Phillip, a future Naismith Hall of Fame player, and Gene Vance signed with the Chicago Stags. Kirk's contract of $10,000 per year was the highest contract for a guard in professional basketball at the time. For perspective, the highest paid player in the NBL and the BAA was the iconic, original big man, George Mikan who was paid only $30,000 per year in the pre-NBA days of professional basketball. The NBL (National Basketball League) and the BAA (Basketball Association of America) professional basketball leagues merged to become the NBA (National Basketball Association) in 1949. In five NBL/BAA/NPBL/NBA seasons, Kirk played for six different teams: the Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Jets, Anderson Packers, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Kansas City Hi-Spots (NPBL) and the Milwaukee Hawks. In April 1949, while a member of the Jets, Kirk's former teammates George Glamack and Leo Mogus sued the organization for $4,662.51 each after the three of them were released. Kirk did not take part in the lawsuit, Ben Kerner was the owner of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, coached by Red Auerbach, where Kirk ended up after a pass through the Anderson Packers (IN), Kerner and the league guaranteed that he would be paid the backpay that was owed. Glamack and Mogus cited poor management and administration on the part of the Jets as the reasons why they were unable to be retained. Walt Kirk later coached at Harvard high school (IL), Salem high school (IL), Dubuque Senior high school (IA), Kirk replaced former Illini teammate, Coach Johnny Orr, at Dubuque Senior high school, when Orr left (1959) to begin his college coaching career at Wisconsin, UMass, Michigan and Iowa State, Kirk also coached at Dubuque Hempstead high school and was an Associate Principal. Walton Kirk Jr. died on December 12, 2012 from complications due to Parkinson's Disease. Honors First-team all-state (Mount Vernon) – 1942 3× First-team All-Big Ten – (1944, 1945, 1947) University of Illinois Athlete of the Year – 1945 Consensus first-team All-American – 1945 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (as a player) – 1974 One of thirty-three honored jerseys which hang in the State Farm Center to show regard for being the most decorated basketball players in the University of Illinois' history – 2008 Statistics College BAA/NBA career statistics Regular season Playoffs References External links 1924 births 2012 deaths All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Anderson Packers players Basketball players from