Buzzy Wilkinson
Buzzy Wilkinson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | January 15, 2016 (aged 83) |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player, bank executive |
| Known for | Leading scorer for University of Virginia basketball; president and CEO of First Century Bank |
Richard Warren "Buzzy" Wilkinson (November 18, 1932 – January 15, 2016) was an American basketball athlete selected by the Boston Celtics in the third round as the 30th pick overall during the 1955 NBA draft, although he never competed in the NBA. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and playing as a guard-forward, Wilkinson represented the University of Virginia. He was an exceptional scorer, posting an average of 32.1 points per game in his final collegiate season (1954–55) and amassing a total of 2,233 points throughout his college tenure. His jersey number 14 became the first to be retired by the Virginia Cavaliers.
Wilkinson holds the record for the highest single-season scoring average in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history with 32.1 points during the 1954–55 season, alongside maintaining the career scoring average record of 28.6 points per game. He topped ACC scoring charts during its initial two seasons and set several ACC benchmarks related to field goal attempts: most attempts in a single game (44 against Duke in 1954), most attempts within one season (767 in 1954), as well as the highest attempts per game for both a season (28.4 in 1954) and over a career (27.4).
Post-playing career
Following his basketball career, Wilkinson took on leadership roles including president and CEO of First Century Bank located in Bluefield, West Virginia. He died on January 15, 2016, at the age of 83.