Jeff Cohen (sports executive)

Jeffrey Cohen is an American sports executive who served as general manager of the Kansas City Kings from 1981 to 1982 and athletic director at Brandeis University from 1986 to 2004. Prior to joining the Kings, Cohen spent 16 years with the Boston Celtics, rising to the position of assistant general manager.

Jeff Cohen
Biographical details
Alma materBrandeis University
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1969–81Boston Celtics (Asst. GM)
1981–82Kansas City Kings (GM)
1982–83Boston Breakers (EVP)
1986–2004Brandeis
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
5x NBA Finals champion (1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)

Early life

Cohen is the son of Sam Cohen, a sports editor for The Boston Record, Boston Record American, and Boston Herald American. The elder Cohen was close friends with Boston Celtics head coach and general manager Red Auerbach.[1]

NBA

Cohen graduated from Brandeis University in 1964, where he majored in history.[2][3] After doing graduate work at the University of California and working for the Baltimore News-American, he joined the Celtics as a part-time assistant to publicist Howie McHugh.[2][1] In 1969 he became the club's assistant general manager. In 1979 he interviewed to become general manager of the Kansas City Kings, but was passed over in favor of John Begzos.[1] The position opened up again a year later and on January 23, 1981, the Kings announced Cohen as their new GM. He joined the team on March 1, 1981.[2] His stint in Kansas City lasted just over a year as on April 30, 1982, the Kings announced that former general manager Joe Axelson would be returning to the club.[4] In his only season as GM, the Kings failed to follow up a surprise conference finals run by finishing 30-52 and missing the playoffs.[5][6]

Brandeis

In September 1982, Cohen was named executive vice president of the Boston Breakers of the newly-formed United States Football League.[7] The team lasted only one season in Boston before leaving for New Orleans.[8] Cohen did not move with the team, instead joining the development office at Brandeis.[9] In 1986 he became the school's athletic director.[3] During his tenure as AD, Brandeis joined the University Athletic Association, constructed a $25 million sports complex which included the Red Auerbach Arena, launched an athletic hall of fame, hosted the 1998 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships and 1999 NCAA Fencing Championships, and hired former Celtics head coach Chris Ford to coach its men's basketball team.[10][11][12][13][14] In 1999 he was named the Jostens-Eastern College Athletic Conference Male Administrator of the Year.[15] In January 2004, Cohen abruptly resigned from Brandeis, telling The Boston Globe that he was leaving because "lame duck is not a good thing to be. I'd be in the way. I love Brandeis, and I don't want to be in the way".[3] Later that year he moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to become the director of athletic programs for the United States Fencing Association.[16]

References
  1. Singelals, Neil (February 17, 1981). "Cohen steps out of the shadows". The Boston Globe.
  2. Ryan, Bob (January 23, 1981). "Celtics' Cohen Named Kings' GM". The Boston Globe.
  3. Noonan, Erica (February 1, 2004). "Longtime Brandeis Athletic Director Resigns". The Boston Globe.
  4. "Axelson Rejoins Kings". The New York Times. May 1, 1982.
  5. Whiteside, Larry (April 15, 1981). "The would-be Kings". The Boston Globe.
  6. "1981-82 Kansas City Kings Roster and Stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  7. Tweedy, Jack (September 2, 1982). "Sports Log". The Boston Globe.
  8. Reeths, Paul (2017). The United States Football League, 1982-1986. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1476667447.
  9. Madden, Michael (January 28, 1984). "Toney Meets His Match". The Boston Globe.
  10. Monahan, Bob (May 24, 1987). "Brandeis Steps Up to the UAA". The Boston Globe.
  11. Pave, Marvin (March 25, 1990). "Ground-Breaking at Brandeis". The Boston Globe.
  12. Pave, Marvin (January 5, 1992). "Brandeis readies opening of Red Auerbach Arena". The Boston Globe.
  13. Pave, Marvin (September 8, 1991). "Brandeis to launch a hall of fame". The Boston Globe.
  14. Blaudschun, Mark (October 2, 2001). "It's Back to School for Ford". The Boston Globe.
  15. Pave, Marvin (October 3, 1999). "Brandeis's Cohen is administrator of the year". The Boston Globe.
  16. Pave, Marvin (August 8, 2004). "Middle School Pumps Up Students About Getting on Track". The Boston Globe.
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