Ed Ratleff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ed Ratleff

Ratleff as a sophomore at Long Beach State.
Personal information
Born	(1950-03-29) March 29, 1950 (age 75) Bellefontaine, Ohio, U.S.
High school	East (Columbus, Ohio)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College	Long Beach State (1970–1973)
NBA Draft	1973 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	1973–1978
Career history
1973–1978	Houston Rockets
Career highlights and awards
2× Consensus first-team All-American (1972, 1973) 2× PCAA Player of the Year (1972, 1973) 3× First-team All-PCAA (1971–1973) No. 42 retired by Long Beach State 49ers
Career NBA statistics
Points	2,813 (8.3 ppg)
Rebounds	1,363 (4.0 rpg)
Assists	896 (2.7 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States Olympic Games Silver 1972 Munich Team

William Edward "Easy Ed" Ratleff (born March 29, 1950) is a famous American retired basketball player. He was known for his amazing skills on the court. Ed Ratleff played in high school, college, and even in the NBA. He also represented the USA in the Olympic Games.

Ed Ratleff's Early Life and High School Success

Ed Ratleff grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He went to East High School there. He was a star on the basketball team.

Leading His Team to Championships

Ed helped his high school team win big. In the 1967–1968 season, his team, the East High Tigers, won the state championship. They had a perfect record of 25 wins and no losses!

The next year, 1968–1969, the Tigers won the state championship again. They were undefeated once more. Over three seasons, Ed led his team to three state championship games. They won two of them and had an incredible record of 70 wins and only 1 loss.

College Basketball and Olympic Dreams

After high school, Ed Ratleff played college basketball at Long Beach State. He played for coach Jerry Tarkanian.

A College Star

Ed was a very important player for his college team. He was a 6-foot-6-inch player who could play both guard and forward. He still holds the school record for the highest scoring average in a career, with 21.4 points per game.

His talent was recognized nationally. He was named a first-team All-American twice. This means he was considered one of the best college players in the country in both the 1971–1972 and 1972–1973 seasons.

Playing for Team USA in the Olympics

In 1972, Ed Ratleff was chosen to play for the United States national basketball team at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. This was a huge honor for him.

The US team played in the gold medal game against the Soviet Union. It was a very close and memorable game. The US team lost in a way that caused a lot of discussion. Because of this, Ed and his teammates decided not to accept their silver medals. During the Olympic tournament, Ed averaged 6.4 points per game.

Ed Ratleff's Professional Career

After college, Ed Ratleff was ready for the professional league. He was picked by the Houston Rockets in the 1973 NBA draft. He was the sixth player chosen overall, which shows how highly he was rated.

Playing for the Houston Rockets

Ed played five seasons in the NBA, all for the Houston Rockets. During his NBA career, he averaged 8.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He was a solid player for the team.

Life After Basketball and Honors

Even after his playing career ended, Ed Ratleff continued to be honored for his basketball achievements.

In 1991, Long Beach State retired his jersey number, 42. This means no other player at the school will ever wear that number again. It's a special way to remember his impact on the team.

He has also been inducted into several Halls of Fame:

• In 2009, he joined the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.
• In 2015, he was part of the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
• In 2017, he was honored by the Ohio High School Athletic Association Ring of Champions.

These honors show how much Ed Ratleff contributed to basketball at every level he played.

See also

In Spanish: Ed Ratleff para niños