Lon Kruger

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Lon Kruger (born August 19, 1952 in Silver Lake, Kansas) is an American basketball coach. Most recently he took the the UNLV Rebels to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1991.

Prior to accepting the head coaching position at UNLV in , Kruger was the head coach of the , Atlanta Hawks of the NBA. It was as head coach of the Hawks that Kruger guaranteed season-ticket holders that the Hawks would make the playoffs or get a $125 refund. The Hawks failed to make the playoffs and Kruger was fired midway through the season. Kruger also held head coaching positions in collegiate basketball at the University of Texas-Pan American (1982-86), Kansas State University (1986-90), the University of Florida (1990-96), and the University of Illinois (1996-2000). Kruger is one of five coaches to take 4 teams to the mens NCAA basketball tournament.

As a player, Kruger led Kansas State to back-to-back Big Eight championships in 1972 and 1973. Kruger was named the Big Eight Player of the Year in 1973 and 1974, after being named the Big Eight Sophomore of the Year in 1972.

Kruger's son, Kevin, took advantage of a new NCAA rule, called Proposal 2005-54,^[1] before the 2006-2007 season to transfer from Arizona State and immediately play for his father at UNLV without sitting out one year. The controversial rule has been repealed for the next season due to the "unintended consequences" of allowing players with undergraduate diplomas to immediately begin playing for another school without sitting out for any time.^[2]

[edit] Notes

^ "Kruger transfers to play for father", Associated Press, July 10, 2006
^ Kantowski, Ron. Ron Kantowski eulogizes a 'wacko' NCAA rule that, while used innocently enough by UNLV's Lon and Kevin Kruger, left the door open for 'unintended consequences', Las Vegas Sun, January 7, 2007.

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Preceded by Jack Hartman	Kansas State Men's Basketball Head Coach 1986–1990	Succeeded by Dana Altman
Preceded by Don DeVoe	Florida Men's Basketball Head Coach 1990–1996	Succeeded by Billy Donovan
Preceded by Lou Henson	Illinois Men's Basketball Head Coaches 1996–2000	Succeeded by Bill Self
Preceded by Lenny Wilkens	Atlanta Hawks Head Coach 2000–2002	Succeeded by Terry Stotts
Preceded by Charlie Spoonhour	UNLV Men's Basketball Head Coach 2004–	Succeeded by incumbent

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Texas-Pan American Broncos Head Basketball Coaches

Youngman • Meng • Donnelly • Williams • Lemons • White • Kruger • Wall • Adams • Brooks • Hoffman • Davenport • Schuberth

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Kansas State Wildcats Head Basketball Coaches

Melick • Ahearn • Lowman • Merner • Clevenger • Knoth • Curtis • Corsaut • Root • Gardner (pre-war) • Cochrane • Rock • Knorr • Gardner (post-war) • Winter • Fitzsimmons • Hartman • Kruger • Altman • Asbury• Wooldridge • Huggins

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Florida Gators Head Basketball Coaches

McCoy • Kline • Byrd • White • Cowell • Clemmons • Cody • McAllister • Cherry • McAllister • Mauer • Sloan • Bartlett • Lotz • Visscher • Sloan • DeVoe • Kruger • Donovan