John Kuester

John Dewitt Kuester, Jr. ( born February 6, 1955 in Richmond, Virginia ) is a retired American professional basketball player. The point guard played from 1977 to 1980 in the NBA. After his career, he worked as a coach on.

High School

Kuester attended a private high school, the Benedictine High School in Richmond. There, he played with the Cadets under legendary coach Warren Rutledge and finished his senior season with only one defeat.

College

John Kuester played over four seasons under coach Dean Smith at the North Carolina Tar Heels. At university he twice won the ACC Championship, reached in all four seasons, the NCAA Tournament and 1977 even the NCAA Finals. In the NCAA finals his Tar Heels 67-59 lost to Marquette University. Kuester was selected both in his junior season and in his senior season at the best defender of the team. The highlight of his college career was when he was elected in his senior season for the Most Valuable Player of the ACC tournaments and the NCAA East Regionals.

NBA

Kuester was drafted 53rd place in the 1977 NBA Draft by the Kansas City Kings. He was one of twelve from his college team, which was drafted.

Kansas City Kings

In his rookie season Kuester played for the Kansas City Kings. He played in 78 of 82 games, scoring 4.8 points per game. The Kings, however, could not reach the playoffs in his first season as the Kings finished the season ranked only eleven in the Western Conference.

Denver nuggets

After the year at the Kansas City Kings moved Kuester on 15 October 1978 as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets. With the Nuggets, he also reached the playoffs, but they lost in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers. Kuester came in the season only 33 missions and achieved an average of 1.4 points.

Indiana Pacers

On 3 August 1979 Kuester signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers Kuester played in 24 games and reached a points average of 1.2 points per game. The Pacers missed the playoffs this season.

Coach

After his career as a player Kuester began in 1980 at the University of Richmond his career as a coach, but as an assistant coach. He then worked from 1981 to 1983 as an assistant for Rick Pitino at Boston University until he was the youngest coach of the 1983 NCAA Division I.

From 1985 to 1990 he was coach of the George Washington University. In the season 1988-1989 his team won only one game in 27 defeats.

He continued his career as an assistant coach continued from 1995-1997 with the Boston Celtics, and from 1997-2003 at denPhiladelphia 76ers. In the 2003/2004 season he moved to the Detroit Pistons, with whom he became NBA champion. In the 2004-2005 season he was an assistant with the New Jersey Nets and in the 2005-2006 season, he returned to the Sixers. In July 2006 he became an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic and on 12 August 2007, he then went to the Cleveland Cavaliers. From July 2009 to June 2011 he coached the Detroit Pistons.