Ray Felix facts for kids

Raymond Darlington Felix (born December 10, 1930 – died July 28, 1991) was a professional basketball player from the United States. He was born in New York City. Ray Felix played high school basketball at Metropolitan High School and then college basketball at Long Island University. He was chosen as the very first player in the 1953 NBA draft.

Ray Felix's Basketball Journey

Ray Felix was a tall player, standing 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 meters) tall. He played as a center. After playing for Metropolitan High School and Long Island University, he was picked by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1953 NBA draft. He was the first player chosen that year!

Rookie of the Year and All-Star

In 1954, Ray Felix won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. This award goes to the best new player in the league. He played really well, scoring about 17.6 points and getting 13.3 rebounds per game. He was also the second African-American player ever to be named an All-Star. This means he was one of the best players in the league that season.

Moving to the New York Knicks

After his amazing first year, Ray Felix was traded on September 17, 1954. The Baltimore Bullets, who were soon going to stop playing, traded him and Chuck Grigsby to the New York Knicks. In return, the Bullets received Alfred McGuire and Connie Simmons. Ray Felix played for the Knicks for six seasons. During this time, he averaged about 12.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

Time with the Lakers

On January 24, 1960, the Knicks traded Ray Felix again. He went to the Minneapolis Lakers. During his time with the Lakers, the team moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. His role on the team changed, and he became more of a reserve player, meaning he didn't start every game. He played three seasons with the Lakers, averaging 6.4 points and 6.7 rebounds.

NBA Finals and Retirement

In 1962, the Lakers played against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. It was a very close series, going to seven games, but the Lakers lost. After this series, Ray Felix finished his NBA career. He played for nine seasons in total. He played for the Bullets, the New York Knicks, and the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers. Overall, he scored 6,974 points and grabbed 5,652 rebounds. He retired from basketball in 1962.

Ray Felix's Rivalry with Bill Russell

Ray Felix had some memorable moments with Bill Russell, who later became a basketball legend. In Russell's first year, he felt Ray Felix was trying to be too aggressive. Russell then punched Felix, knocking him out for a moment.

Later in his career, Ray Felix often found his shots blocked by Russell. One time, after Russell blocked several of his shots, Felix took the ball and threw it off the side of the backboard. He smiled at Russell and said, "You didn't get that one!"

Ray Felix and the Lakers faced Russell and the Celtics in the 1962 NBA Finals, where the Celtics won in seven games.

Life After Basketball

After retiring from basketball, Ray Felix worked for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. He helped organize a basketball tournament in Elmhurst, Queens. Later, he worked as a supervisor at a men's shelter in Harlem.

Ray Felix passed away on July 28, 1991, from a heart attack. He had a son named Ray Jr. with his wife, Gloria.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

See also

In Spanish: Ray Felix para niños