George Gervin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
George Gervin

Gervin with the San Antonio Spurs, c. 1970s
Personal information
Born	(1952-04-27) April 27, 1952 (age 73) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
High school	Martin Luther King (Detroit, Michigan)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	Eastern Michigan (1970–1972)
NBA Draft	1974 / Round: 3 / Pick: 40th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	1972–1990
Coaching career	1992–1994
Career history
As player:
1972–1973	Pontiac Chaparrals
1973–1974	Virginia Squires
1974–1985	San Antonio Spurs
1985–1986	Chicago Bulls
1986–1987	Banco di Roma
1989	Quad City Thunder
1989–1990	TDK Manresa
As coach:
1992–1994	San Antonio Spurs (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
9× NBA All-Star (1977–1985) NBA All-Star Game MVP (1980) 5× All-NBA First Team (1978–1982) 2× All-NBA Second Team (1977, 1983) 4× NBA scoring champion (1978–1980, 1982) 3× ABA All-Star (1974–1976) 2× All-ABA Second Team (1975, 1976) ABA All-Rookie First Team (1973) No. 44 retired by San Antonio Spurs NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th) ABA All-Time Team No. 24 retired by Eastern Michigan Eagles
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points	26,595 (25.1 ppg)
Rebounds	5,602 (5.3 rpg)
Assists	2,798 (2.6 apg)

George Gervin (/ˈɡɜːrvɪn/ ghur-vin; born April 27, 1952), known as "the Iceman", is a famous American former professional basketball player. He played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). Gervin played for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls. He scored at least 14 points per game in all 14 of his ABA and NBA seasons. He finished his NBA career with an average of 26.2 points per game. Many people consider him one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history. In 1996, Gervin was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In 2021, he was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honors the 75 greatest players ever.

Early Life and High School Basketball

George Gervin was born on April 27, 1952, in Detroit, Michigan. He went to Martin Luther King Jr. High School. During his senior year, he grew taller and became a star player. He averaged 31 points and 20 rebounds, leading his school to the state quarterfinals. In 1970, he was chosen for the Detroit Free Press All-State team.

College Basketball Journey

Gervin received a scholarship to play basketball at California State University, Long Beach. However, he found it hard to adjust and returned home quickly. He then transferred to Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In his second year (1971–72), he averaged an impressive 29.5 points as a forward.

During a national semifinal game, Gervin had an incident that led to his suspension. He was later removed from the team. Because of this, invitations to try out for the Olympic and Pan-American teams were taken back.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting in the ABA: Pontiac and Virginia

In the 1972–73 season, Gervin began his professional career with the Pontiac Chaparrals. They were part of the Continental Basketball Association.

In January 1973, Johnny Kerr, a team executive for the Virginia Squires of the ABA, saw Gervin play. Kerr signed Gervin to a contract for $40,000 a year. Gervin's time with the Squires was short. The team was having financial problems and had to trade its best players. In January 1974, Gervin was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for $228,000. The ABA tried to stop the trade, but a court allowed it to happen.

Becoming a Star with the San Antonio Spurs

After two seasons in the ABA, Gervin became eligible for the NBA draft in 1974. The Phoenix Suns picked him in the third round. However, Gervin chose to stay in the ABA and continued playing for the Spurs.

With Gervin as their main player, the Spurs changed their style of play. They became an exciting, fast-paced team. In 1976, the Spurs joined the NBA as part of the ABA–NBA merger. Before the last ABA season, the Spurs added star player Larry Kenon. This gave them a strong scoring duo with Gervin. In the final ABA season (1976), the Spurs nearly reached the finals. They pushed the Julius Erving-led New York Nets to a Game 7, but lost.

Gervin won his first NBA scoring title in the 1977–78 season. He just barely beat David Thompson by a tiny margin. In the last game of the season, Thompson scored 73 points. But Gervin scored 63 points in his game, including a record 33 points in one quarter. This allowed him to keep his lead.

In the 1978–79 NBA season, the Spurs had a great year. They made it to the Conference Finals and were one win away from the 1979 NBA Finals. They were up 3–1 against the Washington Bullets but lost the next three games. Gervin led all players in playoff scoring that year.

