboygan for the title.


After only three games in 1946-47, Novak was dealt to the Syracuse Nationals. [[Doxie Moore]] had replaced Dehnert as Sheboygan's head coach.
After only three games in 1946–47, Novak was dealt to the Syracuse Nationals. [[Doxie Moore]] had replaced Dehnert as Sheboygan's head coach.


Novak scored 2,281 points in nine NBL seasons, 320 in one BAA season and 100 in two NBA seasons.
Novak scored 2,281 points in nine NBL seasons, 320 in one BAA season and 100 in two NBA seasons.

==BAA/NBA career statistics==
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size: 90%; white-space: nowrap;"
|-
! colspan="6" style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid #aaa;"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|   GP
| Games played
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|  MPG 
| Minutes per game
|-
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|  FG% 
| style="padding-right: 8px" | [[Field goal (basketball)|Field-goal]] percentage
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|  FT% 
| [[Free throw|Free-throw]] percentage
|-
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|  RPG 
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]] per game
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|  APG 
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]] per game
|-
| style="background:#f2f2f2; border:1px solid black;"|  PPG 
| Points per game
| style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid black" |  '''Bold''' 
| Career high
|-
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! MPG
! FG%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! PPG
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1948–49 BAA season|1948–49]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1948–49 Rochester Royals season|Rochester]]
| '''60''' || – || '''.342''' || .581 || – || '''1.9''' || '''5.3'''
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1949}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1949–50 Rochester Royals season|Rochester]]
| 5 || – || .091 || '''1.000''' || – || .8 || .6
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1949}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1949–50 Philadelphia Warriors season|Philadelphia]]
| 55 || – || .261 || .522 || – || 1.0 || 1.7
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1953}}
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1953–54 Syracuse Nationals season|Syracuse]]
| 5 || '''4.8''' || .000 || .500 || '''.4''' || .4 || .2
|-
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 125 || 4.8 || .310 || .566 || .4 || 1.4 || 3.4
|-
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;"
|-
! Year
! Team
! GP
! MPG
! FG%
! FT%
! RPG
! APG
! PPG
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[1949 BAA Playoffs|1949]]
| style="text-align:left;"| [[1948–49 Rochester Royals season|Rochester]]
| 4 || – || .273 || 1.000 || – || 2.5 || 3.3
|-
|style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 4 || – || .273 || 1.000 || – || 2.5 || 3.3
|-
|}


==External links==
==External links==
{{basketballstats|bbr=n/novakmi01}}
*[http://basketball-reference.com/players/n/novakmi01.html NBA Career Stats] @basketball-reference.com


{{1939 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1939 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{NBL All-Time Team}}
{{NBL All-Time Team}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Novak, Mike
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American basketball player
| DATE OF BIRTH = April 23, 1915
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = August 15, 1978
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Novak, Mike}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Novak, Mike}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1978 deaths]]
[[Category:1978 deaths]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Illinois]]
[[Category:All-American college men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Chicago]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
[[Category:Chicago Bruins players]]
[[Category:Chicago Bruins players]]
[[Category:Chicago Studebaker Flyers players]]
[[Category:Chicago Studebaker Flyers players]]
[[Category:Loyola Ramblers men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Warriors players]]
[[Category:Rochester Royals players]]
[[Category:Sheboygan Red Skins players]]
[[Category:Sheboygan Red Skins players]]
[[Category:Syracuse Nationals players]]
[[Category:Syracuse Nationals players]]
[[Category:Rochester Royals players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Warriors players]]
[[Category:Loyola Ramblers men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]




Latest revision as of 13:35, 19 November 2024

Mike Novak
Novak from the 1937 Loyolan
Personal information
Born(1915-04-23)April 23, 1915
Chicago, Illinois
DiedAugust 15, 1978(1978-08-15) (aged 63)
Red Creek, New York
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight219 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High schoolTilden (Chicago, Illinois)
CollegeLoyola Chicago (1936–1939)
Playing career1939–1954
PositionCenter / power forward
Number18, 19, 6
Career history
1939–1942Chicago Bruins
1942–1943Chicago Studebaker Flyers
1943–1946Sheboygan Red Skins
1946–1948Syracuse Nationals
1948–1949Rochester Royals
1949–1950Philadelphia Warriors
1950–1951Louisville Alumnites
1954Syracuse Nationals
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Michael Donald Novak (April 23, 1915 – August 15, 1978) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the NBL, BAA, and NBA from 1939 to 1954. A 6'9" center from Loyola University Chicago, he was one of the first prominent "big men" to play professional basketball, averaging 8.5 points per game over the course of his career as a member of the Chicago Bruins, Chicago Studebaker Flyers, Sheboygan Red Skins, Syracuse Nationals, Rochester Royals, and Philadelphia Warriors.

Novak was the seventh-highest scorer in the history of the 12-season NBL. Some of his greatest seasons came during his middle years, with the Sheboygan Red Skins. He joined the team in 1943–44, played in all 22 games and helped Sheboygan to a 14–8 record, good for second place in the four-team league. He scored 92 points during the regular season. In the playoffs, Sheboygan advanced to the NBL finals opposite the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, who won the title.

In 1944–45, Novak teamed with 6-7 forward Eddie Dancker to form the league's best 1-2 punch in the middle. He increased his scoring to 233 points in 27 games, and Western Division champion Sheboygan (19–11) again advanced to the finals to play Fort Wayne. The Red Skins won the first two games of the best-of-five series, only to get swept in the next three.

The following season, Novak was named a second-team choice on the all-league team. He scored 310 points in 34 games for Hall of Famer Dutch Dehnert's Red Skins, who won the Western Division title with a 21–13 record and advanced to the NBL championship series against the powerful Rochester Royals, who included Hall of Famers Al Cervi, Bob Davies and Red Holzman. Rochester, which would win the NBA championship five years later, swept Sheboygan for the title.

After only three games in 1946–47, Novak was dealt to the Syracuse Nationals. Doxie Moore had replaced Dehnert as Sheboygan's head coach.

Novak scored 2,281 points in nine NBL seasons, 320 in one BAA season and 100 in two NBA seasons.

BAA/NBA career statistics

[edit]
Legend
  GP Games played  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game
 PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

[edit]
Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1948–49 Rochester 60 – .342 .581 – 1.9 5.3
1949–50 Rochester 5 – .091 1.000 – .8 .6
1949–50 Philadelphia 55 – .261 .522 – 1.0 1.7
1953–54 Syracuse 5 4.8 .000 .500 .4 .4 .2
Career 125 4.8 .310 .566 .4 1.4 3.4

Playoffs

[edit]
Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1949 Rochester 4 – .273 1.000 – 2.5 3.3
Career 4 – .273 1.000 – 2.5 3.3
[edit]


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