Bob Boozer facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | April 26, 1937 Omaha, Nebraska |
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||||
| Died | May 19, 2012 (aged 75) Omaha, Nebraska |
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| High school | Omaha Technical (Omaha, Nebraska) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Kansas State (1956–1959) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1959 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1959–1971 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1960 | Peoria Caterpillars | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1960–1963 | Cincinnati Royals | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1963–1965 | New York Knicks | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1965–1966 | Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1969 | Chicago Bulls | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1970 | Seattle SuperSonics | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 12,964 (14.8 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 7,119 (8.1 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 1,237 (1.4 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Robert Louis Boozer (born April 26, 1937 – died May 19, 2012) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Boozer won a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He also won an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971. His 1960 U.S. Olympic team was honored in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Bob Boozer grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. He went to Tech High School in Omaha. One of his teammates there was Bob Gibson, who later became a famous baseball player.
Boozer played college basketball at Kansas State University. He helped his team, the Wildcats, reach the Final Four in 1958. He was also named an All-American player in both 1958 and 1959.
He was a tall player, about 6 feet 8 inches. In the 1959 NBA draft, the Cincinnati Royals picked him first. But Bob waited one year to play in the NBA. This allowed him to play in the 1960 Summer Olympics. During that year, he played for the Peoria Caterpillars. He helped them win a national championship and was named the tournament's best player.
Olympic Gold Medalist
Bob Boozer was part of the 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team. This team won a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. They won all eight of their games by a lot of points. This amazing team was later added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
NBA Career Highlights
Playing for the Cincinnati Royals
In 1960, Bob Boozer joined the Cincinnati Royals. His Olympic teammate, Oscar Robertson, also played for the Royals. In his first year, Bob was a reserve player. He scored 8.4 points and grabbed 6.2 rebounds per game.
The next season, he became a starter. He improved his game, averaging 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds. He continued to play well for the Royals. However, another great player, Jerry Lucas, joined the team. This meant Bob Boozer's time with the Royals would soon end.
Time with the Knicks and Lakers
In the middle of the 1963–64 season, Bob Boozer was traded to the New York Knicks. He played for the Knicks for about a year and a half. He was a good player for them.
In 1965, he was traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers. He played a supporting role on the Lakers. The team had other famous players like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. After one season with the Lakers, the Chicago Bulls picked him in the 1966 NBA Expansion Draft.
Becoming an All-Star with the Chicago Bulls
When Bob Boozer joined the Chicago Bulls in 1966, he really shined. In his first year with the Bulls, he averaged 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds. He helped the new Bulls team make it to the playoffs.
The next year, he played even better. He averaged 21.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. He was chosen to play in the 1968 NBA All-Star Game. He was only the third Bulls player ever to be an All-Star. In the 1968–1969 season, he scored a career-high 21.7 points per game. After this season, he was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics.
Winning an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks
After playing one season with the SuperSonics, Boozer was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He joined the Bucks with another player named Lucius Allen. In that season, Bob Boozer played an important role as a reserve player. He helped the Bucks win their very first NBA championship in 1971.
Bob Boozer finished his NBA career with 12,964 total points and 7,119 total rebounds.
Later Life and Legacy
After his basketball career, Bob Boozer moved back to Omaha, Nebraska. He worked as an executive for a phone company. He was also appointed to the Nebraska Parole Board. He volunteered his time at Boys Town, a place that helps young people.
A street in his hometown of Omaha is named Bob Boozer Drive in his honor.
Bob Boozer passed away on May 19, 2012, in Omaha, Nebraska, at the age of 75.
Images for kids
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Bob Boozer playing for Kansas State
See also
In Spanish: Bob Boozer para niños
