Clifford Ray facts for kids
Ray in 2017
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 21, 1949 Union, South Carolina, U.S. |
| High school | Sims (Union, South Carolina) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Oklahoma (1968–1971) |
| NBA Draft | 1971 / Round: 3 / Pick: 40th overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Pro career | 1971–1981 |
| Coaching career | 1987–2013 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1971–1974 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1974–1981 | Golden State Warriors |
| As coach: | |
| 1987–1993 | Dallas Mavericks (assistant) |
| 1993–1994 | Fort Wayne Fury |
| 1995–1996 | New Jersey Nets (assistant) |
| 2000–2002 | Golden State Warriors (assistant) |
| 2002–2003 | Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant) |
| 2004–2005 | Orlando Magic (assistant) |
| 2006–2010 | Boston Celtics (assistant) |
| 2012–2013 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As assistant coach:
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 5,821 (7.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,953 (8.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,728 (2.2 apg) |
Clifford Ray (born January 21, 1949) is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played for ten seasons in the NBA. He spent three seasons with the Chicago Bulls (1971-1974) and seven seasons with the Golden State Warriors (1974-1981).
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Clifford Ray's Basketball Journey
Clifford Ray played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma. He even earned a special degree in fine arts and can play many woodwind instruments!
The Chicago Bulls picked him in the 1971 NBA draft. Right away, Clifford was known as a great defender and rebounder. He was so good at getting rebounds that he led the NBA in "rebounds per minute played" in his first two years. In 1972, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. He played three seasons with the Bulls. His best season there was 1973-74, when he averaged 9.3 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. The Bulls even reached the Western Conference finals for the first time that year!
Winning an NBA Championship
Before the 1974-75 season, Clifford Ray was traded to the Golden State Warriors. This trade helped the Warriors get a strong player who was younger. In 1975, the Warriors, led by star player Rick Barry and coached by Al Attles, won the NBA championship! Clifford Ray was a key part of this team. He led the Warriors in rebounding and was a strong anchor for their defense. They beat his old team, the Chicago Bulls, in the Western Conference finals. Then, they swept the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals to become champions.
Clifford Ray is one of only a few players who played at least ten seasons in the NBA and had more rebounds than points in his career. This special group includes famous players like Nate Thurmond, Bill Russell, Wes Unseld, Dennis Rodman, Dikembe Mutombo, and Ben Wallace.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Clifford Ray became an assistant coach. He worked with the Dallas Mavericks starting in 1987. He also coached in another league called the Continental Basketball Association. He even became a head coach for the Fort Wayne Fury.
Later, he was an assistant coach for the New Jersey Nets and then returned to the Golden State Warriors. He also worked with the Orlando Magic. From 2005 to 2010, he was an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. With the Celtics, he helped them win another NBA championship in 2008! He also worked as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings in 2012.
Amazing Dolphin Rescue
In 1978, Clifford Ray became famous for something amazing he did off the court. He saved a dolphin's life at the Marine World/Africa USA amusement park in Redwood City, California.
A bottlenose dolphin named "Mr. Spock" had accidentally swallowed a bolt with a sharp screw. The park's animal doctor couldn't reach the object inside the dolphin's stomach. The doctor joked that he needed longer arms. Mike Demetrios, the park president and a basketball fan, remembered Clifford Ray's incredibly long arms. Clifford's arms were three feet nine inches (114 centimeters) long!
With special gloves, lubrication, and careful guidance, Clifford Ray successfully reached into the dolphin's stomach. He was able to get the screw out without hurting the dolphin. It was a truly heroic act!
