Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the information about Tom Gola:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Thomas Joseph Gola
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Deceased (born January 13, 1933 – died January 26, 2014, aged 81)
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Height: 6’6″ (1.98 m)
  • Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 7 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 15 (US)
  • Number: Wore #15 and #6 during his career
  • Position: Small Forward / Shooting Guard
  • High School: La Salle College High School, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
  • College: La Salle University
  • NBA Draft: 1955, 1st Round, 2nd pick overall by the Philadelphia Warriors
  • Teams Played For: Philadelphia Warriors, New York Knicks
  • Championship Rings: 1 (1956 with the Philadelphia Warriors)
  • Kids: Not publicly documented
  • Siblings: Not publicly documented

Player Archetype / Play Style

Tom Gola’s player archetype was that of an all-around two-way wing, a big guard-forward who could impact games without needing to dominate the scoring column. At 6-foot-6 with an angular build, quick hands, and deceptive speed, he had the size to rebound like a forward and the skill to handle, pass, and defend across multiple matchups. Defensively, he functioned as a versatile stopper and disruptive team defender; offensively, he was more of a connector than a pure volume scorer at the pro level, helping create flow with ball movement, rebounding, and smart secondary playmaking. His play style was fundamentally complete and unselfish, blending toughness, court sense, and positional flexibility in a way that made “Mr. All-Around” a fitting label for one of his era’s most complete players. (The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame)

Sources:

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame — Tom Gola – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
ESPN — Hall of Famer Tom Gola dies
La Salle University — 10 fast facts about Explorers legend Tom Gola