Abdul Jeelani facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 10, 1954 Bells, Tennessee |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | August 3, 2016 (aged 62) Racine, Wisconsin |
| High school | Washington Park (Racine, Wisconsin) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Wisconsin–Parkside (1972–1976) |
| NBA Draft | 1976 / Round: 3 / Pick: 50th overall |
| Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | |
| Pro career | 1976–1989 |
| Career history | |
| 1976–1979 | Lazio |
| 1979–1980 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1980–1981 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1981–1985 | Libertas Livorno |
| 1985–1987 | Saski Baskonia |
| 1987–1988 | Askatuak SBT |
| 1988–1989 | CB Sevilla |
Abdul Qadir Jeelani (born Gary Cole; February 10, 1954 – August 3, 2016) was an American professional basketball player. He was a tall player, standing 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 meters) and weighing 210 pounds (95 kg). Abdul Jeelani played as a small forward. He was born in Bells, Tennessee, and later played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside. He also had a short career in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Contents
Abdul Jeelani's Basketball Journey
College Star
Abdul Jeelani was an amazing player at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside. He holds the record for the most points scored in the school's history, with 2,262 points. He also grabbed the most rebounds, with 1,237.
He set many other records too, including some of the best scores in a single game. Twice, he scored an impressive 47 points in one game! He was part of the NAIA National Tournament teams in 1974 and 1975. Because of his great skills, he was named an NAIA All-American in both 1975 and 1976. Before college, he went to Washington Park High School in Racine, Wisconsin.
Playing in the NBA
Abdul Jeelani was chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the third round of the 1976 NBA draft on June 8, 1976. However, he was waived by the team later that year. He then signed with the Detroit Pistons in 1977 but was waived again before the season started.
He played one season with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 1979–80 NBA season. After that, he was picked by the Dallas Mavericks in the expansion draft on May 28, 1980. This was before the Mavericks' very first season in the NBA, which was the 1980–81 NBA season.
Abdul Jeelani was part of the starting lineup for the Mavericks' first-ever NBA game in 1980. He even scored the very first points in the team's history! In his first season with the Mavericks, he was known for scoring a lot of points in the final part of games. For example, by January 1981, he had played 43 games and scored 350 points, with 142 of those points coming in the last quarter.
Playing Overseas
Besides his time in the NBA, Abdul Jeelani also had a successful career playing basketball in other countries. He played in Italy for teams like Lazio Basket and Libertas Livorno. He also played in Spain.
Later Life
Abdul Jeelani passed away on August 3, 2016. He died at Wheaton Franciscan All-Saints hospital in Racine, Wisconsin.
See also
In Spanish: Abdul Jeelani para niños
