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1977–78 Buffalo Braves Season
The 1977–78 NBA season was the Braves' eighth and final season in the NBA. Entering the season, the Braves were allowed an escape clause in their lease, because season ticket sales did not reach the set goal of 4,500. The Braves suffered another disappointment as Tiny Archibald (whom they acquired from the New Jersey Nets for George Johnson) was lost for the year due to an Achilles tendon injury in the preseason. The Braves played competitively in November with a respectable .500 record at 10–10. Despite the promising start, the Braves won just nine games over the next three months. While the Braves were struggling on the court, owner John Y. Brown was brokering a deal to take over the legendary Boston Celtics franchise. Celtics owner Irv Levin wanted to move the historic franchise to California. However, the NBA would not allow him to take the cornerstone franchise out of Boston. NBA Lawyer David Stern offered a comprise in which Levin and Brown would swap franchises. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Lowell Gibbs "Cotton" Fitzsimmons (October 7, 1931 – July 24, 2004) was an American college and NBA basketball coach. A native of Bowling Green, Missouri, he attended and played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal, Missouri and Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He coached the Phoenix Suns three times, was named the NBA Coach of the Year twice, and is often credited as the architect of the Suns' success of the late 1980s and early to middle 1990s. Fitzsimmons won 1,089 games in his coaching career: 223 games at the junior college level, 34 at the Division I college level and 832 in the NBA. On May 16, 2021, it was announced that Fitzsimmons was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2021 enshrinement ceremony occurred on September 11, 2021. Early life Born to Clancy and Zelda Fitzsimmons, Lowell Fitzsimmons was raised in Bowling Green, Missouri, where he attended Bowling Green High School. The family of six mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
San Diego Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clippers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, which they share with NBA team Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Clippers plan to move into their own arena, the Intuit Dome, in nearby Inglewood by 2024. The franchise was founded as the Buffalo Braves in 1970 as an expansion team. Led by Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo, the Braves reached the NBA playoffs three times during their eight seasons in Buffalo. Conflicts with the Canisius Golden Griffins over the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and the sale of the franchise led to their relocation from Buffalo to San Diego, California in 1978 and subsequent rebranding as the Sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charlotte 49ers Men's Basketball
The Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team represents the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) in NCAA Division I basketball. The 49ers are charter members of Conference USA. Charlotte returned to C-USA in 2013 after leaving in 2005 to join the Atlantic 10 Conference. The 49ers have also played in the Sun Belt Conference and were a member of the Metro Conference, which merged with the Great Midwest Conference to form Conference USA. The basketball team has spent the better part of its history in the shadow of the state's four Atlantic Coast Conference teams. However, the 49ers have carved out a niche of their own, making 11 appearances in the NCAA tournament. In their first appearance, in 1977, they advanced all the way to the Final Four—at the time, the deepest run for a first-time tournament participant. They have also earned regular and post-season championships in three different conferences. The 49ers' current head coach is Ron Sanchez, who took over ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melvin Watkins
Melvin Lenzo Watkins (born November 15, 1954) is an American college basketball coach and former player. He has also been the associate head coach at the University of Missouri. He served as interim head coach during the end of the 2006 season, but returned to his former position when new coach Mike Anderson was hired. Early years Born in Reidsville, North Carolina, Melvin Watkins attended Reidsville High School. Watkins started for the Reidsville High basketball team for from 1970 to 1973. As a senior, he was named team captain and, after helping the team earn the state championship, was named a 1973 high school All-American. Playing career Watkins played college basketball at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was the point guard and team captain of the Charlotte 49ers' 1977 Final Four team. While at Charlotte, Watkins made a point to complete his education, earning a B.A. in Economics in 1977. Watkins was drafted in the fourth round of the 1977 NBA draft b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kentucky Wildcats Men's Basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team is an American college basketball team that represents the University of Kentucky. Kentucky is the most successful NCAA Division I basketball program in history in terms of List of teams with the highest winning percentage in NCAA Division I men's college basketball, all-time winning percentage (.765). The Wildcats are currently coached by John Calipari. Kentucky leads all schools in total NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament bids by school, NCAA tournament appearances (59), NCAA tournament wins (131), NCAA Tournament games played (184), NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances (45), NCAA Elite Eight appearances (38), total postseason tournament appearances (68), and are second in regular-season conference championships (53, of which 51 are Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular-season championships). Furthermore, Kentucky has played in 17 NCAA Final Fours (third place all-time behind North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball, North Carolin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Johnson (basketball, Born 1954)
