Bob McAdoo facts for kids

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Bob McAdoo
[[Miami Heat\|Miami Heat]]
McAdoo with the Buffalo Braves in 1973
Community liaison
Personal information
Born	(1951-09-25) September 25, 1951 (age 73) Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	Ben L. Smith (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	Vincennes (1969–1971) North Carolina (1971–1972)
NBA Draft	1972 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Buffalo Braves
Pro career	1972–1992
Coaching career	1995–2014
League	NBA
Career history
As player:
1972–1976	Buffalo Braves
1976–1979	New York Knicks
1979	Boston Celtics
1979–1981	Detroit Pistons
1981	New Jersey Nets
1981–1985	Los Angeles Lakers
1986	Philadelphia 76ers
1986–1990	Olimpia Milano
1990–1992	Filanto Forlì
1992	Teamsystem Fabriano
As coach:
1995–2014	Miami Heat (assistant)

Career highlights and awards
As player: 2× NBA champion (1982, 1985) NBA Most Valuable Player (1975) 5× NBA All-Star (1974–1978) All-NBA First Team (1975) All-NBA Second Team (1974) NBA Rookie of the Year (1973) NBA All-Rookie Team (1973) 3× NBA scoring champion (1974–1976) NBA 75th Anniversary Team FIBA Intercontinental Cup champion (1987) 2× EuroLeague champion (1987, 1988) EuroLeague Final Four MVP (1988) 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors (2008) 2× Italian League champion (1987, 1989) Italian Cup winner (1987) Consensus first-team All-American (1972) First-team All-ACC (1972) NJCAA All American (1971) As assistant coach: 3× NBA champion (2006, 2012, 2013)

Career NBA statistics
Points	18,787 (22.1 ppg)
Rebounds	8,048 (9.4 rpg)
Blocks	1,147 (1.5 bpg)

Robert Allen McAdoo Jr. (pronounced MAK-ə-doo; born September 25, 1951) is a famous American former professional basketball player and coach. He played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his time, he was a five-time NBA All-Star and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1975.

Bob McAdoo won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. In 2000, he was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was also chosen for the special NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

McAdoo mostly played as a center during his career. After 14 seasons in the NBA, he spent his last seven playing in Italy's Lega Basket Serie A. He is one of the few players to win both NBA and EuroLeague titles. Later, he won three more NBA championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013 as an assistant coach for the Miami Heat.

Early Life and High School Sports
College Basketball Career
Professional Basketball Journey
Coaching and Scouting Career
Personal Life
Honors and Achievements
NBA Career Statistics
- Regular Season
- Playoffs
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and High School Sports

Bob McAdoo grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina. His mother, Vandalia, was a teacher at his school. His father, Robert, worked at North Carolina A&T University.

McAdoo went to Ben L. Smith High School. There, he played basketball and ran track. He was also part of the marching band, playing the saxophone. In his senior year, he led his high school basketball team to the state semifinals. He also set a new state record in the high-jump at 6 feet and 7 inches. He even beat out his future college teammate, Bobby Jones.

College Basketball Career

After high school, Bob McAdoo's test scores were not high enough for Division I colleges. So, he decided to attend Vincennes University, a junior college, in Indiana from 1969 to 1971. In 1970, Vincennes University won the NJCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. McAdoo scored 27 points in that championship game. He was named a Junior College All-American in 1971.

McAdoo in his only season at UNC

At Vincennes, McAdoo averaged 19.3 points and 10 rebounds in his first year. In his second year, he averaged 25.0 points and 11.0 rebounds. In the summer of 1971, he played for Team USA at the 1971 Pan American Games.

McAdoo then enrolled at the University of North Carolina in 1971. He was the only junior college player that Coach Dean Smith ever recruited. Playing with Bobby Jones, McAdoo helped the Tar Heels to a 26–5 record. They reached the Final Four of the 1972 NCAA University Division basketball tournament. McAdoo averaged 19.5 points and 10.1 rebounds. He was named a first-team All-American. He also won the MVP award at the ACC tournament.

McAdoo decided to leave college early for the 1972 NBA draft because his family needed financial help. Coach Dean Smith supported his decision. McAdoo said that his father and Coach Smith encouraged him to go to the NBA, even though his mother was against it at first.

Professional Basketball Journey

McAdoo (11) playing for the Buffalo Braves

Bob McAdoo was chosen as the second overall pick by the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) in the 1972 NBA draft. He quickly became one of the best players in the NBA. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1973. He also earned the first of his three straight NBA scoring titles in his second season.

