Jan 15, 2026
Thomas Jefferson Coach Bud Pollard Earns 400th Career Win
The milestone victory caps two decades of excellence and a lasting partnership with Big Apple Basketball.
Brooklyn, NY — Milestone victories are often measured by numbers, but for Lawrence Bud Pollard, the meaning runs deeper.
The longtime Thomas Jefferson High School boys basketball coach recently earned his 400th career win, a benchmark that reflects not only longevity, but sustained excellence against some of the toughest competition New York City high school basketball has to offer.
Pollard’s journey has been intertwined for two decades with Big Apple Basketball, one of the city’s premier showcase platforms for elite public and Catholic League programs. Jefferson first appeared in the Big Apple Basketball Challenge in 2005, during Pollard’s early years at the helm, and the partnership has endured across generations of players and eras of the city’s basketball landscape.
Across Big Apple Basketball events, Jefferson has posted a 7–4 record, consistently facing top Catholic League powers and nationally recognized programs. They have captured victories over New York programs Bishop Ford, Our Saviour Lutheran, Long Island Lutheran, All Hallows, Bishop Loughlin, and Cardinal Hayes, along with Coolidge of Washington, D.C.
Among Pollard’s standout performers in Big Apple Basketball events were Jermaine Faison, Keith Spellman, Shamel Williams, Shamorie Ponds, and David Coley, along with Academic Achievement honorees Joel Wright, Enolio Silfa, and Jamari Lewis.
Pollard’s résumé extends well beyond showcase success. He has guided Jefferson to one New York State championship, two city championships, and three Brooklyn borough titles, while advancing to the PSAL city championship game nine times. His teams captured the 2016 New York State title, cementing the program’s place among the state’s elite.
Now entering rarefied company with 400 wins, Pollard’s impact is measured not just by banners and box scores, but by the generations of student-athletes shaped under his leadership.
Brooklyn, NY — Milestone victories are often measured by numbers, but for Lawrence Bud Pollard, the meaning runs deeper.
The longtime Thomas Jefferson High School boys basketball coach recently earned his 400th career win, a benchmark that reflects not only longevity, but sustained excellence against some of the toughest competition New York City high school basketball has to offer.
Pollard’s journey has been intertwined for two decades with Big Apple Basketball, one of the city’s premier showcase platforms for elite public and Catholic League programs. Jefferson first appeared in the Big Apple Basketball Challenge in 2005, during Pollard’s early years at the helm, and the partnership has endured across generations of players and eras of the city’s basketball landscape.
Across Big Apple Basketball events, Jefferson has posted a 7–4 record, consistently facing top Catholic League powers and nationally recognized programs. They have captured victories over New York programs Bishop Ford, Our Saviour Lutheran, Long Island Lutheran, All Hallows, Bishop Loughlin, and Cardinal Hayes, along with Coolidge of Washington, D.C.
Among Pollard’s standout performers in Big Apple Basketball events were Jermaine Faison, Keith Spellman, Shamel Williams, Shamorie Ponds, and David Coley, along with Academic Achievement honorees Joel Wright, Enolio Silfa, and Jamari Lewis.
Pollard’s résumé extends well beyond showcase success. He has guided Jefferson to one New York State championship, two city championships, and three Brooklyn borough titles, while advancing to the PSAL city championship game nine times. His teams captured the 2016 New York State title, cementing the program’s place among the state’s elite.
Now entering rarefied company with 400 wins, Pollard’s impact is measured not just by banners and box scores, but by the generations of student-athletes shaped under his leadership.
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