George Wilson (basketball, born 1942)
George Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | July 29, 2023 (aged 81) |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player |
| Years active | 1964–1971 |
| Known for | NBA center for Cincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Buffalo Braves; 1964 Olympic gold medalist |
George Wilson (May 9, 1942 – July 29, 2023) was a professional American basketball player who occupied the center position during his tenure with the Cincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, and Buffalo Braves in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1964 through 1971. Prior to his professional career, Wilson competed in college basketball for the Cincinnati Bearcats and secured a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Early life
Wilson was born in Meridian, Mississippi but was raised on Chicago’s west side. He attended Marshall High School, where he led the basketball team as center to four straight appearances in the Chicago Public League and contributed to winning Illinois state championships in both 1958 and 1960.
During his senior year, Wilson maintained an average exceeding 25 points per game over three seasons and earned recognition as a high school All-American. In 1960, he became the first-ever recipient of the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year award and was selected for the All-State team three times. Additionally, he was named to the Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team’s third team in 1959 and advanced to the first team in 1960.
College career
Wilson attracted recruitment interest from numerous universities but ultimately chose the University of Cincinnati, inspired by Bearcats star Oscar Robertson. As a sophomore during the 1961–62 season, he secured a spot in the starting lineup, averaging 9.2 points per game. That season, the Bearcats finished with a 29–2 record, shared the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) title, and captured their second straight NCAA championship by defeating Ohio State.
In the following season (1962–63), Wilson led Cincinnati with averages of 11.2 rebounds, a .505 field goal percentage, and 1.4 blocks per game while scoring 15.0 points on average. His performance earned him All-MVC recognition as well as second-team All-American honors from The Sporting News and Converse. The Bearcats posted a 26–2 record, repeated as MVC champions, and reached the NCAA final but fell in overtime to Loyola University Chicago, 60–58.
In his final collegiate year (1963–64), Wilson served as co-captain alongside Ron Bonham. He again led the team in rebounds (12.5 per game), field goal percentage (.535), and blocks (1.7 per game). Notably, he set a Bearcats single-game record with eight blocks against Dayton. He averaged 16.1 points per contest and received All-MVC honors once more as Cincinnati concluded with a 17–9 record.
1964 Olympics
Wilson contributed to the undefeated 1964 U.S. Olympic basketball squad, which secured the gold medal.
NBA career
The Cincinnati Royals selected Wilson as their territorial pick in the 1964 NBA draft. In November 1966, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Len Chappell, where he primarily provided defensive support and rebounding off the bench.
During the 1967 NBA expansion draft, Wilson was acquired by the newly formed Seattle SuperSonics, serving as a reserve forward and averaging 6.1 points per game in their debut season. The next year, he was picked up by the Phoenix Suns through the 1968 NBA expansion draft. While with Phoenix, Wilson experienced his peak performance, averaging 11.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per contest.
In January 1969, the Suns traded Wilson to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jerry Chambers. He played a backup role, stepping in during starter injuries. Later, the Buffalo Braves selected him in the 1970 NBA expansion draft, and he concluded his professional basketball career in 1971.
Personal life
Wilson earned his education degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1964 and was affiliated with the Beta Eta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. In recognition of his impact, he was honored as one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament during its centennial celebration in 2006 and was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
He served as a YMCA director and lived in Fairfield, Ohio, where he participated in Senior Olympics competitions including golf, basketball, and horseshoes. Wilson passed away on July 29, 2023, at the age of 81.
NBA
Source
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Nbay | Cincinnati | 39 | 7.4 | .265 | .300 | 2.6 | .3 | 2.3 |
| Template:Nbay | Cincinnati | 47 | 5.9 | .391 | .643 | 2.1 | .4 | 2.9 |
| Template:Nbay | Cincinnati | 12 | 10.4 | .195 | .813 | 3.6 | .0 | 2.4 |
| Template:Nbay | Chicago | 43 | 10.4 | .399 | .643 | 3.8 | .3 | 4.6 |
| Template:Nbay | Seattle | 77 | 16.1 | .359 | .703 | 6.1 | .7 | 6.1 |
| Template:Nbay | Phoenix | 41 | 31.6 | .397 | .616 | 12.3 | 1.9 | 11.6 |
| Template:Nbay | Philadelphia | 38 | 14.5 | .445 | .714 | 5.7 | .8 | 5.8 |
| Template:Nbay | Philadelphia | 67 | 12.5 | .388 | .709 | 4.7 | .8 | 5.3 |
| Template:Nbay | Buffalo | 46 | 15.5 | .342 | .812 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 5.2 |
| Career | 410 | 14.1 | .372 | .677 | 5.2 | .7 | 5.4 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Cincinnati | 2 | 1.5 | 1.000 | – | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| 1966 | L.A. Lakers | 1 | 3.0 | 1.000 | – | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 1967 | Chicago | 2 | 13.5 | .222 | .500 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 3.5 |
| 1969 | Philadelphia | 5 | 9.0 | .000 | .750 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 |
| 1970 | Philadelphia | 2 | 11.5 | .308 | 1.000 | 6.0 | 0.5 | 4.5 |
| Career | 12 | 8.4 | .258 | .636 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 1.9 | |