11 Facts About Bill Bertka

Bill Bertka was raised in Akron, Ohio, and credited the local Akron YMCA as the place where he developed a passion for the game of basketball.

Bill Bertka played at nearby Buchtel High and won a city championship in 1945.

Bill Bertka went into the US Army out of high school, serving in communications rebuilding efforts for two years in Salzburg, Austria, following the conclusion of World War II.

Bill Bertka coached at the high school level for three years before spending nine years at two different colleges.

Bill Bertka left coaching in 1961 to take a job as the director of community recreation for the city of Santa Barbara, where he served for a decade.

Bill Bertka began his NBA career in 1968 when the Los Angeles Lakers followed the recommendation of former West Virginia great Rod Hundley and hired him to scout college players for the NBA Draft, making him the first full-time scout in league history.

In 1974, Bill Bertka left the Lakers to become the first general manager of the New Orleans Jazz and had an initial ownership stake in the franchise through his company, Invest West Sports.

Bill Bertka remained as an assistant coach with the Lakers for two decades, later winning back-to-back championships under Head Coach Phil Jackson in 2000 and 2001, his final season on the Lakers bench.

Bill Bertka continues to advise the Lakers as a basketball consultant.

Bill Bertka has twice served as interim coach of the Lakers.

Bill Bertka is a member of several halls of fame, including the Santa Barbara Sports Hall of Fame, the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame, the Kent State University Sports Hall of Fame and the Santa Barbara Basketball Court of Champions.