Bob Dandridge facts for kids

Robert L. Dandridge Jr. (born November 15, 1947) is a famous American basketball player who used to play professionally. People called him the "Greyhound" because he was so quick. Bob Dandridge was an amazing player, becoming an NBA All-Star four times and winning two NBA championships. He scored over 15,500 points in his career! In 2021, he was honored by being chosen for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Growing Up and Playing in College

Bob Dandridge was born in Richmond, Virginia. He went to Maggie L. Walker High School there. After high school, he played college basketball at Norfolk State University. His college teams had fantastic seasons.

In 1968, his team, the Norfolk State Spartans, won the CIAA title with a great record of 25 wins and only 2 losses. The next year, they had another strong season with 21 wins and 4 losses. Bob Dandridge was chosen by two professional basketball teams in 1969: the Kentucky Colonels in the ABA draft and the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA draft. He decided to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Becoming an NBA Star

Bob Dandridge quickly made a name for himself in the NBA. In his first year, 1970, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, which means he was one of the best new players.

Winning Championships with the Bucks and Bullets

In just his second season, Bob Dandridge played a huge part in helping the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA championship in 1971. He played alongside two future Hall of Fame players, Lew Alcindor (who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Oscar Robertson. In one important game of the 1971 NBA Finals, Dandridge scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading all players in scoring.

He played for the Bucks for nine seasons. Then, he joined the Washington Bullets and immediately helped them win another NBA championship in 1978. On that team, he played with other future Hall of Famers, Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. In Game 7 of the 1978 Finals, his dunk helped seal the championship victory for the Bullets!

A Top Player of the 1970s

Bob Dandridge played a total of 13 seasons in the NBA. He was known as one of the best forwards in the 1970s. He averaged 18.5 points per game during his regular season career and an even higher 20 points per game in playoff games. He was also selected as an NBA All-Star four times, showing how consistently good he was.

Interestingly, Bob Dandridge scored more points in the NBA Finals during the 1970s than any other player, even more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar! He scored a total of 450 points in his four NBA Finals appearances. He returned to the Milwaukee Bucks for a short time in 1981 before he retired from playing.

Life After Playing Basketball

After his amazing playing career, Bob Dandridge became an assistant coach at Hampton University from 1987 to 1992. Today, he lives in Norfolk, Virginia, and helps young players by running basketball clinics.

Awards and Honors

Bob Dandridge has received many honors for his basketball achievements.

• In 1992, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
• In 2021, he was elected to the prestigious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is one of the highest honors a basketball player can receive.
• His jersey number 10 was retired by the Milwaukee Bucks, meaning no other player on that team will wear that number again.
• His college number 12 was also retired by the Norfolk State Spartans.

See also

In Spanish: Bob Dandridge para niños