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Norman Black
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Norman Black
Norman Augustus Black (born November 12, 1957) is an American-Philippine professional basketball coach and former player. He serves as a team consultant for the Meralco Bolts of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the San Beda Red Lions of the NCAA Philippines.
He played in the CBA and the NBA before moving to the PBA, where his exceptional performance and work ethic earned him the moniker "Mr. 100%". Black eventually settled in the Philippines and transitioned into a highly successful coaching career. He is the former head coach of the Meralco Bolts, San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, Sta. Lucia Realtors, and Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the PBA, as well as the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP.
Black played high school basketball for the Cardinal Gibbons School in Baltimore, graduating in 1975. He played college basketball for Saint Joseph's University in Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1979, where he averaged 17 points per game over his collegiate career.
He was selected by the Lancaster Red Roses in the 1979 Continental Basketball Association (CBA) draft and played in the league until 1982, also spending time with the Philadelphia Kings. During this period, he briefly made it to the National Basketball Association (NBA), signing with the Detroit Pistons. He appeared in three games during the 1980–81 NBA season, averaging 2.7 points per game.
Following his brief regular season appearance in Detroit, Black spent the summer of 1981 playing for the Pistons' entry in the Southern California Summer Pro League in Los Angeles. It was there that international opportunities arose. Jimmy Mariano, then the head coach of the Great Taste Coffee Makers, scouted Black at the summer league and invited him to play in the Philippines. Attracted by the guarantee of a contracted salary—which surpassed the non-guaranteed training camp invite the Pistons were offering for the upcoming season—Black decided to accept. Although the Great Taste roster spot was briefly filled by Lew Massey before Black could return the call, Tefilin Polyesters general manager Frank Harn quickly offered him an identical contract, which Black accepted.
Black made his Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) debut with Tefilin in 1981, averaging 51 points per game across 14 appearances. In 1982, he joined the San Miguel Beermen, playing 66 games and averaging nearly 43 points per contest. Alongside local mainstays Yoyong Martirez and Manny Paner, and under the guidance of head coach Tommy Manotoc, Black helped lead San Miguel to the 1982 PBA Invitational Championship over a visiting South Korean national squad. He moved to Great Taste Coffee in 1983, where he averaged 38 points over 49 games. Highly regarded for his basketball intelligence and legendary work ethic—such as playing through a fractured finger—he became the inaugural recipient of the PBA "Mr. 100%" Award that season. The specialty performance award was granted only one other time in league history, when Alaska's Sean Chambers received it in 1991. During this era, veteran sportscaster Pinggoy Pengson affectionately nicknamed him "That Old Black Magic."
In 1985, Black returned to the league to play for Magnolia Quench Plus, recording a career-high 76 points in a single game and averaging 43.5 points over the season. When the Magnolia franchise temporarily deactivated, its players were absorbed by the expansion team Alaska Air Force, where Black briefly played. He later returned to San Miguel as a playing coach during import-laden conferences, while operating as a full-time head coach during All-Filipino tournaments. In 1989, he successfully guided the Beermen to a coveted PBA Grand Slam, becoming only the third franchise in league history to achieve the feat. Black played his final full season on the hardwood in 1990 before fully retiring from active play to focus entirely on his head coaching duties in 1991.
In 1985, businessman and sports patron Danding Cojuangco invited Black to transition into coaching. Black later recalled that he initially had no desire to coach, but Cojuangco believed he was suited for the role after hearing his tactical insights while Black was working as a PBA television analyst.
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Norman Black
Norman Augustus Black (born November 12, 1957) is an American-Philippine professional basketball coach and former player. He serves as a team consultant for the Meralco Bolts of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the San Beda Red Lions of the NCAA Philippines.
He played in the CBA and the NBA before moving to the PBA, where his exceptional performance and work ethic earned him the moniker "Mr. 100%". Black eventually settled in the Philippines and transitioned into a highly successful coaching career. He is the former head coach of the Meralco Bolts, San Miguel Beermen, Mobiline Phone Pals, Pop Cola 800s, Sta. Lucia Realtors, and Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the PBA, as well as the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP.
Black played high school basketball for the Cardinal Gibbons School in Baltimore, graduating in 1975. He played college basketball for Saint Joseph's University in Pennsylvania from 1975 to 1979, where he averaged 17 points per game over his collegiate career.
He was selected by the Lancaster Red Roses in the 1979 Continental Basketball Association (CBA) draft and played in the league until 1982, also spending time with the Philadelphia Kings. During this period, he briefly made it to the National Basketball Association (NBA), signing with the Detroit Pistons. He appeared in three games during the 1980–81 NBA season, averaging 2.7 points per game.
Following his brief regular season appearance in Detroit, Black spent the summer of 1981 playing for the Pistons' entry in the Southern California Summer Pro League in Los Angeles. It was there that international opportunities arose. Jimmy Mariano, then the head coach of the Great Taste Coffee Makers, scouted Black at the summer league and invited him to play in the Philippines. Attracted by the guarantee of a contracted salary—which surpassed the non-guaranteed training camp invite the Pistons were offering for the upcoming season—Black decided to accept. Although the Great Taste roster spot was briefly filled by Lew Massey before Black could return the call, Tefilin Polyesters general manager Frank Harn quickly offered him an identical contract, which Black accepted.
Black made his Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) debut with Tefilin in 1981, averaging 51 points per game across 14 appearances. In 1982, he joined the San Miguel Beermen, playing 66 games and averaging nearly 43 points per contest. Alongside local mainstays Yoyong Martirez and Manny Paner, and under the guidance of head coach Tommy Manotoc, Black helped lead San Miguel to the 1982 PBA Invitational Championship over a visiting South Korean national squad. He moved to Great Taste Coffee in 1983, where he averaged 38 points over 49 games. Highly regarded for his basketball intelligence and legendary work ethic—such as playing through a fractured finger—he became the inaugural recipient of the PBA "Mr. 100%" Award that season. The specialty performance award was granted only one other time in league history, when Alaska's Sean Chambers received it in 1991. During this era, veteran sportscaster Pinggoy Pengson affectionately nicknamed him "That Old Black Magic."
In 1985, Black returned to the league to play for Magnolia Quench Plus, recording a career-high 76 points in a single game and averaging 43.5 points over the season. When the Magnolia franchise temporarily deactivated, its players were absorbed by the expansion team Alaska Air Force, where Black briefly played. He later returned to San Miguel as a playing coach during import-laden conferences, while operating as a full-time head coach during All-Filipino tournaments. In 1989, he successfully guided the Beermen to a coveted PBA Grand Slam, becoming only the third franchise in league history to achieve the feat. Black played his final full season on the hardwood in 1990 before fully retiring from active play to focus entirely on his head coaching duties in 1991.
In 1985, businessman and sports patron Danding Cojuangco invited Black to transition into coaching. Black later recalled that he initially had no desire to coach, but Cojuangco believed he was suited for the role after hearing his tactical insights while Black was working as a PBA television analyst.
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