Phil Lumpkin facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 20, 1951 Dayton, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | November 2, 2009 (aged 57) Seattle, Washington |
| High school | Nettie Lee Roth (Dayton, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Miami (Ohio) (1971–1974) |
| NBA Draft | 1974 / Round: 2 / Pick: 34th overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 1974–1976 |
| Career history | |
| 1974–1975 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1975–1976 | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Phil Lumpkin (born December 20, 1951 – died November 2, 2009) was an American professional basketball player. He also became a successful high school basketball coach.
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Early Life and High School Basketball
Phil Lumpkin was born in Dayton, Ohio. He became a star basketball player at Roth High School in Dayton. There, he played as a guard alongside another future NBA player, Don Smith. Phil graduated from Roth High School in 1970.
College Basketball Career
Phil Lumpkin played college basketball at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He played for the team for three years.
Becoming a Star Player
As a sophomore, Phil became the starting point guard. He led his team by scoring 16.7 points and making 3.5 assists per game.
In his junior year (1972-73), he averaged 13.8 points and 5.7 assists. He helped Miami win the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title that year. As a senior, he again led the team with 18.1 points and 5.7 assists per game.
Phil earned his degree in Physical Education from Miami University in 1981.
Phil Lumpkin's NBA Journey
Phil Lumpkin was a 6-foot (1.83 m) tall point guard who weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).
Drafted by the NBA
The Portland Trail Blazers chose Phil in the second round of the 1974 NBA Draft. He was the 34th player picked overall. He decided to play for the Blazers instead of the Virginia Squires, who also drafted him in a different league. Phil played two seasons in the NBA. He played for the Blazers and the Phoenix Suns, averaging 3.3 points per game.
Rookie Season with the Blazers
As a rookie, Phil played in 48 games. He averaged 16.5 minutes, 4.2 points, and 3.7 assists per game. His coach, Lenny Wilkens, even started him as point guard for seven games. During this time, Phil averaged 9.1 points and 8.3 assists in 35.7 minutes per game. The Blazers won three of those seven games. He also made 10 assists in two of those games. His highest scoring game was on January 10, 1975, when he scored 14 points against the Phoenix Suns.
Playing for the Phoenix Suns
On June 9, 1975, Phil was traded to the Phoenix Suns. He played in 34 games for them. He averaged 10.9 minutes, 2.1 points, and 1.4 assists per game. The Suns made it to the NBA Finals that year. They lost to the Boston Celtics four games to two.
On October 15, 1976, the Suns released Phil. This ended his two-year NBA career.
Coaching High School Basketball
In 1991, Phil Lumpkin became a physical education teacher. He also became the head coach for the boys' basketball team at O'Dea High School in Seattle, Washington.
Winning State Championships
Between 1993 and 2007, his team reached the state finals seven times. They won five Class 3A state titles. These wins happened in 1993, 1997, 2004, 2005, and 2008. Phil passed away two years after winning his last title in 2007. Later, Al Hairston, another famous Seattle basketball coach, took over.
Personal Life and Legacy
In 1983, Phil Lumpkin was honored by being inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame.
He was found deceased on November 2, 2009. He had recently been diagnosed with pneumonia. Phil was 57 years old. He was survived by his son.
Just before he passed away, Phil was chosen for the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Association Hall of Fame. To honor him, the basketball court at O'Dea High School was renamed Phil Lumpkin Court.
