[2] He played three years of varsity basketball for the Huskies, ending his career as the school's fourth all-time leading scorer.
He returned to Connecticut and played in the New York State Pro League on weekends for a year while also coaching at East Hartford High School.
The following year, he was invited to tryout for the ABA's Kentucky Colonels, but they had a contract dispute and Staak decided to end his playing career.
He then served as an assistant at the Ivy League's University of Pennsylvania under future Hall-of-Famer Chuck Daly.
[4] For the next 12 seasons he was an assistant coach and/or scout in the National Basketball Association (NBA), for the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, and Memphis Grizzlies.