The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have now won 17 gold medals in the 20 tournaments they have participated in during the past 88 years, while the women have won 10 gold medals in the 12 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 48 years. While we have to wait 4 years until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will fill the void by interviewing as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible. We continue our coverage by chatting with fellow Virginia Tech star Ace Custis about 1988 Olympic bronze medalist Bimbo Coles being a great scorer and winning a bronze medal.
Vernell Eufaye Coles was given a nickname by his cousin, who really enjoyed the country song “Bimbo” by Faron Young (www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rpy9qMY7Rc): did everyone really call him that? Everyone calls him Bimbo: a lot of people do not even know his real name!
In addition to basketball he was a 2-time all-state football player at Greenbrier East High School and was selected by the Phillies in the 1986 MLB Draft and by the Angels in the 1990 MLB Draft: which sport was he best at, and which sport did he enjoy the most? I only know him for basketball but he was a great athlete so I think that he could play any sport.
What made him choose Virginia Tech? Being from West Virginia it must have been a hard decision because there is a big rivalry with Virginia Tech…but I am sure that it became easier after the staff recruited him.
He played for Team USA at the 1988 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and do you think that NBA players would have ever been allowed to participate if they had not won a bronze medal that summer? What an honor it must have been to wear USA on your chest as a college athlete. When I watched the Olympics last summer I could see the pride on everyone’s faces. When you see the elite athletes today take time out of their schedule to do it, it must have been an even greater honor to make it as a college kid. I do not think college athletes could handle the amazing global talent that we see today in other countries.
He led the conference in scoring for 3 straight years and graduated as the all-time leading scorer in Metro Conference history with 2465 PTS: what was his secret for being a great scorer? When you think about putting the ball in the basket from any angle at any range: that is Bimbo. He was an elite scorer and did it at an exceptional rate.
He also led the conference with 5.9 APG in 1988: how did he balance his scoring with his passing? As a youngster I looked at the record book and noticed that he was high on the career lists in both PPG/APG. He could score but also keep his teammates involved as well.
He was selected by Sacramento in the 1990 NBA Draft and immediately traded to Miami: how did he feel about getting drafted, and how did he feel about getting traded? I am sure that he did not like the idea of being traded so quickly…but you cannot go wrong living in Miami! It is such an honor to hear your name called so I am sure he put that trade on the backburner and just got ready for his rookie year.
He was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2017: what did it mean to him to receive such outstanding honors? All his accolades were well-deserved. He was a tremendous athlete and an even better person.
The Virginia Tech athletic department later appointed him to be a Director of Student-Athlete Support and Community Engagement: how did he like mentoring student-athletes at his alma mater? He was a great spokesman for Virginia Tech athletics and embraced being a role model.
When people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? As a fierce competitor who brought it every single night. You always knew what you would get from him, and his legacy will live on forever.