John Bagley was a 1979 Class L All-State selection out of Harding before playing at Boston College, where was Big East Player of the Year. He was a first round draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1982. Bagley also played for the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. (Register File Photo)
Former NBA guard John Bagley has been named head boys basketball coach at Harding, where he starred in the late 1970s before a distinguished college and pro career.
Chris Johnson, the Bridgeport citywide athletic director, told Connecticut Post that Bagley is a good fit for the school because he knows the community so well. Bagley comes over from King, where he was the girls basketball coach since 2013.
Harding has been without an official head coach since January. Charles Clemons resigned just before the season began and Orlando Daniel never returned after being arrested for a DUI in January. The Presidents finished 13-11.
Bagley, was a New Haven Register All-State guard who helped the Presidents — and then new coach Charlie Bentley — win the 1978 Class L championship during his junior season. Harding returned to the state final in 1979, but lost to South Catholic.
He went on to become a star guard at Boston College, where he averaged 18 points per game and was the school’s first Big East Player of the Year in 1981, his sophomore season. As a junior, Bagley led the Eagles to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. Boston College later retired his No. 54 jersey.
Bagley left BC after his junior year to enter the NBA Draft, where he was chosen 12th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1982. He also played with the New Jersey Nets, Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks during an 11-year NBA career.
Bagley eventually settled just outside of Chicago in Elgin, Illinois. He was the head coach at nearby Harper College, an NJCAA school, from 2002-05.
He eventually returned to Bridgeport where he runs his own training business and was elected to the city’s board of education, where he served from 2012-14.
Harding, which is leaving the disbanding CSC after this season, will likely play an independent schedule next year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