Gervin was very loyal to the Spurs. He led the NBA in scoring average for three years in a row (1978 to 1980). He also led the league again in 1982. Before Michael Jordan, Gervin had won the most scoring titles of any guard in NBA history. In the 1981–82 season, the Spurs were strong contenders again. They made it back to the Conference Finals but were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the 1982 offseason, the Spurs added new talent, including all-star center Artis Gilmore. With these additions, the Spurs were a title contender again in the 1982–83 season. They reached the Conference Finals once more, but again lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Final NBA Season with the Chicago Bulls

Before the 1985–86 season, Gervin was traded to the Chicago Bulls. This was his last season in the NBA. Even though he was older, Gervin still played well for the Bulls. He averaged 16.2 points per game and even had a 45-point game. He played in all 82 games that season. The Bulls made the playoffs, and Gervin's last NBA game was on April 20, 1986. This was the famous game where Michael Jordan scored 63 points against the Boston Celtics.

Playing Overseas and in Other Leagues

After leaving the NBA, Gervin played basketball in Europe. He played for Banco Roma in Italy during the 1986–87 season, averaging 26.1 points per game.

He also played for the Quad City Thunder in the Continental Basketball Association (a different league from where he started).

Later, Gervin played in Spain for the TDK Manresa team from 1989 to 1990. He was 38 years old but still had his scoring touch. He averaged 25.5 points and helped his team stay in the top Spanish division. In his very last game, he scored 31 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

Coaching and Legacy

Coaching Career with the Spurs

Gervin worked as a coach for the Spurs from 1992 to 1994. He also played in the 1992 NBA All-Star Legends Game, where he showed he still had skills by scoring 24 points in just 16 minutes.

Gervin's Lasting Impact

Halftime ceremony at a December 11, 2021 Eastern Michigan University basketball game, with Gervin being honored and the team's arena being rededicated as the "George Gervin GameAbove Center"

Gervin earned the nickname "Iceman" because he always seemed calm and cool on the court. He was also known for not sweating much during games! His most famous move was the finger roll, which he could use from far away, not just close to the basket.

Gervin has inspired many other athletes. Basketball star Gary Payton said Gervin was his childhood hero. Former NFL quarterback Ty Detmer also looked up to Gervin and was thrilled to get his autograph as a kid.

In 2021, The Athletic ranked Gervin as the 42nd greatest player in NBA history. This was part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary celebration.

Awards and Records

George Gervin was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996. The San Antonio Spurs retired his #44 jersey, meaning no other player on the team can wear that number. He was also named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In 2009, SLAM Magazine ranked him #45 on their list of the Top 50 NBA Players of All Time. In 2021, he was again honored as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.

Gervin is still active in the San Antonio community. He has created seven organizations to help kids who are less fortunate, including the George Gervin Youth Center. He says his own childhood experiences inspired him to help others.

When he left the Spurs, Gervin held almost all of the team's scoring records. Many of these records have since been broken by David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Gervin retired with the most blocks ever by an NBA guard.

Even though he was an NBA and ABA All-Star and a Hall of Famer, Gervin never played in an NBA or ABA championship series during his career.

• He is one of only four players in NBA history to average 30 points per game and shoot 50 percent from the field in a season as a guard.
  • The others are Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, and Shai Gilge-Alexander.

Life After Playing Basketball

Gervin in 2004

Since retiring from professional basketball, George Gervin has focused on helping the community in San Antonio. In 1991, he started the George Gervin Youth Center.

Personal Life and Family

Gervin was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan.

In 1976, Gervin married Joyce King. They later divorced in 1984 but remarried in 1985. They have three children. Their oldest child, George Gervin Jr. (nicknamed "Gee"), played for the Harlem Globetrotters and also played professionally in Mexico and Sweden. Gervin's sister, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, is a politician in the Texas House of Representatives. His younger brother, Derrick Gervin, was also a professional basketball player, mostly in the CBA and Europe.

Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Source:

See also

In Spanish: George Gervin para niños

• List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game
• List of individual National Basketball Association scoring leaders by season