Tom Konchalski, Noted Basketball Scout From Forest Hills, Dies

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Tom Konchalski, a legendary high school basketball scout with Archbishop Molloy High School and a longtime Forest Hills resident, died Monday after battling cancer. He was 74.

Konchalski developed a reputation as one of the most respected and influential figures in New York City's high school basketball scene thanks to his keen memory and eye for talent.

His High School Basketball Illustrated report, which he produced on a typewriter, was an essential resource for anyone keeping track of the city's top basketball players.

"He was highly respected in his field; there was not a person who wouldn’t pick up the phone when he called, whether it was Coach K or Pat Riley," Archbishop Molloy Athletic Director Mike McCleary said in a statement. "If someone sought his help, he did everything he could to help them."

Among the players Konchalski scouted are two-time NBA champion and sports commentator Kenny Smith, NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson and McDonald's All-American player Moses Brown.

Konchalski retired in May 2020, after a career spanning more than 40 years.

“Mr. Konchalski was an excellent talent scout who evaluated and helped nurture many of the brightest stars in New York City basketball," Archbishop Molloy President Richard Karsten said."The breadth of his knowledge and expertise laid a foundation that many have celebrated and emulated with a great deal of respect."