article Six Degrees of Basketball Separation

With so much snow and many games cancelled around the state I thought I would try a game with the BGP community to remedy our basketball addiction. Six Degrees of Basketball separation. Many have heard that every human on the planet can be connected through 6 people. Can the same be applied to basketball in the state of Kentucky across different periods of time!

Objective: Connect the player or coach to one another through basketball only. You must connect person A to person B using no more than 6 people (person A and person B count toward your 6).

Rules: For a connection to exist the two individuals must have played in the same game against/with one another or coached against/with one another (assistants do count), or played/coached against/with one another. In short, they had to part of the team or staff that entered a contest on a given night and could have been either teammates or opponents. They could not be spectators or have met somewhere for the connection to count, it has to be through a basketball contest.

An example of a possible connection: Player A was in a game that Coach B lead the opposing in. Coach B coached against Coach C. Coach C coached a game that player D appeared in. Player D played in a game with player E. Player E was coached by Coach F early in his career. Thus Player A is connected to Coach F through six people and six basketball contests.

Can you make the connection?:

(1) Carson Williams (Owen County) to Kobe Bryant's 81 point game.

(2) Scott Ruthsatz (Cov Cath Coach) to Red Auerbach (Celtics Coach)

(3) Tommy McKenzie (Johnson Central Coach) to Jerry West

(4) Quentin Goodin (Taylor County) to Michael Jordan

(5) Tim Haworth (Hoptown Coach) to James A. Naismith

This will be taxing and is geared more towards the basketball historians. I have tried to spread the questions around different areas of the state and have more to come if this seems to take off. Good luck if you decide to play!

Excellent thread.

Scott Ruthsatz to bob Hurley (coached together at St Anthony's) to Bobby Hurley (father son) to Mike kryzsewski (Hurley played for coach K at Duke) to Bobby knight (played for Knight at Westpoint) to Quinn Buckner (played for Knight at Indiana) to red Auerbach (drafted/GM of Celtics during Buckner career)

Scott Ruthsatz to bob Hurley (St Anthony's) to Bobby Hurley (father son) to Mike kryzsewski (Duke) to Bobby knight (Westpoint) to Quinn Buckner (indiana) to red Auerbach (Celtics)

Now that's good!

Scott Ruthsatz to bob Hurley (St Anthony's) to Bobby Hurley (father son) to Mike kryzsewski (Duke) to Bobby knight (Westpoint) to Quinn Buckner (indiana) to red Auerbach (Celtics)

Did Scott Ruthsatz play against a Bob Hurley coached team or coach against/with him? Just curious.

Are Bob Hurley Sr. and Bob Hurley Jr. connected through a basketball contest or is Bob Hurley Sr. directly connected to Coach K through a basketball contest? If you use (1) Ruthsatz to (2) Bob Hurley Sr. to (3) Bob Hurley Junior to (4) Coach K to (5) Bobby Knight to (6) Quinn Buckner to (7) Red Auerbach that is is 7. If there is a connection from Bob Hurley Sr. to Coach K through a contest, then this works.

Nonetheless, very good work!

I agree with Clyde, good thread. I feel a little handicapped with non-northern Kentucky guys because I don't know enough to make the first step. Fun idea.

Scott Ruthsatz to bob Hurley (coached together at St Anthony's) to Bobby Hurley (father son) to Mike kryzsewski (Hurley played for coach K at Duke) to Bobby knight (played for Knight at Westpoint) to Quinn Buckner (played for Knight at Indiana) to red Auerbach (drafted/GM of Celtics during Buckner career)

I see the connection between Scott Ruthsatz and Bobby Hurley now. Just need to eliminate one person to make the connection in 6 people. I wonder if Bobby Knight is connected to Red Auerbach without the Quinn Buckner connection. I wonder if they did an exhibition for team USA, etc.

Here is the connection I had for Tommy McKenzie to Jerry West.

(1) Tommy McKenzie was coached by (2) Johnny Ray Turner at Johnson Central

(2) Johnny Ray Turner coached with (3) Pete Grigsby briefly at McDowell

(3) Pete Grigsby played for (4) Adolph Rupp at UK

(4) Adolph Rupp coached against (5) Jerry West at least 3 times while West was at WVU.

Thus Tommy McKenzie is can be connected to Jerry West through 5 basketball contest using 5 people.

Update on the first 5 connection challenges

3 of the 5 have yet to be attempted!

(1) Carson Williams (Owen County) to Kobe Bryant's 81 point game.

(2) Scott Ruthsatz (Cov Cath Coach) to Red Auerbach (Celtics Coach) - Very Close

(3) Tommy McKenzie (Johnson Central Coach) to Jerry West - Complete

(4) Quentin Goodin (Taylor County) to Michael Jordan

(5) Tim Haworth (Hoptown Coach) to James A. Naismith

#1

(1)Carson Williams played against Coach Grant Brannen on January 16, 2016 Walton vs. Owen. (2) Grant Brannen has coached and played against Dave Faust as recently as 2/13/15. (3) Dave Faust coached against OJ Mayo and Rose Hill Christian on 2/9/03. (4) OJ Mayo played against Matter Bonner in the Grizzlies - Spurs game on 1/29/10. (5) Matt Bonner played in Kobe's 81 point game for the Raptors.

#1

 

(1)Carson Williams played against Coach Grant Brannen on January 16, 2016 Walton vs. Owen. (2) Grant Brannen has coached and played against Dave Faust as recently as 2/13/15. (3) Dave Faust coached against OJ Mayo and Rose Hill Christian on 2/9/03. (4) OJ Mayo played against Matter Bonner in the Grizzlies - Spurs game on 1/29/10. (5) Matt Bonner played in Kobe's 81 point game for the Raptors.

Very Very good. I thought that one would take the longest, but I also had the OJ Mayo to Bonner connection!

Scott Ruthsatz works for Bob Rowe who was an assistant at Brossart for Bob Seiter whose Uncle was Jim Connor who coached Dave Cowens at NCC who played for Red Auerbach. Yes I know I did not use all coaching connections but they all are coaches so just wanted to work it a little bit. Great thread!!!!!!!

Update on the first 5 connection challenges

2 of the 5 have yet to be attempted!

(1) Carson Williams (Owen County) to Kobe Bryant's 81 point game - completed by @se7ens.

(2) Scott Ruthsatz (Cov Cath Coach) to Red Auerbach (Celtics Coach) - almost complete

(3) Tommy McKenzie (Johnson Central Coach) to Jerry West - Complete

(4) Quentin Goodin (Taylor County) to Michael Jordan

(5) Tim Haworth (Hoptown Coach) to James A. Naismith

Scott Ruthsatz works for Bob Rowe who was an assistant at Brossart for Bob Seiter whose Uncle was Jim Connor who coached Dave Cowens at NCC who played for Red Auerbach. Yes I know I did not use all coaching connections but they all are coaches so just wanted to work it a little bit. Great thread!!!!!!!

Great info. This may help in connecting the two through 6 or less basketball contest.

I'm thinking somehow if there is a connection between Quentin Goodin and Vee Sanford (LexCath / Georgetown), you could link Goodin to Jordan with John Thompson.