__NOTOC__ The Amateur Athletic Union Men's Basketball All-Americans were players who competed in the

Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...

(AAU) between 1920–21 and 1967–68 and were chosen as the best players in the league during their respective seasons. Founded in 1888, the AAU is one of the largest non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. It is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of

amateur sports Amateur sports are sports in which participants engage largely or entirely without remuneration. The distinction is made between amateur sporting participants and professional sports, professional sporting participants, who are paid for the time t ...

and

physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, modera ...

programs. The era between 1921 and 1968 is referred to as the "Golden Era" of AAU basketball while companies began vying for players to compete on their teams. There was a great allure to playing AAU basketball besides job security; by remaining in the AAU as opposed to the National Basketball League or

American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major professional basketball league that operated for nine seasons from 1967 to 1976. The upstart ABA operated in direct competition with the more established National Basketball Association thr ...

, players were able to retain their "amateur" status. Only amateurs were allowed to compete in the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

, and many AAU basketball alumni went on to compete for the United States during their careers. During this time period, thirty-three AAU All-Americans played on the

United States men's national basketball team The USA Basketball Men's National Team, commonly known as Team USA and the United States men's national basketball team, is the basketball team representing the United States. It is the most successful men's team in international competition, ...

in seven different Olympic Games: Joe Fortenberry, Carl Knowles,

Frank Lubin Frank John Lubin (; January 7, 1910 – July 8, 1999) was a Lithuanian Americans, Lithuanian-American basketball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins men's basketball, UCLA Bruins from 1928 to 1931. In 1997, Lubin was inducted ...

, Art Mollner,

Bill Wheatley William John Wheatley (July 5, 1909 – February 5, 1992) was an American basketball player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was part of the American basketball team, which won the gold medal. He played two matches including the final ...

(

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...

); Don Barksdale, Bud Browning, Shorty Carpenter, Bob Kurland, R. C. Pitts, Cab Renick (

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

); Ron Bontemps, Bob Kurland, Frank McCabe, Dan Pippin, Howie Williams (

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

); Dick Boushka, Chuck Darling, Burdie Haldorson, Bob Jeangerard, K. C. Jones, Ron Tomsic, Gerry Tucker, Jim Walsh (

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

); Bob Boozer, Burdie Haldorson, Adrian Smith (

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

); Larry Brown, Les Lane,

Jerry Shipp Jerome Franklin Shipp (September 27, 1935 – October 5, 2021) was an American basketball player. He played for the U.S. national team at the 1963 FIBA World Championship, 1963 Pan American Games and 1964 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal a ...

(

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

); and Mike Barrett, John Clawson, Calvin Fowler, Jim King and Mike Silliman (

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

). Eleven AAU All-Americans have also been enshrined in the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pre ...

as players. These players include Roger Brown, Ace Gruenig, Richie Guerin, Chuck Hyatt, K. C. Jones, Bob Kurland, Hank Luisetti, Jack McCracken, Andy Phillip,

Jim Pollard James Clifford Pollard (July 9, 1922 – January 22, 1993) was an American professional basketball player and coach. As a player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Pollard was considered one of the best forwards in the 1950s and was k ...

, and George Yardley. Two other AAU All-Americans have been enshrined in other roles: Don Barksdale as a contributor and Larry Brown as a coach.

All-Americans by season

Most selections

This is a list for all of the All-Americans who received the honor at least three times. ;10 selections * Ace Gruenig ;7–9 selections *None ;6 selections * Shorty Carpenter, Bob Kurland, Jack McCracken ;5 selections * Forrest DeBernardi, Chuck Hyatt ;4 selections * Don Barksdale, Berry Dunham, Burdie Haldorson, Frank McCabe, Jimmy McNatt, Bill Reigel, George Starbuck ;3 selections * Glen Anderson, Vern Benson, George "Pidge" Browning, Howie Crittenden, Chuck Darling, Joe Fortenberry, Roy Lipscomb, Pete McCaffrey, Les O'Gara,

George Reeves George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He was best known for portraying Superman, Clark Kent/Superman in the television series ''Adventures of Superman (TV series), Adventures of ...

, Gary Thompson, Ron Tomsic,

, George Williams, Howie Williams

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aau Men's Basketball All-Americans * Awards established in 1921 1968 disestablishments in the United States History of basketball 1921 establishments in the United States Awards disestablished in 1968

All-Americans by season

Most selections

See also

References