Ernie Vandeweghe

Who is Ernie Vandeweghe?

Ernest Maurice "Ernie" Vandeweghe Jr. is a physician, a United States Air Force veteran and a retired professional basketball player. He is best known for playing for the New York Knicks of the NBA and for the athletic successes of his family. He is the father of former NBA All-Star Kiki Vandeweghe and grandfather of tennis professional Coco Vandeweghe. He is also the widower of 1952 Miss America pageant winner Colleen Kay Hutchins.

In his youth, Vandeweghe played football, basketball and baseball for Oceanside High School on Long Island where he was also a member of the Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity. A 6'3" guard, Vandeweghe played collegiately for the Colgate University Raiders, where he was an All-American. He was drafted by the Knicks in the 1949 BAA Draft, and played in the NBA for six seasons. While playing for the Knicks, Vandeweghe also studied medicine. After retiring from the NBA in 1956, Vandeweghe served as a physician for the Air Force; while stationed overseas in Germany he and his wife became the parents of Kiki.