Joe Ruklick facts for kids

Joseph Wayne Ruklick (born August 3, 1938 – died September 17, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Philadelphia Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA is the top professional basketball league in North America.

Before joining the NBA, Joe played college basketball for the Northwestern Wildcats. He was recognized as an All-American in 1959, which means he was one of the best college players in the country. The Philadelphia Warriors chose him in the second round of the 1959 NBA draft. Joe Ruklick is especially remembered for making the pass that led to his teammate Wilt Chamberlain's 100th point in a famous game. This was a record-breaking moment in NBA history.

Joe Ruklick's Early Life

Joe Ruklick was born in Chicago, Illinois. When he was 11 years old, his mother became sick. Because of this, Joe moved to an orphanage in Princeton, Illinois.

He went to Princeton High School. Joe was a star player on his high school basketball team. He helped lead his team to the state tournaments two years in a row, in 1954 and 1955.

College Basketball Career

After high school, Joe Ruklick went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He played basketball for the Wildcats for three seasons. During his time there, he was the team's top scorer and led them in rebounds every year.

In his final year, 1958–59, Joe averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds per game. He was named a third-team All-American by important sports groups like the Associated Press. Overall, he averaged nearly 20 points and over 13 rebounds per game in his college career.

One memorable game was in 1956, when Joe guarded the famous player Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt was playing for Kansas. Wilt scored 52 points and grabbed 31 rebounds, which is still a record for Kansas. Joe Ruklick scored 22 points in that game, but he fouled out (meaning he committed too many fouls) with plenty of time left. Joe later joked, "I held him to 52!"

Professional Basketball Career

The Philadelphia Warriors picked Joe Ruklick in the second round of the 1959 NBA draft. He was the ninth player chosen overall.

Joe played a part in one of basketball's most famous moments: Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. Joe made the pass that allowed Wilt to score his 100th point. Joe played eight minutes in that historic game. Later in the game, after Wilt had already reached 100 points, Joe missed two free throws. He later said he intentionally missed the second one. He hoped Wilt might get the rebound and score two more points, reaching 102.

After Joe's third season with the Warriors, the team moved to San Francisco. Joe was a backup player, averaging about 3.5 points and eight minutes per game. He wanted to play more, so he asked to be traded to another team. However, the team refused to trade him. Joe Ruklick decided to leave the team because he disagreed with the team's views on player diversity.

Life After Basketball

After his time in the NBA, Joe Ruklick started a new career in investment banking. He also went back to school at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism when he was 50 years old.

He worked as a journalist for several newspapers, including The Galesburg Register-Mail. He also worked at The Chicago Defender, which was an African-American newspaper. Joe was the only white person on its editorial staff of 22 people.

Joe Ruklick lived in Evanston. He often went to Northwestern University basketball games and reported on them for the Aurora Voice newspaper. He passed away peacefully on September 17, 2020, at the age of 82.

See also

In Spanish: Joe Ruklick para niños