Ron Boone facts for kids
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| No. 12, 24, 1 | |
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| Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 6, 1946 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| High school | Omaha Technical (Omaha, Nebraska) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1968 / Round: 11 / Pick: 147th overall |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Pro career | 1968–1981 |
| Career history | |
| 1968–1971 | Dallas / Texas Chaparrals |
| 1971–1975 | Utah Stars |
| 1975–1976 | Spirits of St. Louis |
| 1976–1978 | Kansas City Kings |
| 1978–1979 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1979–1981 | Utah Jazz |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 17,437 (16.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,348 (4.2 rpg) |
| Steals | 823 (1.3 spg) |
Ronald Bruce Boone, born September 6, 1946, is a former American professional basketball player. He played for 13 years in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Boone holds a special record: he played 1,041 games in a row! He even says he never missed a game from fourth grade until he retired. Today, Boone is a color commentator for the Utah Jazz basketball team.
Ron Boone's High School Basketball Journey
Boone grew up in the Logan Fontenelle housing project. He went to Technical High School in North Omaha, Nebraska. In high school, Boone played basketball for Coach Neal Mosser. Coach Mosser had led Tech to a state title in 1963. He also coached famous players like Bob Boozer and Bob Gibson.
Boone was only 5 feet 7 inches tall when he finished high school. He didn't become a starter in basketball until his senior year. He also played baseball under Coach Josh Gibson. Josh was the older brother of Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson.
Boone remembered his basketball dreams after high school. He said, "I remember playing in a league at the YMCA. I was having fun and scoring points. A friend asked an official if I could play major college basketball. The guy said, 'No way.' That comment always stayed with me. It really pushed me to prove them wrong."
College Basketball Career
Playing at Clarinda Community College (1964–1965)
After high school, Boone and a teammate went to play junior college basketball. Boone played one season at Clarinda Community College in Clarinda, Iowa. There, he suddenly grew to 6 feet 2 inches tall. He averaged 26 points per game.
Becoming a Star at Idaho State University (1965–1968)
After Clarinda, Boone went to Idaho State University (ISU). He received a scholarship to play for the Bengals. They were part of the Big Sky Conference. He played there from 1965 to 1968.
As a sophomore in 1965–1966, Boone averaged 10.9 points and 9.4 rebounds. Idaho State finished with 7 wins and 19 losses. Boone's high school coach, Neil Mosser, helped him get the scholarship. Boone later said, "Coach Mosser helped me get to Idaho State. I was accepted without them even seeing me play. My college coach, Claude Retherford, is still one of my best friends."
In 1966–1967, Boone averaged 22.3 points and 5.1 rebounds. Idaho State's record was 10 wins and 15 losses. As a senior in 1967–1968, Boone averaged 21.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. The team finished 10 wins and 12 losses.
During his three years at Idaho State, Boone averaged 20.0 points and 5.4 rebounds. He played in 61 games and never missed one. He was named First–team All-Big Sky in both 1967 and 1968.
Ron Boone's Professional Basketball Career
After college, Ron Boone was chosen by two different leagues. The American Basketball Association's Dallas Chaparrals picked him in the 1968 ABA draft. The Phoenix Suns picked him in the 1968 NBA draft. Boone decided to play for Dallas in the ABA.
Boone explained why he chose the ABA. He said, "My college coach told me it was a new league. He thought I'd have a better chance to play professional basketball there. I felt I had a real shot. I still had to prove myself. Cliff Hagan, a basketball legend, was the coach for the Chaparrals. We played two-on-two, and he always joined in. I remember blocking his famous hook shot a couple of times. I truly believe that's why I made the team."
Playing for the Dallas Chaparrals (1968–1971)
Boone played two seasons with the Dallas Chaparrals. This team is known today as the San Antonio Spurs. As a rookie in 1968–1969, Boone averaged 18.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Dallas finished 41 wins and 37 losses. They lost in the ABA Playoffs. Boone was named to the ABA All-Rookie First Team.
Overall, Boone averaged 17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 201 games with the Dallas Chaparrals.
Winning a Championship with the Utah Stars (1971–1975)
Boone was traded to the Utah Stars in the middle of the 1970 season. He was averaging 20.0 points with Dallas at the time. In January 1971, the Stars traded Donnie Freeman and Wayne Hightower for Boone and Glen Combs.