Larry O. Johnson (born November 28, 1954) is an American retired basketball player who had a brief career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a 6'3" shooting guard and played competitively at Kentucky's Union County High School and the University of Kentucky (UK) from 1973 to 1977. He was the first of three African-Americans from Union County recruited by UK.Larry Johnson enters Hall of Fame by Brandon Cole, ''Union County Advocate'' website, posted June 6, 2007 Johnson was selected in the second round in the by the |
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, he was a local basketball star. Highly recruited, he initially signed to play college basketball for coach Bobby Knight of the Indiana Hoosiers, but Bird dropped out after one month and returned to French Lick to attend a local community college. The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. Drafted by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft after his second year at Indiana State, Bird ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks (born September 19, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A native of California, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. Wicks was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1971 NBA draft with the second overall pick. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and was a four-time NBA All-Star with the Trail Blazers. He also played professionally for the Boston Celtics and San Diego Clippers, finishing his career after one season in Italy. Early life Wicks was born on September 19, 1949 in Contra Costa County, California. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. Because of non-qualifying grades in high school, Wicks attended Santa Monica College for a year before he could attend his preferred university, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Wicks later received Academic All-America honors at UCLA in 1971. He earned a degree in sociology from the school. A 6' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kermit Washington
Kermit Alan Washington (born September 17, 1951) is an American former professional basketball player. Washington is best remembered for punching opposing player Rudy Tomjanovich during an on-court fight in 1977. Washington was not a highly-coveted player coming out of high school. He averaged four points per game during his senior season at Coolidge Senior High School. He improved rapidly once at American University, and became one of only seven players in NCAA history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds throughout the course of his career. A big defensive forward, Washington was known for his ability to gather rebounds. He averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in ten National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons and played in the All-Star Game once. Washington was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the fifth overall pick in the 1973 NBA draft. He played sparingly his first three seasons, and sought the help of retired basketball coach Pete Newell before his four ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kevin Kunnert
Kevin Robert Kunnert (born November 11, 1951) is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 7'0" and 230 lb center–forward, was drafted out of the University of Iowa by the Chicago Bulls in the first round (12th overall) of the 1973 NBA draft. He also helped the Houston Rockets to a Central Division title during the 1976–77 season. Early life Kunnert was born in Dubuque, Iowa as one of 10 children and graduated from Dubuque Wahlert High School in 1969. Kunnert lead Wahlert to a third-place finish in the Iowa High School State Basketball Tournament as a senior. College Kunnert attended the University of Iowa, where he scored 1,145 career points, and was the Hawkeyes' all-time leading rebounder at the time of his graduation. Kunnert led the Big Ten in rebounding and field goal percentage his senior year, averaging 19.2 points and 13.9 rebounds on 54.5% shooting. He averaged 18.2 points and 14.7 rebounds as a junior in 1971 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freeman Williams
Freeman Williams Jr. (May 15, 1956 – April 19, 2022) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Portland State Vikings, where he was a two-time All-American and twice led the nation in scoring. He began his NBA career playing years with the San Diego Clippers, and also had stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz and Washington Bullets. College career Williams attended Portland State University, where he became the school's all-time scoring leader. He was the NCAA Division I scoring leader in 1977 and 1978, and a consensus second-team All-American in 1978. He is second in Division I history in career scoring, trailing only Pete Maravich. Professional career Williams was a 1978 first round draft pick (8th overall) by the Boston Celtics. His pro playing career started in 1978 with the San Diego Clippers. He finished in the top 10 in three-point field goals for three consecutive seasons f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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