Bruce Seals facts for kids
Seals with Varese in 1979–80.
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 18, 1953 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | December 15, 2020 (aged 67) Boston, Massachusetts |
| High school | Booker T. Washington (New Orleans, Louisiana) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Xavier (Louisiana) (1971–1973) |
| NBA Draft | 1975 / Round: 2 / Pick: 21st overall |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Pro career | 1973–1984 |
| Career history | |
| 1973–1975 | Utah Stars |
| 1975–1978 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1979–1980 | Pallacanestro Varese |
| 1981–1982 | Reyer Venezia |
| 1983–1984 | Alpe Bergamo |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,107 (8.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,463 (4.2 rpg) |
| Blocks | 208 (0.6 bpg) |
Bruce A. Seals (born June 18, 1953 – died December 15, 2020) was an American basketball player. He played in two major leagues: the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Bruce Seals was first chosen by the Utah Stars in the ABA draft. He played two seasons there. Later, the Seattle SuperSonics picked him in the 1975 NBA draft. He then played three seasons in the NBA.
His basketball career lasted five seasons across these two leagues. He mostly played as a power forward. After leaving the NBA in 1978, Seals played in the Italian League.
In his later life, Bruce Seals worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He taught young people in cities about the positive power of basketball. He was with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester starting in 1990.
Contents
Bruce Seals' Early Life and College Basketball
Bruce Seals was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He went to Booker T. Washington High School in New Orleans. In 1971, he was named Louisiana's best high school basketball player.
Playing in College
Seals went to Xavier University of Louisiana for college. He played basketball there for coach Bob Hopkins. His teammate was Donald "Slick" Watts, who later became an NBA star.
In 1972, Seals and Watts helped the Xavier Gold Rush win their first NAIA District 30 Men's Basketball championship. They beat Nicholls State University 85-83. However, they lost in the semi-finals of the 1972 NAIA tournament.
In his junior and final college season (1973), Seals and Watts led the Xavier Gold Rush to another NAIA District 30 Championship. They beat Dillard University 101-80. In the 1973 NAIA men's basketball tournament, they surprised Sam Houston State University with a 67-60 win. Sam Houston State was ranked number one in the country at the time. The Xavier Gold Rush eventually lost in the semi-finals to Maryland-Eastern Shore.
For his great 1972-73 season, Seals earned honors as an NAIA All-American and an Associated Press All-American. Bruce Seals left Xavier after his junior year to join the Utah Stars.
Bruce Seals in the ABA
First Season with Utah Stars (1973–74)
The Utah Stars picked Bruce Seals in the first round of the ABA draft. The Stars had a great record the year before.
In his first season, Seals played 78 games. He averaged 7.0 points per game. The Utah Stars won their division.
In the playoffs, the Stars won their division semifinals and finals. But they lost the championship series to the New York Nets. Seals scored 89 points in 15 playoff games.
Second Season with Utah Stars (1974–75)
In his second season, Seals played 35 games. He averaged 4.0 points per game. Moses Malone, a future star, joined the team that year.
The Utah Stars finished fourth in their division. In the playoffs, they lost in the first round to the Denver Nuggets. Seals scored 24 points in 3 playoff games.
Bruce Seals in the NBA
Joining the Seattle SuperSonics (1975–76)
The Seattle SuperSonics drafted Bruce Seals in the second round of the 1975 NBA draft.
Seals played 81 games for the SuperSonics in the 1975–76 season. He averaged 11.8 points per game and scored 957 points in total.
In the playoffs, he played 6 games and scored 78 points, averaging 13 points per game. The SuperSonics finished second in their division and conference.
Second NBA Season (1976–77)
Seals played 81 games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1976–77 season. He averaged 11.0 points per game and scored 894 points.
The SuperSonics finished near the bottom of their division and conference that season.
Final NBA Season (1977–78)
Seals played 73 games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1977–78 season. He averaged 7.8 points per game and scored 571 points.
He played a small role in the playoffs, scoring 27 points in 9 games. The SuperSonics finished third in their division. They won the Western Conference but lost in the NBA Finals to the Washington Bullets.
Career Statistics
ABA Career
In his two years with the Utah Stars in the ABA, Bruce Seals played 113 games. He averaged 6.1 points per game, scoring 685 points in total.
In the ABA playoffs, he played 18 games. He averaged 6.3 points per game, scoring 113 points.
Bruce Seals had 73 blocks in his ABA career, which was the 43rd highest. He also had 72 steals, ranking 95th in the ABA.
NBA Career
In his three seasons in the NBA, Bruce Seals played 235 games. He averaged 10.3 points per game. He scored a total of 2422 points for the Seattle SuperSonics.
Later Years and Legacy
Bruce Seals often said that "the game was good to me... I saw the world." After leaving the Seattle SuperSonics, he played in the Italian leagues.
Years later, Bruce got married and had two children. In 1990, his family moved to Boston. Seals started working at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester as the Assistant Athletic Director. In 1991, he became the Director and stayed in that role. He worked to teach young people that basketball can be a positive force in their lives.
Bruce Seals also supported his niece, Joy Hollingsworth, who played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats.
Seals continued to be involved in basketball as an assistant coach at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts after the 1994–95 season.
Bruce Seals passed away on December 15, 2020, at the age of 67.
See also
In Spanish: Bruce Seals para niños
