LaRue Martin facts for kids
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Martin in 1972
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 26, 1950 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | De La Salle Institute (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 208 lb (94 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Loyola Chicago (1969–1972) |
| NBA Draft | 1972 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 1972–1976 |
| Career history | |
| 1972–1976 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 1,430 (5.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,258 (4.6 rpg) |
| Assists | 203 (0.7 apg) |
LaRue Martin (born March 26, 1950) is an American former professional basketball player. He was chosen as the very first player in the 1972 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers after playing college basketball at Loyola University Chicago.
Even though he was picked first, some famous players like Bob McAdoo and Julius Erving were drafted after him and later became Hall of Famers. While LaRue Martin's NBA career didn't go as planned for a top pick, he went on to have a very successful career in the business world.
Contents
College Basketball Journey
LaRue Martin was a tall 6-foot-11 center from Chicago, Illinois. He played high school basketball at De La Salle Institute. After high school, he decided to stay in Chicago and play for the Loyola Ramblers.
Early Years at Loyola
In 1969–1970, after a year on the freshman team (because freshmen couldn't play varsity basketball back then), Martin joined the main team. He had a great first year, averaging 16.6 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.
As a junior in 1970–1971, Martin was the top player on his team. He averaged 18.7 points and 17.6 rebounds.
In his final year, 1971–1972, Martin continued to play well, averaging 19.6 points and 15.7 rebounds.
Playing Against Future Stars
Martin gained a lot of attention for how well he played against other top college players. In a game against UCLA in 1972, he faced Bill Walton, who would later become his teammate. Even though Loyola lost, Martin scored 19 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, outplaying Walton who had 18 points and 16 rebounds.
A scout for the Portland Trail Blazers, Stu Inman, watched these games. He was very impressed by Martin's strong performances against the best big players in college basketball. This helped Portland decide to draft him.
During his college career at Loyola, Martin averaged 18.2 points and 15.9 rebounds over 67 games. He is still Loyola's all-time leading rebounder.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (1972–1976)
The Portland Trail Blazers chose LaRue Martin as the first overall pick in the 1972 NBA draft. This draft was a bit unusual because some top players were also being considered by another league, the American Basketball Association (ABA).
First Seasons with Portland (1972–1974)
As a rookie in the 1972–73 season, Martin was 6'11" and weighed 205 pounds. He played about 12 minutes per game and averaged 4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. The Trail Blazers were a new team and struggled, finishing with a record of 21 wins and 61 losses.
Martin sometimes found it tough. Once, when the team played in his hometown of Chicago, his coach, Jack McCloskey, didn't let him play at all. Martin said it was "a tough pill to swallow" and that he was "embarrassed" because his family and friends were there. He felt his coach "wasn't a believer in my ability."
Later Seasons and Leaving the NBA (1974–1976)
In the 1974–75 season, a new coach, Lenny Wilkens, took over. The Trail Blazers also drafted another top player, Bill Walton. Martin's playing time went down, but when Walton was injured, Martin got more chances to play. He averaged 7.0 points in 17 minutes per game that year.
Before the 1976 season, Martin was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. However, he was cut by Seattle before the season started and didn't play another NBA game. He later signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, but was released quickly by both teams. He also turned down offers to play basketball in Europe.
In his four seasons in the NBA, LaRue Martin played 271 games. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in about 14 minutes per game.
Martin's time as a number one draft pick is sometimes mentioned when people talk about players who didn't quite meet expectations. However, he moved on and found success in other areas of his life. He once said, "My career was up and down. They called me the worst draft choice in the nation, and that bothered me. But I had the opportunity to move on and get into the corporate world, and I’ve moved on ever since."
Career Statistics
NBA Performance
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972–73 | Portland | 77 | – | 12.9 | .396 | – | .649 | 4.6 | .5 | – | – | 4.4 |
| 1973–74 | Portland | 50 | – | 10.8 | .435 | – | .636 | 3.6 | .4 | .1 | .5 | 4.9 |
| 1974–75 | Portland | 81 | – | 16.9 | .452 | – | .697 | 5.0 | .9 | .4 | .6 | 7.0 |
| 1975–76 | Portland | 63 | – | 14.1 | .361 | – | .740 | 4.9 | 1.1 | .1 | .4 | 4.4 |
| Career | 271 | – | 14.0 | .416 | – | .685 | 4.6 | .7 | .2 | .5 | 5.3 | |
Life After Basketball
After his basketball career, LaRue Martin earned a degree in sociology from Loyola. He worked for companies like Nike and an insurance company. In the mid-1980s, he joined UPS, where he has worked as the Community Services Manager since August 2005.
Martin is also on the Board of Directors for the National Basketball Retired Players Association. He is very active in his community, serving on many boards and groups. These include the City Club of Chicago and the YMCA Mentoring Program.
In 2011, Martin was featured in a TV segment on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. He shared his positive outlook on life, saying, "I don't believe in saying anything negative... I kept my head up high and moved onto a positive mode of life and it has treated me very well."
Awards and Recognition
LaRue Martin has received several honors for his basketball career and his community work:
- In 1982, he was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
- His jersey number 20 was retired by Loyola in 2002, meaning no other player at Loyola will wear that number.
- He is in the De La Salle Institute Sports Hall of Fame.
- He is also in the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame.
- In 2018, Martin was named to the All-Century Team at Loyola.
- He has received many awards for his community service, including the Chicago Urban League Beautiful People Award and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award.
See also
In Spanish: LaRue Martin para niños
