Bob Boozer
Encyclopedia
Robert Louis "Bob" Boozer (born April 26, 1937) is a retired American professional basketball
player. Boozer was born and raised in North Omaha
, Nebraska
and graduated from Tech High
in Omaha
.
He attended Kansas State University
, where he received All-America honors in 1958 and 1959. A versatile 6’ 8” forward, he was selected by the Cincinnati Royals
with the first non-territorial pick
of the 1959 NBA Draft
, but he postponed his NBA career for one year so that he could remain eligible to play in the 1960 Summer Olympics
. During that year he played with the Peoria Caterpillars, where he won the National AAU Tournament title and earned MVP honors for the tournament.
In the fall of 1960, Boozer joined the Royals with Olympic teammate Oscar Robertson
. While Robertson took the league by storm in his rookie season, averaging a triple-double, Boozer contributed a modest 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds as a reserve player. The following season, however, Boozer earned a spot in the Royals’ starting lineup and averaged 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds. Boozer continued to improve, averaging 14.3 points and 11.1 rebounds during the 1962-1963 season, but the emergence of forward Jerry Lucas
, a future Hall-of-Famer, soon pushed Boozer out of the Royals' long-term plans. Boozer's contract was sold to the New York Knicks
in the middle of the 1963-64 season
, and Boozer spent the next 1½ seasons in New York. Though Boozer was a productive player during his tenure with the Knicks, he was traded once again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers
, in 1965.
After one season in Los Angeles, where he played a supporting role amid players like Jerry West
and Elgin Baylor
, Boozer was selected by the Chicago Bulls
in the 1966 NBA Expansion draft
. Boozer flourished in his first year with Chicago, averaging 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds and leading the young franchise into the playoffs. The following year, he averaged 21.5 points and 9.8 rebounds and became the third Bull to appear in the NBA All-Star Game
(after Guy Rodgers
and Jerry Sloan
). During the 1968-1969 season, Boozer averaged a career-high 21.7 points per game, but the Bulls failed to make the playoffs, and Boozer was soon traded to the Seattle SuperSonics
. He spent one productive season with the Sonics and then joined the Milwaukee Bucks
before retiring in 1971. He ended his career with 12,964 total points and 7,119 total rebounds.
Bob Boozer Drive is a street named in his honor in his native Omaha.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. Boozer was born and raised in North Omaha
North Omaha, Nebraska
North Omaha is a community area in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It is bordered by Cuming and Dodge Streets on the south, Interstate 680 on the north, North 72nd Street on the west and the Missouri River and Carter Lake, Iowa on the east, as defined by the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Omaha...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and graduated from Tech High
Technical High School (Omaha, Nebraska)
Technical High School was a public high school that was located at 3215 Cuming Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Opened in 1923, the school was said to be the largest high school west of Chicago. It was the largest in the Omaha area before it was closed in 1984...
in Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
.
He attended Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, where he received All-America honors in 1958 and 1959. A versatile 6’ 8” forward, he was selected by the Cincinnati Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
with the first non-territorial pick
NBA first overall draft pick
The National Basketball Association's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual National Basketball Association Draft. The first pick is awarded to the team that wins the NBA Draft Lottery; in most cases, that team had a losing...
of the 1959 NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
, but he postponed his NBA career for one year so that he could remain eligible to play in the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
. During that year he played with the Peoria Caterpillars, where he won the National AAU Tournament title and earned MVP honors for the tournament.
In the fall of 1960, Boozer joined the Royals with Olympic teammate Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
. While Robertson took the league by storm in his rookie season, averaging a triple-double, Boozer contributed a modest 8.4 points and 6.2 rebounds as a reserve player. The following season, however, Boozer earned a spot in the Royals’ starting lineup and averaged 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds. Boozer continued to improve, averaging 14.3 points and 11.1 rebounds during the 1962-1963 season, but the emergence of forward Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
, a future Hall-of-Famer, soon pushed Boozer out of the Royals' long-term plans. Boozer's contract was sold to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the middle of the 1963-64 season
1963-64 NBA season
The 1963–64 NBA season was the 18th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 6th straight NBA Championship, beating the San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals....
, and Boozer spent the next 1½ seasons in New York. Though Boozer was a productive player during his tenure with the Knicks, he was traded once again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, in 1965.
After one season in Los Angeles, where he played a supporting role amid players like Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
and Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
, Boozer was selected by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the 1966 NBA Expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
. Boozer flourished in his first year with Chicago, averaging 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds and leading the young franchise into the playoffs. The following year, he averaged 21.5 points and 9.8 rebounds and became the third Bull to appear in the NBA All-Star Game
1968 NBA All-Star Game
GAME 18: at Madison Square Garden in New York City, January 23, 1968.MVP: Hal GreerCoaches: East: Alex Hannum, West: Bill Sharman.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods: *Halftime— East, 64-59*Third Quarter— East, 101-91...
(after Guy Rodgers
Guy Rodgers
Guy William Rodgers was an American professional basketball player born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent twelve years in the NBA, and was one of the league's best playmakers in the early to mid 1960s...
and Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
). During the 1968-1969 season, Boozer averaged a career-high 21.7 points per game, but the Bulls failed to make the playoffs, and Boozer was soon traded to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. He spent one productive season with the Sonics and then joined the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
before retiring in 1971. He ended his career with 12,964 total points and 7,119 total rebounds.
Bob Boozer Drive is a street named in his honor in his native Omaha.