Jack Kraft
John Jack Kraft (February 10, 1921 – August 28, 2014) was an American basketball coach who coached Villanova for 12 years, from 1961 through 1973. He compiled a 238–95 record (.715). Kraft led Villanova to the NCAA Tournament six times, and five times to the NIT. Only once did Kraft's teams fail to earn a post-season bid, in his final season of 1973. The 1971 team, led by Howard Porter, reached the NCAA Championship game, and lost to UCLA at the height of the UCLA dynasty. However, that appearance was subsequently erased from the books after Porter was retroactively declared ineligible for signing a professional contract midway through his senior year.
Kraft from the 1975 Renaissance Yearbook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 10, 1921 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 28, 2014 (aged 93) Cape May Court House, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1939–1942 | Saint Joseph's |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1948–1960 | Bishop Neumann HS |
| 1960–1961 | Malvern Prep |
| 1961–1973 | Villanova |
| 1973–1980 | Rhode Island |
Notable players who played for Jack Kraft at Villanova include Chris Ford, Tom Ingelsby, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Howard Porter, Hank Simeontkowski, Jim Washington, and Hubie White.
Kraft died on August 28, 2014, at the age of 93 in Cape May County, New Jersey. In honor of his memory, the Villanova basketball players wore a JK decal on their uniforms for the 2014–15 season.