Anderson said he learned from Konchalski as a young man about the importance of shaking someone’s hand and looking them in the eye.

Longtime St. Thomas More(CT) coach Jere Quinn passionately recalled his 40-plus year friendship with Konchalski, who would make the the trek to his school each fall to evalute every player on his roster whether he had a legitimate future in basketball or not.

Quinn joked that Konchalski rated him a 2+ point guard during his own playing days, but later told him, “Jere, you were a 2.”

Known for a handshake that drew you in from across the room and seemed to last forever, a phenomenal ability to remember names, dates statistics from years ago and a humble yet outgoing persona, the 6-foot-6 Konchalski was the most trusted basketball talent evalutor in the nation for close to half a century before he passed from prostate cancer at 74 on Feb. 8, 2021.

Seth Davis of CBS Sports nicknamed him “The Last Honest Man in the Gym.”

Howard Garfinkel, Konchalski’s former partner in the famed Five Star Basketball Camp, was named in 2021 to the Hall of Fame as a contributor.

About a year before that, a friend of Konchalski’s asked him to write a letter of recommendation on Garfinkel’s honor, never once mentioning that he himself was being considered for nomiation to the Hall of Fame as well.

It was classic Tom. So quit, humble and proper.