Billy Knight facts for kids
Knight (front) in the 1974 Elite Eight with Pittsburgh
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 9, 1952 Braddock, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| High school | Braddock (Braddock, Pennsylvania) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Pittsburgh (1971–1974) |
| NBA Draft | 1974 / Round: 2 / Pick: 21st overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1974–1985 |
| Career history | |
| 1974–1977 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1977–1978 | Buffalo Braves |
| 1978–1979 | Boston Celtics |
| 1979–1983 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1983–1984 | Kansas City Kings |
| 1984–1985 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1985–1986 | CSP Limoges |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 13,901 (16.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,377 (5.3 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,862 (2.3 apg) |
William R. Knight (born June 9, 1952) is a former American professional basketball player. He also worked as a basketball executive. Billy Knight played for the Indiana Pacers in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was chosen as an All-Star in both leagues.
Before turning pro, he played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers. His jersey number 34 was later retired by the university. In 1974, he was named a second-team All-American. He started his professional journey with the Indiana Pacers. He was named to the ABA All-Rookie First Team in 1975.
Knight also played in the NBA for the Buffalo Braves, Boston Celtics, Kansas City Kings, and San Antonio Spurs. He finished his playing career with one season in France. After retiring from playing, he worked as an executive for the Pacers and the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies. From 2003 to 2008, he was the executive vice president and general manager of the Atlanta Hawks.
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Early Life and High School Basketball
Billy Knight was born and grew up in Braddock, Pennsylvania. This town is a suburb of Pittsburgh. He went to Braddock High School. In 1970, he was part of the Braddock Tigers basketball team. They won the Section High School Basketball Championship that year.
College Career at the University of Pittsburgh
Knight was a 6-foot-6-inch guard and forward. He played college basketball at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). He was a star player for the Panthers.
In 1974, Knight, along with teammates Mickey Martin and Kirk Bruce, led the Panthers to the East Regional Finals. This was part of the 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. They played against North Carolina State and their star player, David Thompson. North Carolina State won that game and went on to win the national championship.
During the 1973–1974 season, Pitt had an amazing record of 25 wins and 4 losses. They also won a school record of 22 games in a row. Because of his great performance, Knight was named to the second-team All-American team. Many people consider him one of the best players in Pitt's history. He was even voted to Pitt's all-time starting five.
On February 20, 1989, the University of Pittsburgh honored Billy Knight by retiring his number 34 jersey. This means no other player at Pitt will wear that number.
Professional Basketball Career
Billy Knight played professional basketball for 11 seasons. His career lasted from 1974 to 1985. He played in both the ABA and the NBA. His teams included the Indiana Pacers, Buffalo Braves, Boston Celtics, Kansas City Kings, and San Antonio Spurs.
During his ABA and NBA career, he scored a total of 13,901 points. He was selected to play in two NBA All-Star games. He also played in one ABA All-Star game.
First Time with the Indiana Pacers (1975–1977)
Billy Knight had some of his best years with the Indiana Pacers. Both the Pacers and the LA Lakers wanted to draft him. Knight was chosen as a 1st team ABA All-Star for the 1975–1976 season. This was his second year in the league. He averaged 28.1 points per game that season.
This was also the last year of the ABA league. After that season, the Indiana Pacers joined the NBA. The next year, Knight continued to be an All-Star, but this time in the NBA. He averaged 26.6 points per game, which was the second-best in the league that season.
Playing for Other NBA Teams (1978–1979)
After his time with the Pacers, Knight had a short but good period with the Buffalo Braves in 1978. The Braves team was not doing well at the time. They had recently lost their best player, Bob McAdoo. The team only won 27 games during Knight's one season there. However, Knight still played very well. He averaged 23 points and 7 rebounds. This was enough for him to be named to his third and final All-Star team.
Knight then moved from Buffalo to the Boston Celtics in a trade. His scoring numbers dropped from 22.9 points to 13.9 points per game with the Celtics.
Second Time with the Indiana Pacers (1979–1983) and Later Career
After less than a year in Boston, Knight was traded back to the Pacers. On November 11, 1980, Knight had an amazing game against the San Antonio Spurs. He scored 52 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and made 5 steals. This was his highest scoring game ever. He was named NBA Player of the Week for his performance.
Knight continued to be a strong player for the rest of his career. He averaged between 12 and 18 points for five seasons in a row. He finished his career playing for the San Antonio Spurs. There, he played alongside famous players like George Gervin and Artis Gilmore.
Billy Knight is the Indiana Pacers' third all-time leading scorer. He is also in the top 5 for several other team records. His average of 28.1 points per game in 1976 is still the highest by a Pacer in a single season. Knight is one of only a few players in NBA/ABA history to average 28 points and 10 rebounds in a season.
Front Office Career
After his playing career, Billy Knight worked in the front office for basketball teams. Before joining the Hawks, he worked for the Pacers and the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies.
Leading the Atlanta Hawks (2003–2008)
Knight became the General Manager (GM) of the Atlanta Hawks in 2003. His time as GM had both good and not-so-good moments. For example, in 2004, he chose Josh Childress in the draft. Later, other players like Luol Deng and Andre Iguodala became All-Stars. Childress eventually left the Hawks to play in Greece.
In 2005, Knight drafted Marvin Williams. Many people thought Chris Paul, who became a 9-time All-Star, was the best player available. The Hawks needed a point guard, but they had many young players like Josh Childress and Josh Smith who played similar positions to Williams. In 2006, he drafted Sheldon Williams, even though the team needed guards. Brandon Roy, who became an All-Star, was also available.
On May 7, 2008, Knight decided to step down as the Hawks' GM. He said that he left the team "in much better shape than it was in when I took over."
Personal Life
Billy Knight lives in Atlanta today. He enjoys playing tennis, a sport he started playing when he was about 30 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Billy Knight para niños
