Bill Sharman was one of the NBA's first guards to shoot better than .400 from the field. In his career, Sharman led the league in free throw percentage seven times, set the record for consecutive free throws in the playoffs with 56, was named to the All-NBA First Team from 1956 through 1959, was All-NBA Second Team in 1953, 1955, and 1960. Sharman played in eight NBA All-Star games, and was All-Star Game MVP in 1955. Sharman retired in 1961 after 11 seasons.

In 1970-71, Sharman coached the Utah Stars to an ABA title. The following season he guided the Wilt Chamberlain-led Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA record 33 game win streak, a then-record 69-13 win-loss mark, their first championship in more than a decade, and was named NBA Coach of the Year. He is one of two men to win NBA and ABA championships as a coach; the other, Alex Hannum, also coached a Chamberlain-led team (the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers) to an NBA championship.

Sharman was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976 as a player. In 2004, he was also enshrined as a coach. He is one of only three people to be enshrined in both categories. On October 29, 1996, Sharman was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players.

Hall of Fame, Baseball