Mack Calvin facts for kids
Calvin with the Los Angeles Lakers, c. 1976
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 27, 1947 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| High school | Long Beach Polytechnic (Long Beach, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1969 / Round: 14 / Pick: 187th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1969–1981 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1969–1970 | Los Angeles Stars |
| 1970–1972 | The Floridians |
| 1972–1974 | Carolina Cougars |
| 1974–1975 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1975–1976 | Virginia Squires |
| 1976 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1976–1977 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1977–1978 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1979–1980 | Utah Jazz |
| 1980–1981 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| As coach: | |
| 1975 | Virginia Squires |
| 1992 | Los Angeles Clippers (interim) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 12,172 (16.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,923 (2.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,617 (4.8 apg) |
Mack Calvin was born on July 27, 1947. He is an American former basketball player. He was a fantastic point guard who played in two major leagues.
Mack Calvin was chosen for the ABA All-Star team five times. He also made the ABA All-Time Team. He is known for having the second-highest number of assists in the history of the ABA.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Mack Calvin was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He grew up in California and went to Long Beach Poly. After high school, he played college basketball.
He played for Long Beach City College from 1965 to 1967. Then, he went to the University of Southern California (USC) from 1967 to 1969. He was a 6-foot-tall point guard.
A Big Win for USC
In his last year at USC, Mack Calvin helped his team achieve a huge victory. They played against the UCLA Bruins, who were a very strong team. USC won the game 46–44.
This win ended several of UCLA's impressive winning streaks. It stopped their 17-game winning streak against USC. It also ended their 41-game overall winning streak.
Professional Basketball Career
Mack Calvin played professional basketball for 12 seasons. He spent seven seasons (1969–1976) in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He then played four seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Starting in the ABA
Calvin began his professional journey with the Los Angeles Stars in the ABA. In his first season, he scored 16.8 points per game. This earned him a spot on the ABA All-Rookie Team.
In the 1970 ABA Playoffs, Calvin helped the Stars reach the ABA Finals. He scored a career-high 44 points in one playoff game. He also had 16 assists in that game.
Setting Records and All-Star Appearances
The next season, Calvin played for The Floridians. He had his best scoring season, averaging 27.2 points per game. He also set ABA records for most free throws made and attempted in a single season.
During the 1974-75 ABA season, Calvin played for the Denver Nuggets. He helped them achieve an excellent record of 65 wins and 19 losses. He also led the league with 7.7 assists per game that season.
Calvin was chosen for the ABA All-Star game five times. He was known for his amazing passing skills. He finished his ABA career with 10,620 points. He also had 3,067 assists, which is the second-highest in ABA history.
Moving to the NBA
In 1976, Mack Calvin joined the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He played for five different teams during his four seasons in the NBA. These teams included the Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and the Denver Nuggets.
He also played for the Utah Jazz and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 1978 NBA Playoffs, Calvin helped the Denver Nuggets reach the Western Conference Finals. He retired from playing basketball in 1981.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Mack Calvin also spent some time coaching. He coached the Virginia Squires in the ABA for a few games in 1975–76. Later, he was an interim head coach for the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA. This was in February 1992, for two games.
Legacy in Basketball History
In 1997, Mack Calvin was honored as one of the top players in ABA history. He was selected for the ABA All-Time Team. A group of 50 experts, including media and team officials, voted for this team.
Calvin received 41 votes, placing him among the top 10 players. Many people believe he deserves to be in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. As of 2025, he has not yet been inducted.
See also
In Spanish: Mack Calvin para niños
