The Aporia · Cliff Hagan, Basketball Hall of Famer and champion involved in famous Bill Russell trade, dead at 94

Cliff Hagan, Basketball Hall of Famer and champion involved in famous Bill Russell trade, dead at 94

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Fonseca, B. (2026, October 17). Cliff Hagan, Basketball Hall of Famer and champion involved in famous Bill Russell trade, dead at 94. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/17/sports/nba-hall-of-famer-and-champion-who-was-traded-for-bill-russell-dead-at-94/

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Quick Summary

Cliff Hagan, a Basketball Hall of Famer who played a key role in one of basketball’s most famous trades involving Bill Russell, died at 94 on Thursday. Drafted by the Celtics but never playing for them due to his military service from 1953-56, Hagan was traded along with Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks for Russell. He won an NBA title with the Hawks in 1958 and had a stellar career there before retiring after the 1969-70 season. Before his professional success, Hagan starred at the University of Kentucky under Coach Adolph Rupp, earning two national titles and leading Kentucky to a perfect 25-0 record in 1953-54 despite missing that year’s NCAA Tournament due to eligibility issues.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-17, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

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Story summary

Cliff Hagan, a Basketball Hall of Famer who won professional and college championships with the St. Louis Hawks and the University of Kentucky respectively, died on Thursday at age 94. No cause of death was disclosed. Drafted by the Celtics in 1953, he was traded along with Ed Macauley to the Hawks for the rights to draft Bill Russell second overall in 1956. Hagan never played for Boston and instead served in the United States Air Force from 1953-56 before joining the Hawks. During his 10-year NBA career, he was a five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, and helped St. Louis defeat the Celtics to win the 1958 NBA title. Known for his college achievements under Adolph Rupp at Kentucky, Hagan led the Wildcats to an undefeated season in 1953-54 and their national championship in 1951.

Written for “Cliff Hagan Dies At 94” on 2026-10-17, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Who wrote this

Bryan Fonseca

23 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 “Big Blue Nation will always be grateful for Cliff and all he gave to Kentucky.

2026-10-17 · assertive framing · Cliff Hagan, Basketball Hall of Famer and champion involved in famous Bill Russell trade, dead at 94

🔮 It just hasn’t picked up momentum, but it will.”

2026-10-17 · assertive framing · Titans CEO apologizes to fans for abysmal start — but still believes in Robert Saleh

🔮 The Knicks’ title defense will begin Tuesday as they start their 2026-27 season by hosting the 76ers at Madison Square Garden, where they will be honored with the championship rings and hang the long-awaited title banner in the rafters of the World’s Most Famous Arena.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · Jalen Brunson is afraid to open the bag with his Knicks NBA championship hat

🔮 And this would come just over three years after Reese helped lead LSU to a national championship over Caitlin Clark and Iowa while the two were college rivals.

2026-10-10 · assertive framing · Angel Reese says she ‘manifested’ her first WNBA Finals appearance after knocking off Liberty

🔮 Fortunately for Whitlock, the fracture is not expected to require surgery, according to the Globe.

2026-10-10 · mixed framing · Garrett Whitlock pitched through a fractured tibia at end of season for Red Sox

🔮 The ESPN personality announced Friday on “The Pat McAfee Show” that his “Field Pass” broadcast will be featured during Super Bowl 2027 on Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The show will also cover select “Monday Night Football” games this season, starting with the Commanders visiting the 49ers on Oct. 19.

2026-10-10 · assertive framing · Pat McAfee is getting a special alt-cast for Super Bowl 2027

🔮 “Any of those voters, if they wake their ass up, they might figure it out.”

2026-10-03 · assertive framing · Pitt coach puts top-25 voters on blast to ‘wake their ass up’ after huge win over Virginia Tech

🔮 But Harper asserts that next season will look different in Philly after yet another flop in early fall.

2026-10-03 · assertive framing · Bryce Harper’s telling comments about Phillies’ future after 2026 playoff flop

🔮 Our little one was diagnosed with anencephaly, a fatal condition in which he would not survive outside the womb.

2026-10-03 · assertive framing · Patriots tight end Eli Raridon’s son dies in tragic reveal

🔮 The 42-year-old three-time Cy Young winner emptied the tank in what could have been the final start of his Hall of Fame career Sunday, throwing 114 pitches over seven innings in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. And he did it on just three days’ rest.

2026-09-28 · mixed framing · Max Scherzer fights manager off the mound after pushing himself to limit in possible final MLB start

Also by Bryan Fonseca

Titans CEO apologizes to fans for abysmal start — but still believes in Robert Saleh

2026-10-17 · New York Post

Jalen Brunson is afraid to open the bag with his Knicks NBA championship hat

2026-10-16 · New York Post

Angel Reese says she ‘manifested’ her first WNBA Finals appearance after knocking off Liberty

2026-10-10 · New York Post

Garrett Whitlock pitched through a fractured tibia at end of season for Red Sox

2026-10-10 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 23 articles by Bryan Fonseca →

Claims (18 extracted, 0 hedged)

Cliff Hagan, a Basketball Hall of Famer who won professional and college championships with the St. Louis Hawks and the University of Kentucky, respectively, died Thursday at 94 years old. asserted

who → win → Kentucky

A cause of death was not disclosed. asserted

cause → disclose → death

Hagan, originally drafted by the Celtics in 1953, was traded to the Hawks with fellow Hall of Famer Ed Macauley in 1956 for the rights to Bill Russell, whom St. Louis took at No. 2 overall in the 1956 NBA Draft. asserted

Louis → draft → Draft

Hagan, a third-round pick, never played for the Celtics and served in the United States Air Force from 1953-56 before debuting with the Hawks. asserted

Hagan → play → Hawks

A five-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, Hagan spent his entire 10-year NBA career with St. Louis, helping the franchise defeat the Celtics for the 1958 NBA title. asserted

franchise → spend → title

Hagan averaged 17.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists over 839 NBA appearances before retiring for good after the 1969-70 season. asserted

Hagan → average → season

He helped the Wildcats win the 1951 national championship and led them to a perfect 25-0 record in 1953-54. asserted

Wildcats → help → 1953

Kentucky declined an NCAA Tournament invitation that season because eligibility rules prohibited Hagan and two other graduated players from participating. asserted

rules → decline → Hagan

The Wildcats went 86-5 during Hagan’s three varsity seasons. asserted

Wildcats → go → seasons

The 6-foot-4 forward once scored 26 points in a single fourth quarter against the Knicks in 1958. asserted

forward → score → 1958

Hagan returned to Kentucky as athletic director in 1975, serving until 1988. asserted

Hagan → return → 1988

During his tenure, the school won the 1978 men’s basketball national championship, led by Jack Givens and Rick Robey. asserted

school → win → Givens

Hagan became the first former Kentucky player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978. asserted

Hagan → become → 1978

His No. 6 jersey is retired at Kentucky, and he was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. asserted

he → retire → 2006

“Few people have impacted Kentucky Athletics in as many ways as Cliff Hagan,” Kentucky athletic director and Champions Blue CEO J Batt said of Hagan. asserted

Batt → impact → Hagan

“He represented Kentucky as a champion, Hall of Famer and Athletics Director, leaving a legacy that continues to shape this department. asserted

that → represent → department

It is an honor to follow in his footsteps and to help carry forward the standard he set. asserted

he → follow → standard

“Big Blue Nation will always be grateful for Cliff and all he gave to Kentucky. asserted

he → give → Kentucky

Cliff Hagan, Basketball Hall of Famer and champion involved in famous Bill Russell trade, dead at 94

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Claims (18 extracted, 0 hedged)