John Francis Egan

John “Johnny” Francis Egan, Father, Grandfather, Coach and friend to many passed away on Thursday, July 21st, 2022 at the age of 83 in Houston, TX. He was born on January 31st, 1939, in Hartford, CT to Bridie Garvey Egan and Patrick Egan, both hardworking Irish immigrants. John grew up on Branford St. in Hartford, Connecticut, with siblings, Kay, and Edward. He married his high school sweetheart, Joan Grimaldi on August 22nd, 1964.

John would spend long hours developing his basketball skills at Keney Park against players twice his size. During his years at Weaver High School, he along with teammates, Robert Countryman, Ted McBride, Russ Carter and John Sullivan led the Beavers to an undefeated season and the New England championship. John was awarded All American Honors in 1957 and is considered one of the greatest players in Connecticut basketball history.

John attended his beloved Providence College where he teamed up with Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkins to put the Providence Basketball program on the map. In 1961, he led the Friars to a NIT championship in Madison Square Garden. He earned several honors during his college career, including Honorable Mention All-American accolades (1959) and Second Team All-American distinction (1961). After graduating with a degree in Economics he was drafted into the NBA by the Detroit Pistons as the 12th overall pick and played eleven seasons for six teams (Pistons, Knicks, Bullets, Lakers, Cavaliers and the Rockets). Highlighted by making the NBA finals in 1969 with the Los Angeles Lakers. He invented a shot that Lakers announcer Chick Hearn dubbed the ‘alley-oop” that is now referred to as a tear drop or floater. At 5’11” he could dunk the ball from a standing start earning the nickname “Space” and perfected his shot over the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. During his NBA playing career, he would animatedly declare that “no one could block his shot,” and he would prove it with an alley-oop over the league’s big men.

He went on to coach the Houston Rockets for four seasons, from 1972-1976 and led the

Rockets to their first ever playoff series win against the Knicks. His passion was helping people – as a teacher of basketball fundamentals. He encouraged young people in clinics at the YMCA; was an advocate for his fellow NBA alumni as the first President of the Houston Chapter of the NBA Retired Players Association; a good neighbor as the head of his neighborhood association; a friend organizing a group to help people in the community from his local Starbucks; and a mentor to his five grandchildren and many others. He was an active player, inventor, coach, teacher, advocate, good neighbor, friend, and mentor. Always in terrific physical shape, John’s routine included dozens of finger-tip push-ups, basketball, yoga, and golf through his seventies and into his eighties.

John is preceded in death by his wife, Joan Frances Grimaldi Egan and sister Kathleen “Kay” Shoaf. He is survived by brother, Edward Egan, son John Egan Jr, daughter Kimberly Egan Gonzalez, daughter-in-law Kristen Egan, son-in-law George Y. Gonzalez and grandchildren Alexandra, Briana, Nicolas, Jet “John III” and Elizabeth; and many nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial for John will be on Friday July 29th, 2022 at 2:00 pm. The mass will be at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Road, Houston, TX 77056, with a reception to follow at the Flora (fka The Dunlavy), 3422 Allen Parkway, Houston, TX 77019. A private Rite of Committal with the family will be at Glenwood Cemetery.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.earthmanhunterscreek.com for the Egan family.