Jim Stack Explained

Jim Stack
Position:Forward
Height Ft:6
Height In:7
Weight Lb:215
Nationality:American
High School:St. Laurence (Burbank, Illinois)
College:Northwestern (1979–1983)
Draft Year:1983
Draft Round:6
Draft Pick:117
Draft Team:Houston Rockets
Years1:1984–1985
Team1:GSG Aarschot
Years2:1985–1986
Team2:RAS Maccabi Brussels
Bbr:stackji99x

Jim Stack is an American basketball executive and former player. He served as general manager of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves from July 9, 2004 to September 26, 2009. Prior to joining the Timberwolves' organization, Stack worked as a scout and executive for the Chicago Bulls, an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers and an advance scout for the New York Knicks.

Early life

Stack attended St. Laurence High School in Burbank, Illinois. He was a member of the school's basketball team, the Vikings, which won or tied for the Chicago Catholic League championship for four consecutive years from 1975 to 1978.[1] The Vikings finished in fourth place in the 1977 IHSA Class AA Boys Basketball tournament.[2] Stack, however, was unable to play in the Vikings' semi-final and third-place games, which were both losses, in that year's tournament due to an ankle injury he suffered during the team's quarterfinal victory.[3] [4] In the 19771978 season, the Vikings won their first 27 games before losing 4241 in the sectional round of the 1978 IHSA Class AA tournament to the also 27-0 and eventual state champions Lockport Township High School.[5] [6] Stack was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's All-State second team as a senior in 1978.[7]

After graduating from high school, Stack played for Northwestern University. During his four years, he averaged 14.1 points-per-game and finished his career as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 1,583 points scored. Stack was selected as the team's MVP for his junior and senior years and helped the team advance to the second round of the 1983 National Invitation Tournament.[8] [9]

Professional career

Europe

Stack was a sixth-round selection of the Houston Rockets in 1983,[10] but ended up being one of the last cuts by the team that year.[11] Stack then played overseas for a number of teams,[12] [13] including in Belgium where he played for GSG Aarschot in 19841985,[14] averaging 27 points-per-game to finish third in the league in scoring, and RAS Maccabi Brussels in 19851986.[15]

Chicago Bulls

In 1988, Stack was offered a position as scout with the Chicago Bulls by then General Manager Jerry Krause, also serving as a special assistant to Krause. Stack's contract as a scout with the Bulls was extended by the team in 1989 after Phil Jackson was named the team's new head coach.[16] Stack was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Basketball operations in 1996.[17] Stack played a significant part in the formation of the Bulls as a powerhouse in the 1990s when the team won six NBA championships in eight seasons.[18]

Indiana Pacers

In August 2000, Stack was hired by the Indiana Pacers to serve as an assistant to head coach Isiah Thomas.[19] [20] Stack served as assistant coach for three seasons until Thomas was fired by the team in August 2003.[21] [22]

New York Knicks

Stack served as an advance scout for the New York Knicks during the 20032004 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Stack was hired to be the general manager of the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2004.[23] Stack was given a contract extension by the team in 2005,[24] but was demoted to scout in September 2009.[25]

Personal life

Stack is the uncle of Frank Kaminsky who formerly played for the NBA's Phoenix Suns.[26] Stack's sister Karen Stack Umlauf, who also played college basketball at Northwestern, began working for the Chicago Bulls in 1985 as an assistant for Jerry Krause and later the Senior Director of Basketball Administration for the team. She served as an assistant coach for the Bulls.[27]