In his second season (1973–74), McAdoo averaged 30.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game. He also led the NBA in field goal percentage, shooting 54.7 percent. That year, he was selected for his first of five All-Star games. He led Buffalo to their first playoffs, but they lost to the Boston Celtics.

In the 1974–75 season, McAdoo was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. He averaged an amazing 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 2.12 blocks per game. He is the youngest player to ever have a game with 50 points and 20 rebounds. The Braves finished with a better record of 49–33 that season.

During the 1976 NBA Playoffs, McAdoo and the Braves finally won their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. McAdoo averaged 30.3 points and 18.7 rebounds in that series. However, they were eliminated by the Celtics in the next round. On December 7, 1976, McAdoo had a career-high 29 rebounds and scored 42 points. Two days later, he was traded to the New York Knicks.

McAdoo's playing style was ahead of his time. Even though he was a tall "big man" at 6 feet 9 inches, he could shoot well from far away. This made him very hard to guard on offense. In 334 games with Buffalo, McAdoo averaged 28.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks.

Playing for the New York Knicks

In 52 games with the Knicks in 1976–77, McAdoo averaged 26.7 points and 12.7 rebounds. He played alongside future Hall of Fame players like Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe. In 1977–78, the Knicks made the playoffs. They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers but then lost to the Philadelphia 76ers with Julius Erving.

In 1978–79, McAdoo was traded from the Knicks to the Boston Celtics after 40 games. In his time with the Knicks, McAdoo averaged 26.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks.

Short Stays with Celtics and Pistons

With the Boston Celtics, McAdoo averaged 20.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 20 games. He played fewer minutes because of other strong players on the team. After that season, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

In 1979–80, McAdoo joined the Pistons. He averaged 21.1 points and 8.1 rebounds in 58 games. He played alongside Hall of Famer Bob Lanier. He was later waived by the Pistons in March 1981. He then signed with the New Jersey Nets and played 10 games with them.

Winning Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers

On December 24, 1981, McAdoo was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He had a great end to his NBA career, winning two NBA titles with the Lakers in 1982 and 1985. He was a key reserve player on the famous "Showtime" Lakers teams. These teams included Hall of Famers like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy.

McAdoo was a bit frustrated not to start games, but he chose to be part of championship teams. He said, "That championship is the one thing I don't have. I'll do whatever I need to get it."

In 1981–82, the Lakers won the 1982 NBA Championship. In the 1982 NBA Finals, McAdoo averaged 16.3 points as the Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers. He re-signed with the Lakers for the next season, even turning down a bigger offer from the 76ers.

McAdoo helped the Lakers win another NBA Championship in 1984–85, defeating Boston. He averaged 8.2 points in the 1985 NBA Finals. After that season, the Lakers did not re-sign him.

Final NBA Season with Philadelphia 76ers

On January 31, 1986, McAdoo signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. He finished his NBA career playing 29 games for them in the 1985–86 season. He averaged 10.1 points alongside stars like Julius Erving and Charles Barkley. In his final NBA game, McAdoo scored 7 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.

NBA Career Totals

In his NBA career, Bob McAdoo scored 18,787 points. He averaged 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals in 852 games. He played for the Buffalo Braves, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Philadelphia 76ers.

Playing in Italy

After his NBA career, McAdoo played in Italy for seven seasons. He first played with Olimpia Milano. He became one of the best American players ever seen in Europe. He led the club to two straight EuroLeague titles in 1987 and 1988. He was even named the EuroLeague Final Four MVP in 1988. With Olimpia Milano, he also won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in 1987, two Italian League championships, and the Italian Cup.

He later played for other Italian clubs, Filanto Forlì and Teamsystem Fabriano. He retired from playing professional basketball in 1992 at age 41. In his seven seasons in Italy, McAdoo played in 201 games, averaging 27.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

Coaching and Scouting Career

Starting in 1995, Bob McAdoo worked for the Miami Heat for 25 years. He was an assistant coach for 19 seasons. He worked under coaches Pat Riley, Stan Van Gundy, and Erik Spoelstra. As an assistant coach, he won three more NBA championships with the Heat. After coaching, he worked as a scout and community liaison for the team.

McAdoo joined the Heat when Pat Riley, who was his coach with the Lakers, became the Heat's head coach and general manager in 1995. Riley quickly asked McAdoo to join his coaching staff.

Personal Life

McAdoo in 2009

Bob McAdoo's first wife, Charlina, passed away in 1991. They had four children together.

McAdoo and his wife, Patrizia, live in Boca Raton, Florida. He met Patrizia while playing basketball in Italy. They have two children. Their daughter Rasheeda played tennis at Georgia Tech and now plays professional tennis. Their son Ryan is a basketball player at the University of North Carolina.

