Mel Hutchins facts for kids
Hutchins from the 1951 Banyan
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 22, 1928 Sacramento, California, US |
| Died | December 19, 2018 (aged 90) Encinitas, California, US |
| High school | Monrovia (Monrovia, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | BYU (1947–1951) |
| NBA Draft | 1951 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall |
| Selected by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks | |
| Pro career | 1951–1958 |
| Career history | |
| 1951–1953 | Milwaukee Hawks |
| 1953–1957 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1957–1958 | New York Knicks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,851 (11.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,186 (9.6 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,298 (3.0 apg) |
Melvin Ray Hutchins (born November 22, 1928 – died December 19, 2018) was an American basketball player. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His career lasted from 1951 to 1958. Hutchins was chosen by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks as the second pick in the 1951 NBA draft. He was also named an NBA All-Star four times.
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Early Life and High School
Mel Hutchins was born in Sacramento, California. He went to high school at Monrovia High School in Monrovia, California.
College Basketball Career
Hutchins was a tall player, standing 6 feet 6 inches. He played as a power forward and center. He attended Brigham Young University (BYU) from 1946 to 1948. After a year away, he returned to BYU in 1949.
In his final year, 1950–1951, he helped lead BYU to a big win. His team won the 1951 NIT National Championship. That season, Hutchins scored 15.4 points and grabbed 12.7 rebounds per game. His 471 rebounds that year are still a BYU record. After the season, he was named MVP in an All-Star game.
Playing in the NBA
Mel Hutchins was picked second in the 1951 NBA draft. The team that chose him was the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. This team later became the Milwaukee Hawks. The first player picked in that draft was banned from the NBA. Because of this, Hutchins received a special $7,000 bonus. This bonus was usually given to the very first player drafted.
Rookie Season Success
In his first year, 1952, Hutchins was amazing at getting rebounds. He led the NBA with 880 total rebounds. He averaged 13.3 rebounds per game. He and Wilt Chamberlain are the only rookies ever to lead the league in total rebounds. Newspaper writers also named Hutchins and Bill Tosheff as co-NBA Rookie of the Year.
NBA All-Star and Defense
Hutchins helped his team, the Fort Wayne Pistons, reach the NBA Finals twice. They made it in 1955 and 1956. During his career, he played in four NBA All-Star Games. These were in 1953, 1954, 1956, and 1957. He also finished fourth in the MVP voting in 1956. He played for the Milwaukee Hawks, Fort Wayne Pistons, and New York Knicks.
Mel Hutchins was known for his strong defense. Satch Sanders, a Hall of Fame player, said Hutchins inspired him. Sanders admired how smooth Hutchins was on defense. He was always in the right place to stop opponents.
Sadly, Hutchins had a serious knee injury in 1958. This injury forced him to retire from basketball. In his seven seasons, he played 437 games. He averaged 11.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
Life Outside Basketball
Mel Hutchins had a sister named Colleen Kay Hutchins. She won the Miss America title in 1952. His brother-in-law was also an NBA player, Ernie Vandeweghe. Ernie's son, Kiki Vandeweghe, became a two-time NBA All-Star.
After his basketball career, Hutchins worked in real estate. He also enjoyed playing golf. He was known as a good amateur golfer in California.
Mel Hutchins was married to Lorene Hardy, who passed away in 2010. They had four children together. Hutchins died on December 19, 2018, in Encinitas, California. He was 90 years old.
Honors and Awards
Mel Hutchins received several honors for his achievements:
- In 1976, he was inducted into the Brigham Young University Athletics Hall of Fame.
- He was also inducted into the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame.
- On February 16, 2013, BYU honored Hutchins and his teammate Roland Minson. Their jerseys were retired in a special ceremony.
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951–52 | Milwaukee | 66 | 39.7 | .365 | .644 | 13.3* | 2.9 | 9.2 |
| 1952–53 | Milwaukee | 71 | 40.7 | .379 | .654 | 11.2 | 3.2 | 11.7 |
| 1953–54 | Fort Wayne | 72 | 40.8 | .401 | .677 | 9.7 | 2.9 | 10.3 |
| 1954–55 | Fort Wayne | 72 | 39.7 | .378 | .708 | 9.2 | 3.4 | 12.0 |
| 1955–56 | Fort Wayne | 66 | 33.9 | .425 | .643 | 7.5 | 2.7 | 12.0 |
| 1956–57 | Fort Wayne | 72 | 36.8 | .387 | .738 | 7.9 | 2.9 | 12.4 |
| 1957–58 | New York | 18 | 21.3 | .389 | .558 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 7.0 |
| Career | 437 | 37.9 | .389 | .673 | 9.6 | 3.0 | 11.1 | |
| All-Star | 4 | 28.5 | .282 | .500 | 5.3 | 1.8 | 6.5 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Fort Wayne | 4 | 40.5 | .326 | .706 | 9.3 | 1.5 | 10.5 |
| 1955 | Fort Wayne | 11 | 37.9 | .417 | .679 | 8.1 | 2.8 | 14.4 |
| 1956 | Fort Wayne | 10 | 37.7 | .304 | .610 | 8.8 | 2.3 | 9.3 |
| 1957 | Fort Wayne | 2 | 34.0 | .300 | .714 | 11.5 | 5.0 | 11.5 |
| Career | 27 | 37.9 | .355 | .661 | 8.8 | 2.6 | 11.7 | |
See also
- List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders
