Wilbur Holland (born November 8, 1951) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. A 6'0"

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

from

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...

, Holland played college basketball at Morristown College and the

University of New Orleans The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a member of the University of Louisiana System and the Urban 13 association. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High rese ...

, where he led his team in scoring for two seasons (1973–75). During his senior year, he earned Division II Second Team

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Upon graduating from college, Holland was selected by the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...

in the fifth round of the

1975 NBA Draft The 1975 NBA draft was the 29th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 29, 1975, before the 1975–76 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players a ...

. After one season with the Hawks, during which he averaged 5.8 points per game, he signed with the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...

, and he remained with the Bulls until 1979. In the 1977 NBA Playoffs, Holland got into a fight with the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

Herm Gilliam Herman L. Gilliam Jr. (May 5, 1946 – April 16, 2005) was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. College career Herm Gilliam attended Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana. He p ...

. Holland's statistically strongest NBA season occurred in 1977–78, during which he averaged 16.6 points, 3.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 3.6

rebounds 'Rebound' is a term used in sports to describe the ball (or puck or other object of play) becoming available for possession by either opponent after an attempt to put the ball or puck into the goal has been unsuccessful. Rebounds are generally ...

. He ranked among the NBA's top ten in total steals twice in his career (in 1976–77 and 1977–78). In 2002, Holland was inducted into the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame.LABC – Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame Members – Wilbur Holland

Notes

1951 births Living people African-American basketball players American expatriate basketball people in France American expatriate basketball people in Italy American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks draft picks Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players from Columbus, Georgia Chicago Bulls players Junior college men's basketball players in the United States New Orleans Privateers men's basketball players Point guards Union Tours Basket Métropole players Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople {{1950s-US-basketball-bio-stub