In 2010, McAdoo took part in the Basketball Without Borders program in Singapore. This program uses sports to help with education, health, and wellness. He also participated in the program in Beijing in 2009. In 1993, he went on the NBA Legends Tour to South Africa to promote the NBA. McAdoo was also a basketball adviser for the 1993 movie, "The Air Up There".

In 2012, McAdoo received treatment for a blood clot in his leg.

Bob McAdoo's second cousin, Ronnie McAdoo, is the father of James Michael McAdoo. James Michael also played for the Tar Heels basketball team and became a professional player in 2014. Former NFL player Ephraim Salaam is also a nephew of McAdoo.

Honors and Achievements

In 1993, Bob McAdoo was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
He was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He still holds records for the Buffalo Braves/Clippers.
McAdoo was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.
In 2006, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 2008, he was named one of the 50 Greatest EuroLeague Contributors.
McAdoo was inducted into the Olimpia Milano Hall of Fame in 2013.
In 2016, the gymnasium at Ben L. Smith High School was named after him.
In 2019, the University of North Carolina honored McAdoo and others with a banner for being elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
He is also a member of the Guilford County Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2021, McAdoo was chosen for the special NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

NBA Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Regular Season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1972–73	Buffalo	80	—	32.0	.452	—	.774	9.1	1.7	—	—	18.0
1973–74	Buffalo	74	—	43.0	.547*	—	.793	15.1	2.3	1.2	3.3	30.6*
1974–75	Buffalo	82	—	43.2*	.512	—	.805	14.1	2.2	1.1	2.1	34.5*
1975–76	Buffalo	78	—	42.7*	.487	—	.762	12.4	4.0	1.2	2.1	31.1*
1976–77	Buffalo	20	—	38.4	.455	—	.696	13.2	3.3	0.8	1.7	23.7
1976–77	New York	52	—	39.1	.534	—	.757	12.7	2.7	1.2	1.3	26.7
1977–78	New York	79	—	40.3	.520	—	.727	12.8	3.8	1.3	1.6	26.5
1978–79	New York	40	—	39.9	.541	—	.651	9.5	3.2	1.6	1.2	26.9
1978–79	Boston	20	—	31.9	.500	—	.670	7.1	2.0	0.6	1.0	20.6
1979–80	Detroit	58	—	36.2	.480	.125	.730	8.1	3.4	1.3	1.1	21.1
1980–81	Detroit	6	—	28.0	.366	—	.600	6.8	3.3	1.3	1.2	12.0
1980–81	New Jersey	10	—	15.3	.507	.000	.810	2.6	1.0	0.9	0.6	9.3
1981–82†	L.A. Lakers	41	0	18.2	.458	.000	.714	3.9	0.8	0.5	0.9	9.6
1982–83	L.A. Lakers	47	1	21.7	.520	.000	.730	5.3	0.8	0.9	0.9	15.0
1983–84	L.A. Lakers	70	0	20.8	.471	.000	.803	4.1	1.1	0.6	0.7	13.1
1984–85†	L.A. Lakers	66	0	19.0	.520	.000	.753	4.5	1.0	0.3	0.8	10.5
1985–86	Philadelphia	29	0	21.0	.462	—	.765	3.6	1.2	0.3	0.6	10.1
Career		852	1	33.2	.503	.081	.754	9.4	2.3	1.0	1.5	22.1
All-Star		5	3	25.2	.578	—	.737	6.0	1.2	0.8	0.4	17.6

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1974	Buffalo	6	—	45.2	.478	—	.809	13.7	1.5	1.0	2.2	31.7
1975	Buffalo	7	—	46.7*	.481	—	.740	13.4	1.4	0.9	2.7	37.4*
1976	Buffalo	9	—	45.1*	.451	—	.707	14.2	3.2	0.8	2.0	28.0
1978	New York	6	—	39.7	.484	—	.600	9.7	3.8	1.2	2.0	23.8
1982†	L.A. Lakers	14	—	27.7	.564	—	.681	6.8	1.6	0.7	1.5	16.7
1983	L.A. Lakers	8	—	20.8	.440	.333	.786	5.8	0.6	1.4	1.3	10.9
1984	L.A. Lakers	20	—	22.4	.516	.000	.704	5.4	0.6	0.6	1.4	14.0
1985†	L.A. Lakers	19	0	20.9	.472	.000	.745	4.5	0.8	0.5	1.4	11.4
1986	Philadelphia	5	0	14.6	.556	—	.875	2.8	0.4	0.8	1.0	10.8
Career		94	0	28.9	.491	.250	.724	7.6	1.4	0.8	1.6	18.3