Bo Lamar facts for kids
Lamar as a junior at USL, 1972
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 7, 1951 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | February 16, 2026 (aged 74) |
| High school | East (Columbus, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Louisiana (1969–1973) |
| NBA Draft | 1973 / Round: 3 / Pick: 44th overall |
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | |
| Pro career | 1973–1977 |
| Career history | |
| 1973–1975 | San Diego Conquistadors / Sails |
| 1975–1976 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1976–1977 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,478 (16.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 739 (2.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,063 (3.9 apg) |
Dwight "Bo" Lamar (born April 7, 1951, and passed away on February 16, 2026) was a talented American professional basketball player. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Bo Lamar was recognized as an All-American twice during his college years at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He even led the NCAA in scoring during the 1971-72 season. In 1973, he was the very first player chosen in the American Basketball Association Draft.
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Bo Lamar's College Basketball Journey
Bo Lamar went to East High School in Columbus, Ohio. After high school, he attended Southwestern Louisiana. The school's basketball program became a top-level Division I team in 1971–1972. Even though Bo didn't score many points in high school, his college coach, Beryl Shipley, made him the main player. Coach Shipley gave Bo the freedom to shoot often. Bo averaged 22.8 points and was named "Freshman of the Year" in his conference. During his senior year, the basketball program faced some serious challenges. These challenges meant the team couldn't play for two seasons after he left.
Bo Lamar was an amazing college player. He was named an All-American three times between 1969 and 1973. In 1972 and 1973, he was a First-Team All-American. He played alongside other famous players like Bill Walton and David Thompson. Throughout his college career, Bo averaged an incredible 31.2 points per game. He scored a total of 3,493 points, which is still one of the highest scores in NCAA basketball history. People remember his very high, long-range shots. Coaches often said his shots almost touched the ceiling!
Famous Coach Jerry Tarkanian once said, "Bo Lamar is the purest shooter I've ever seen." His college coach, Beryl Shipley, added, "If there had been a three-point shot back then, he would've averaged 50 points a game." This shows how talented Bo was at shooting.
Bo Lamar helped his college team, the Ragin' Cajuns, win many games. In his four seasons, they had a fantastic record of 90 wins and 23 losses. For his last three seasons, their record was 74 wins and only 13 losses. Only the famous UCLA team had a better record during that time.
Bo Lamar's Professional Basketball Career
After college, Bo Lamar was chosen in two different basketball drafts in 1973. The Detroit Pistons picked him in the third round of the NBA draft. However, he was the very first player chosen overall in the American Basketball Association (ABA) Draft by the San Diego Conquistadors. He decided to sign and play with the Conquistadors.
In his first year as a professional, the 1973–1974 season, Bo Lamar played for San Diego. He averaged 20.4 points per game and was named to the ABA All-Rookie team. He even played for the legendary Coach Wilt Chamberlain. In one game, Bo scored an amazing 50 points, setting a new record for his team!
In the 1974–1975 season, Bo continued to play well, averaging 20.9 points per game. During this time, he was coached again by his college coach, Beryl Shipley. In his third season, he averaged 16.0 points. His final year was 1976–1977, when he played for the Los Angeles Lakers. He did not play as much that season and was released by the team afterward.
Bo Lamar played for three teams in the ABA. These were the San Diego Conquistadors (1973–1975), the rebranded San Diego Sails (1975), and the Indiana Pacers (1975–1976). The San Diego Sails team stopped playing after only 11 games. After the ABA and NBA leagues joined together in the ABA–NBA merger, Bo moved to the NBA. In the 1976–1977 season, he played 71 games for the Los Angeles Lakers. Throughout his professional career, Bo Lamar played 273 games. He averaged 16.4 points and 3.9 assists per game. In his ABA games, he averaged 19.7 points and 4.4 assists.
Bo Lamar's Life and Legacy
After his playing career, Bo Lamar worked as a basketball commentator on the radio for Louisiana-Lafayette. He later retired and moved back to his home state of Ohio. Bo Lamar passed away on February 16, 2026, when he was 74 years old.
Bo Lamar's Achievements and Honors
Bo Lamar received many special awards and recognitions for his basketball achievements:
- He was inducted into the UL Athletics Hall of Fame.
- One sports list ranked him among the top 100 players in NCAA basketball history, placing him at number 64.
- In 1984, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2018, the Ohio State High School Athletic Association chose him for their Circle of Champions.
See also
In Spanish: Bo Lamar para niños
