Jersey City’s Gerald Govan never thought about playing basketball professionally. He never even considered college.
“I just wanted to graduate from high school and get out of there and make some money at some factory job or whatever,” says Govan.
This thinking made sense at the time. Only 3.1% of black men graduated from college in 1960.
Yet, Govan’s high school basketball coach Jerry Deman saw a bigger future in the 6’10” Jersey City native that many didn’t.
“He (Deman) told me, go to the guidance counselor to get set up for some college clinic courses. And when I went in there, she indicated ‘College, you?’ I got the impression I wasn’t college material.
Mr. Deman saw me. He said, ‘Hey, what’s going on? What happened with the classes?’
I said, I don’t think she thinks I’m college material. He grabbed me and took me in there and he went after her verbally. I mean, he was after her and kind of shook her up in a way, but she was tough too. But it went on and I got the classes.”
One of six players to play all nine seasons of the A.B.A., Govan made one all-star game, scored over 5000 career points, and is one of four players to play in the A.B.A. from Jersey City. Govan played 22,925 minutes total career minutes, which is the third most in the history of the A.B.A. and his 681 career games is fourth most for a player who never made the N.B.A.
Govan attended Snyder high school in the late 1950s, starring for the school’s basketball team. Known for his rebounding, defensive prowess, and for playing in his signature glasses.
“Yeah, I was in grammar school and didn’t know my sight went bad. I was playing without glasses. I couldn’t see until I was in class one day, and I noticed I was always squinting, pulling on my eyes to see the blackboard or chalkboard or whatever. And so, I wore glasses always.”
When asked if he ever tried contacts.
“Couldn’t wear them.”
Govan also intended to play for the Snyder’s baseball team but felt ostracized from trying out because of an unwritten rule when it came to black students.
“And I wanted to play baseball. And I be honest with you, I kind of got the impression that there weren’t any blacks on it. They were very seldom you saw a black player on the Snyder’s baseball team, and that was the word,” said Govan.
With the push from his former coach Deman, Govan found himself in Dodge City, Kansas where the 6’10” 18-year-old attended and played at the now defuncted college Saint Mary of the Plains.
After graduating in 1964, Govan found himself in Italy playing pro basketball in Naples after getting recommended by a former teammate.
After his year in Italy, Govan found himself back in Jersey City when he got a call about a potential opportunity to play professional basketball in New Orleans; after being scouted by point guard and future H.O.F. N.B.A. coach Larry Brown.
Flown to New Orleans by coach Babe McCarthy, Govan signed with the New Orleans Buccaneers for the 1967-68 season, the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association better known as the A.B.A.
Throughout his time in the A.B.A, the league consistently struggled with the debt that came from being a direct competitor of the N.B.A. When Govan made his only all-star game in 1970, the players threatened to strike citing the ABA’s refusal to recognize the players’ union; a move mirroring the 1964 N.B.A. all-star games in which players threatened not playing, resulting in the creation of the N.B.A. players association.
“It was a game where they were going to strike. So in that game, they were striking. The game was going to be on television. And the A.B.A wasn’t on television often, and it was on national tv. And we are sitting in the hotel. All of us are in the hotel. We have a big meeting. We’re threatened not to play.”
The players decided to leave their hotel rooms to play the game only 50 minutes before tip off. The near strike and debt issues led the A.B.A. to consider merging with the N.B.A. like the A.F.L.-N.F.L. merger that occurred in 1970. However, the A.B.A-N.B.A. merger didn’t officially occur till 1976, right after Govan’s playing career ended.
After his playing career, Govan ended up working for Job Corps and later ran a youth center in Jersey City. After a while, Govan became a probation officer and held the job for 25 years. He occasionally worked alongside fellow probation officer and former longtime St. Anthony’s basketball coach Bobby Hurley Sr.
When asked what he missed about his playing career, Govan said, “Camaraderie, the guys. I didn’t make a bunch of money, but you got paid for something you’d do for nothing, probably. So, it was fun.”
Govan just celebrated his 82nd birthday. He is situated not too far from his childhood home and Snyder High School. He had twin daughters; one is judge in Elizabeth while the other is a doctor in Florida.
“We get together all the time.”
Still living in Jersey City, Gerald Govan often frequents the Miss America Diner on West Side Avenue, where he has been going since he attended Snyder. The staff refers to him as Gogo, a nickname that stuck since his playing days. Sports is a profession that can take you all over, yet his home will always remain in Jersey City.
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