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The Sixth Man

Today on Tablet, Jordan Teicher on Sandy Pyonin

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Unknown Author
January 08, 2013
From left to right: Luther Wright, Anthony Avent, Sandy Pyonin, Edgar Jones, Frantz Volcy, and Alaa Abdelnaby, at the YM-YWHA in Union, N.J., in the mid-1980s. Wright, Avent, Jones, and Abdelnaby played in the NBA; Volcy was signed by an NBA team but never played due to injury.(NJRoadrunners)
From left to right: Luther Wright, Anthony Avent, Sandy Pyonin, Edgar Jones, Frantz Volcy, and Alaa Abdelnaby, at the YM-YWHA in Union, N.J., in the mid-1980s. Wright, Avent, Jones, and Abdelnaby played in the NBA; Volcy was signed by an NBA team but never played due to injury.(NJRoadrunners)

Sandy Pyonin may not be famous. But as a basketball coach in New Jersey, a startling number of his former players are.

Like other top high-school coaches, Pyonin has racked up impressive career achievements in his 40 years as a coach, including three National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Championships, two New Jersey Prep B State Championships, two International Maccabiah Gold Medals, more than 2,300 AAU victories, and more than 570 varsity wins at Golda Och Academy.



But with Pyonin, legacy comes down to one number: 34. That’s the number of his players who have made it to the NBA.

Want to know how he did it? Check out the rest here.

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