career in 1948 with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, who originally played in the National Basketball League (NBL). Before the 1949–50 season, the BAA and NBL merged to form the present-day NBA. In 1949–50, Wier's second season with the Blackhawks, he played for Red Auerbach, who would later win 10 NBA titles as a head coach. After three years with the Blackhawks, Wier then spent one final season playing professional basketball when he joined the Waterloo Hawks of the National Professional Basketball League. When the league folded, his basketball career as a player ended. Later life After professional basketball, Wier became an assistant coach at Waterloo East High School for the boys' basketball team. He was the head coach for 24 years and compiled an overall record of 374 wins versus 140 losses, including winning the state championship in 1974. That same season he was named the Iowa State Coach of the Year. Weir was also the head men's tennis coach for 10 years before retiring in 1989. Aside from coaching, Wier also served as the high school's athletic director for 34 years. Wier lived in Georgetown, Texas in a retirement community called Sun City Texas. He was a member of the NBA Retired Players Association. Wier died on April 6, 2016. Career statistics NBA Source Regular season Playoffs See also List of shortest players in National Basketball Association history References 1926 births 2016 deaths All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Iowa Basketball players from Iowa Fort Wayne Pistons draft picks Guards (basketball) High school basketball coaches in Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball players Muscatine High School alumni People from Louisa County, Iowa People from Georgetown, Texas Tri-Cities Blackhawks players Waterloo Hawks players