Boone, along with Zelmo Beaty, Willie Wise, and Glen Combs, helped the Utah Stars win the 1971 ABA championship. The team finished the regular season with 57 wins and 27 losses. Boone averaged 18.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists after joining the team. In the ABA Finals, Utah beat the Kentucky Colonels 4 games to 3.
Over six seasons with the Utah Stars, Boone averaged 18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.5 steals. He played in 396 games for them.
Moving to the St. Louis Spirits (1975–1976)
The Utah Stars team stopped playing after 16 games in the 1975–1976 season. This happened because the NBA and ABA were about to merge. Boone then played for the Spirits of St. Louis for the rest of that season. He averaged 26.2 points for Utah and 21.0 points in 62 games for St. Louis. He played with future Hall of Famer Moses Malone. The St. Louis team also stopped playing after the ABA ended.
Boone was chosen as an ABA All-Star four times: in 1971, 1974, 1975, and 1976.
Joining the NBA with the Kansas City Kings (1977–1978)
After the ABA–NBA merger in June 1976, Boone joined the NBA. He played for the Kansas City Kings. He was drafted by the Kings from the Spirits of St. Louis on August 5, 1976.
In the 1976–1977 season, Boone led the Kings in scoring. He averaged 22.2 points, along with 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals. The Kansas City Kings finished with 40 wins and 42 losses. In 1977–1978, Boone averaged 17.7 points for the Kings.
Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers (1978–1979)
On June 26, 1978, Boone was traded twice in one day! First, he went from the Kansas City Kings to the Denver Nuggets. Then, on the same day, he was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Boone played for the Los Angeles Lakers as a reserve player in 1978–1979. He averaged 7.4 points in 82 games, playing about 19 minutes per game.
Finishing His Career with the Utah Jazz (1979–1981)
On October 25, 1979, Boone was traded by the Lakers to the Utah Jazz. This brought him back to Utah. He finished his professional career playing two seasons for the Utah Jazz.
In 1979–1980, Boone averaged 12.9 points for the Jazz. He played alongside Hall of Famers Adrian Dantley and Pete Maravich. In his final season, Boone averaged 7.8 points in 52 games. On January 26, 1981, the Utah Jazz released him. Boone had offers to play for other teams, but he decided to retire. He said it was "the right time."
In his whole career, Boone played in 1,041 games. He never missed a single game! He averaged 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals. He scored 17,437 total career points.
Ron Boone's Amazing Consecutive Games Streak
Ron Boone's streak of 1,041 consecutive games played is incredible. Only A. C. Green has played more straight games (1,192). Before Boone, Johnny "Red" Kerr held the record with 844 games. Boone is likely the only player in major professional sports to never miss a game in his entire career. He played in all 1,041 possible games over 13 seasons. Before that, he didn't miss a game in college or even in high school. He also has never missed a game as a broadcaster!
Boone talked about his streak: "It wasn't important at all at first. You just want to play every game. Later in my career, I thought, 'Wow, this is special.' Then you start to feel proud of it. I never pulled a hamstring or a muscle. I realized it went back to my high school days. My coach taught us about stretching and warming up. From when I started playing in fourth grade, I never missed a game. What a great story that is!"
Basketball Announcing Career (1988–Present)
For over 34 years, Ron Boone has been a broadcaster for the Utah Jazz games. He started calling games for the Jazz in September 1988. The Utah Jazz paired "Hot Rod" Hundley and Boone as announcers for many years. For many Jazz fans, this duo was a big part of Jazz basketball.
Personal Life
Ron Boone has a son, JaRon, and a daughter, Jozette. He also has three grandchildren. His wife, Jackie, passed away from cancer in 2008 at age 62.
His son, JaRon Boone, played college basketball at the University of Nebraska. He played from 1992 to 1996.
Boone also hosts an event called the "Ron Boone Golf Classic." This event raises money for the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Honors and Awards
- Ron Boone was inducted into the Idaho State University Hall of Fame in 1980.
- Boone was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
- In 1997, Boone was chosen for the American Basketball Association All-Time Team.
- Boone was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
See also
In Spanish: Ron Boone para niños
