Dean Meminger facts for kids
Meminger at Marquette
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 13, 1948 Walterboro, South Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | August 23, 2013 (aged 65) Bronx, New York |
| High school | Rice (New York City, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Marquette (1968–1971) |
| NBA Draft | 1971 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1971–1977 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1971–1974 | New York Knicks |
| 1974–1976 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1976–1977 | New York Knicks |
| As coach: | |
| 1978–1980 | New York Stars |
| 1980–1981 | San Francisco Pioneers |
| 1982 | Albany Patroons |
| 1987 | Long Island Knights |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 2,552 (6.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,086 (2.6 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,046 (2.5 apg) |
Dean Peter "The Dream" Meminger (born May 13, 1948 – died August 23, 2013) was an American basketball player and coach. He was known for his strong defense and important role in the New York Knicks winning an NBA championship. After his playing career, he became a successful coach.
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Early Life and High School Basketball
Dean Meminger was born in Walterboro, South Carolina. When he was in seventh grade, his family moved to Harlem, New York. He quickly became a star basketball player. Dean played for Rice High School in New York City. He also became famous for his skills on the outdoor basketball courts in Harlem.
College Career at Marquette
Meminger attended Marquette University. There, he played basketball for coach Al McGuire. His team was known as the Marquette Warriors back then. In 1970, Dean helped Marquette win the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
Winning the NIT Championship
The 1970 Marquette team was ranked among the top teams in the country. They were invited to the NCAA tournament. However, after a disagreement about where they would play, Marquette chose to play in the NIT instead. They dominated the NIT tournament.
Meminger was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1970 NIT. In the semi-finals, Marquette beat Pete Maravich and LSU with a score of 101–79. They then won the championship game against St. John's 65–53. During his college career, Dean Meminger never lost a home game.
NBA Career with the Knicks
Dean Meminger was chosen in the first round of the 1971 NBA Draft. He was the 16th player picked overall. The New York Knicks drafted him, and he played for them from 1971 to 1974. He later returned to the Knicks for the 1976-1977 season.
Becoming an NBA Champion
As a rookie in the 1971–72 season, Meminger played about 15 minutes per game. He averaged 4.6 points. In the 1972–73 season, he averaged 5.7 points in 18 minutes per game. That year, Meminger helped the Knicks win their second-ever NBA championship.
The Knicks had star guards like Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe. In a key Game 7 of the 1973 Eastern Conference finals, Meminger stepped up. He replaced Monroe in the second quarter. Dean played strong defense against Boston Celtics guard Jo Jo White. He also scored 13 points in that important game. After beating the Celtics, the Knicks went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA title. In the playoffs, Meminger played in all 17 games. He made 31 out of 56 shots, which was a great shooting percentage of .554.
In his third season (1973–74), Meminger's playing time increased. He played about 26.7 minutes per game. He averaged 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, which were career highs for him. He also averaged 2.1 assists.
Time with the Atlanta Hawks
For the 1974–75 season, Meminger played for the Atlanta Hawks. He averaged 27.2 minutes, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He also scored 7.9 points per game. In his fifth NBA season (1975–76) with the Hawks, he averaged 6.0 points and 3.3 assists in just over 20 minutes per game. The 1976–77 season was his final NBA season, where he returned to the Knicks.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Dean Meminger became a basketball coach. He was the head coach of the New York Stars. This team played in the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL). The WBL played for three seasons from 1978 to 1981.
WBL Championship and Coach of the Year
Meminger led the New York Stars to the league championship during the 1979–80 season. For his excellent coaching, he was named the WBL Coach of the Year. After the Stars, Meminger coached the San Francisco Pioneers in the WBL's final season.
In 1982, Meminger was hired to coach the Albany Patroons in the Continental Basketball Association. He was later replaced by his former Knicks teammate and friend, Phil Jackson. Meminger even tried out for the team under Jackson, but he did not return to playing.
Meminger also coached the USBL's Long Island Knights in 1987. In later years, he spent some time coaching at Manhattanville College in New York.
Personal Life
Dean Meminger's son, who has the same name, is a news reporter and anchor for NY1 News.
In November 2009, Meminger was rescued from a fire in the Bronx, New York City. He recovered from smoke inhalation and remained active in local basketball events. Dean Meminger passed away on August 23, 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Dean Meminger para niños
