John Kundla, the hall of fame former basketball coach of the Minneapolis Lakers and the University of Minnesota, died Sunday afternoon at age 101, his family confirmed. He passed away from what are believed to be natural causes at a Minneapolis nursing home.

Kundla was the first of only three coaches in NBA history to win three consecutive championships; the others are fellow hall of famers Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson. After winning the NBA title in 1950 and falling short in 1951, the Lakers became a dynasty with a three-peat from 1952-1954. He also shepherded the Lakers to titles in the National Basketball League (1948) and the Basketball Association of America (1949) — the NBA’s predecessor leagues.

Kundla became coach of the Lakers at age 31.

“Despite his youth, he displayed sound judgement and was keenly aware of the game’s ebb and flow,” according to his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame biography; Kundla was enshrined in 1995. “Even though he was only a few years older than some of his players, the humble and quiet Kundla always kept an even demeanor on the court and his style easily adapted to the changing breed of professional athletes.”

Kundla coached six hall of famers: George Mikan, Elgin Baylor, Clyde Lovellette, Vern Mikkelsen, Slater Martin and Jim Pollard — seven if you count Vikings hall of fame coach Bud Grant, who played two seasons for Kundla’s Lakers. Kundla declined to follow the team to Los Angeles in 1960, saying he wanted to stay home because he’s “not a Hollywood guy.”

“He never took credit; it was always a team effort,” Kundla’s son, Jim, said Sunday. “He always congratulated other teams and respected them.”

Kundla coached the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program from 1959-68 and was instrumental in the integration of the Gophers roster in 1963. He said he received “nasty letters” after offering scholarships to three black players.

Kundla was the oldest living hall of famer in the four major professional sports. He celebrated his 100th birthday with former Gophers players last July. To mark the occasion, Gov. Mark Dayton sent a card and the Timberwolves gave him flowers.

“He was so happy to see us,” Al Nuness, who played for Kundla with the Gophers from 1967-69, told the Pioneer Press on Sunday. “We surprised him with a practice jersey. … He always had a big smile on his face. If he was hurting, we never knew it.

“He has meant so much to Minnesota, not just to the Gophers, but to the state. If there is a coach that needs to have his name or number retired, that should be hanging up in Williams Arena, it’s coach Kundla.”

Nuness was impressed with how Kundla was attentive to non-basketball achievements of his former players.

“He is the only coach that I ever had that told me how proud he was of my off-court accomplishments,” said Nuness, who worked at Pillsbury, for the Timberwolves and at Jostens. “It’s easy to talk about somebody making all-Big Ten. It let me know that he was following my career, that I had been successful in the Twin Cities. That made me feel so good.”

Nuness also said Kundla was a revolutionary leader. “Coach allowed you to express yourself on the court,” he said. “You didn’t have to fit into one specific scheme, and that was because he coached in the pros.”

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor shared a statement on Kundla’s passing. “John was an incredible staple of Minnesota basketball, and he continued to be a fan of the local hoops scene well after he left coaching,” Taylor said. “Our condolences go out to the Kundla family during this time.”

Kundla was born in Star Junction, Pa., near Pittsburgh and moved to Minneapolis when he was 5 years old with his mother Anna. His father, John Kundla Sr., a coal miner and steel worker born in Slovakia, never joined them in Minnesota.

Kundla played basketball at the University of Minnesota and helped the Gophers win the Big Ten championship in 1937. After serving in the Navy in World War II, he coached the University of St. Thomas for one season before becoming coach of the Lakers in 1947.

Days before his 100th birthday, Kundla shared that he pedals an exercise bike for 10 to 15 minutes each day, loves to play bingo and would go on guided fishing trips through Catholic Eldercare in northeast Minneapolis, where he resided for years.

Kundla’s family said it’s planning a small private funeral service to be held at a later date.

Kundla’s wife, Marie, died in 2007. A son, Jack, passed away in 2008.

Last summer, he thanked his surviving children, Tom, Jim, David, Karen and Kathy, for their help. In a continuation of Kundla’s team-first demeanor, he said, “I couldn’t do this alone. They all help.”