Java Gotkin

David "Java" Gotkin


Born:
July 29, 1912
New York, NY

Died:
May 4, 1993
Plantation, FL


Career
1930-31 Thomas Jefferson High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1931-32 Thomas Jefferson High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1933-34 St. John's University (College)
1934-35 St. John's University (College)
1935-36 St. John's University (College)
1937-38 New York Yankees (ABL)
1938-39 Brooklyn Jewish Center (Independent)

Born in New York to Russian immigrants Morris and Sophia Gotkin, "Java" played at St John's before playing a little professional basketball. He worked as a hat manufacturer, but his impact of basketball was introducing his brother, Harry, to his college team mate, Frank McGuire. Harry was a basketball scout and created a pipeline to get some of the best New York high school stars to play for McGuire at the University of North Carolina. Java died of septic shock in 1993.

Java and his wife, Pauline, had a son and a daughter.

Source:
South Florida Sun Sentinel, May 7, 1993

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/java-gotkin/