Archie Clark (basketball) facts for kids

Archie L. Clark (born July 15, 1941) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a talented guard who played for five different teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall, he was known for his exciting style of play. Many people call him the "father of the crossover dribble."

Early Life and Army Service

Archie Clark was born on July 15, 1941, in Conway, Arkansas. He was the fourth of 12 children in his family. He grew up in Ecorse, Michigan, which is a town near Detroit. Archie went to high school there. He didn't start playing basketball until he was in 10th grade. Even so, he quickly became very good at both basketball and baseball.

After high school, Archie couldn't find a job because of a tough economy. So, he joined the United States Army and served for three years. While in the Army, he played basketball on a team coached by Buzz Bennett. Bennett was impressed by Archie's skills. He contacted a coach at the University of Minnesota to tell them about Archie.

College Basketball Career

Archie Clark was offered a basketball scholarship by the University of Minnesota. He played for the Minnesota Gophers for three seasons, from 1963 to 1966. He played as a guard under head coach John Kundla.

In his senior year, Archie averaged an impressive 24.5 points per game. This was the fourth-best scoring average in the Big Ten Conference that year. He was also chosen as the team captain in his senior year. This made him the first black team captain in the history of the Minnesota Gophers basketball program. Archie was also named to the first-team All-Big Ten conference.

Besides basketball, Archie also played baseball for the Gophers. He was a starter on the team that won the 1964 NCAA baseball championship.

Professional Basketball Journey

Starting with the Los Angeles Lakers

After a great college career, Archie Clark was chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1966 NBA draft. He was the 37th player picked overall. Archie played in the NBA for 10 seasons, from 1966 to 1976. During his career, he played for the Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Baltimore/Capital Bullets, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Detroit Pistons.

As a rookie with the Lakers, Archie averaged 10.5 points per game. The Lakers had many famous players, including future Hall of Famers Jerry West and Gail Goodrich. Archie finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting. In his second season (1967-68), Archie became the Lakers' starting point guard. He averaged 19.9 points per game and was selected to the NBA All-Star team.

Time with the Philadelphia 76ers

In 1968, Archie Clark was part of a big trade. He was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that brought superstar Wilt Chamberlain to the Lakers. Archie then became a starter for the 76ers for the next three seasons (1968-71).

In the 1969-70 season, Archie became the 76ers' main point guard. He averaged 19.7 points and five assists per game. His best season with the 76ers was in 1970-71. He led the team in minutes played and assists, averaging 21.3 points per game. That year, the 76ers made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Archie played very well in that series, averaging 23.6 points per game.

Playing for the Baltimore Bullets

In October 1971, Archie was traded to the Baltimore Bullets. He had an amazing year with the Bullets, leading the team with 25.1 points and eight assists per game. He was chosen as an All-Star again and was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

Archie had some disagreements about his contract with the Bullets. He felt he was not being paid enough. This led to him missing some games in the 1972-73 season. Eventually, they worked out a deal. He played in 39 games that year, averaging 18.3 points per game. The team later moved and became the Capital Bullets. Before the 1973-74 season, Archie hurt his shoulder, which required surgery. This limited him to 56 games that season.

Final Years in Seattle and Detroit

In 1974, Archie was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. He played one season there as the starting point guard, averaging 13.9 points and 5.6 assists per game. In 1975, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. Archie finished his NBA career with the Pistons in the 1975-76 season, playing as a backup guard.

Career Highlights

Throughout his NBA career, Archie Clark averaged 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game. He was selected to the National Basketball Association All-Star Game twice. He also earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 1972, which means he was recognized as one of the best guards in the league.

The Crossover Dribble

Archie Clark is famous for being one of the first players to use the crossover dribble effectively. This move involves quickly changing the ball from one hand to the other while dribbling, to trick a defender. His nickname "Shake and Bake" came from this move. Many people, including former NBA players, say that Archie Clark was the "father" of the crossover move in the NBA.

Life After Basketball

After his basketball career, Archie Clark moved back to Ecorse, Michigan. He became involved in his community. He worked for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. He also served as an executive assistant for Wayne County, Michigan.

Archie was also involved in local politics. In 1979, he successfully led the mayoral campaign for Harry White in Ecorse. In 1987, Archie himself ran for mayor of Ecorse, but he did not win.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Archie Clark para niños