In September 2004, Stack was convicted of misdemeanor battery for his involvement in altercation with another man at a youth baseball game in Schaumburg, Illinois on July 4, 2004. Stack was sentenced to one-year court supervision and ordered to visit terminally ill children at a local hospital in December 2004 when the Timberwolves were scheduled to play the Bulls in Chicago.[28]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: . Catholic League Basketball Champions Since 1913. Chicago Catholic League. November 1, 2016.
  2. Web site: . 1977 Class AA Boys Summary. Illinois High School Association. November 1, 2016.
  3. News: Condon. David. Downstate teams ruin Catholic League hopes. March 20, 1977. Chicago Tribune. Sports. 2. November 6, 2016.
  4. News: Shnay. Jerry. De La Salle tramples St. Laurence for third place. March 20, 1977. Sports. 2. Chicago Tribune. November 6, 2016.
  5. News: . Lockport beats Sandburg. March 11, 1978. Sports/Business. 2. Chicago Tribune. November 6, 2016.
  6. News: Shnay. Jerry. Magic moments that filled the years: Game of the 70s. December 30, 1978. Sports. 4. Chicago Tribune. November 6, 2016.
  7. Web site: . 1977-1978 Boys All State Team. Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. November 1, 2016.
  8. News: Anderson. Karen. His Success In Bulls Job Doesn't Spoil Nu's Stack. February 2, 1990. Chicago Tribune. November 1, 2016.
  9. News: Jauss. Bill. De Paul's shot is no miracle for NU. March 22, 1983. Sports. 3. Chicago Tribune. November 6, 2016.
  10. Web site: 1983 NBA Draft . basketball-reference.com . . October 31, 2016.
  11. News: Kleine. Ted. Behind The Scenes: Karen Stack Keeps The Bulls' Practice Facility Running While Keeping An Eye On The Future Of Women's Basketball. May 19, 1996. Chicago Tribune. Her brother Jim came within one cut of making the Houston Rockets in 1983 and is now a scout with the Bulls.. November 1, 2016.
  12. News: NBA executive sets bad example with his fist . Kass . John . Chicago Tribune. September 12, 2004 . October 31, 2016.
  13. Web site: Timberwolves Re-sign GM Jim Stack . . July 1, 2005 . October 31, 2016.
  14. News: Hersh. Phil. Still the optimist: Falk says NU not cellar team. December 23, 1984. Stack was reached in Aarschot, Belgium (...). The No. 2 scorer in Northwestern history is playing forward for Top Tours, a team in the First Division of the Belgian league.. November 1, 2016.
  15. News: Hersh. Phil. Nba Rejects Get Another Chance In Europe. April 1, 1986. Chicago Tribune. November 1, 2016.
  16. News: Kay. Linda. Conklin. Mark. Behind the scenes. July 13, 1989. Odds & Ins. Chicago Tribune. November 8, 2016.
  17. News: Banks. Lacy J.. Lacy Banks. Loss of top aides makes Krause's job even tougher. https://web.archive.org/web/20180127111649/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4554256.html. dead. January 27, 2018. August 23, 2000. Chicago Sun Times. November 8, 2016.
  18. Web site: Timberwolves Basketball Operations Staff . National Basketball Association. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060423230748/http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/wolves/basketball_operations.html . April 23, 2006. October 31, 2016.
  19. News: Smith. Sam. Sam Smith (sportswriter). Krause Top Aide To Join Pacers. August 17, 2000. Chicago Tribune. November 8, 2016.
  20. News: . Thomas building Pacers' staff with Malone, Stack. https://web.archive.org/web/20181118101901/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4549951.html. dead. November 18, 2018. August 20, 2000. Chicago Sun Times . November 8, 2016.
  21. News: Modrowski. Roman. As healthier Krause plays the field, Stack remains potential Bulls material. https://web.archive.org/web/20181120115140/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1483098.html. dead. November 20, 2018. June 4, 2003. Chicago Sun Times. November 8, 2016.
  22. News: Gelston. Dan. Pacers can Thomas, target Carlisle. August 28, 2003. USA Today. Associated Press. November 8, 2016.
  23. Web site: Wolves shuffle front office, name Stack GM. July 10, 2004. ESPN. Associated Press. November 8, 2016.
  24. Web site: . Timberwolves Re-sign GM Jim Stack. . July 1, 2005. November 8, 2016.
  25. Web site: Timberwolves shuffle staff . ESPN. Associated Press. September 26, 2009. November 8, 2016.
  26. News: Haugh. David. David Haugh. It's all in the family for Frank Kaminsky III. April 3, 2014. Chicago Tribune. Kaminsky's mother, Mary, played volleyball at Northwestern, and his uncle, Jim Stack, played basketball for the Wildcats in the early 1980s before embarking on an NBA front-office career that included a stint with the Bulls during the dynasty years.. November 1, 2016.
  27. Web site: . Chicago Bulls: Basketball Operations. NBA. November 8, 2016.
  28. News: Youngblood. Kent. New Wolves GM apologizes; Earlier incident at youth game brings conviction. https://web.archive.org/web/20181119211347/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-122039943.html. dead. November 19, 2018. September 14, 2004. . November 8, 2016.

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