Sidney Wicks facts for kids
Wicks being double-teamed in a 1971 game
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 19, 1949 Contra Costa County, California, U.S. |
| High school | Alexander Hamilton (Los Angeles, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1971 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 1971–1982 |
| Career history | |
| 1971–1976 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1976–1978 | Boston Celtics |
| 1978–1981 | San Diego Clippers |
| 1981–1982 | Reyer Venezia Mestre |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 12,803 (16.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,620 (8.7 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,437 (3.2 apg) |
Sidney Wicks (born September 19, 1949) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Sidney grew up in California and played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins.
The Portland Trail Blazers chose Sidney as the second player in the 1971 NBA draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and became an NBA All-Star four times while playing for the Trail Blazers. He also played for the Boston Celtics and San Diego Clippers. Sidney finished his basketball career after playing one season in Italy.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Sidney Wicks was born on September 19, 1949, in Contra Costa County, California. He went to Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles.
Starting College at Santa Monica
Because of his high school grades, Sidney first attended Santa Monica College for one year. After that, he was able to go to his dream university, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1971, Sidney was recognized for his excellent grades at UCLA. He earned a degree in sociology from the school.
UCLA Basketball Star
Sidney, who was 6 feet 8 inches tall, was an amazing player at UCLA. He played as a power forward and center. He helped the UCLA Bruins win three straight NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships from 1969 to 1971. Sidney was the main star player for the last two championship teams.
In 1970, he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. He also received other top awards in college basketball in 1970 and 1971. In 1996, UCLA honored Sidney by retiring his jersey number 35. This means no other UCLA player will wear that number. In 1985, he was added to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was chosen to join the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
Professional Basketball Career
The Portland Trail Blazers picked Sidney Wicks as the second player in the 1971 NBA draft. They even paid another team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, a large sum of money to make sure they could pick him. Another league, the ABA, also tried to draft him.
Rookie of the Year with Portland
In his first year with the Trail Blazers, Sidney scored 24.5 points and grabbed 11.5 rebounds per game. Because of his great performance, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year. He also played in the NBA All-Star Game that year.
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Sidney played for the Trail Blazers from 1971 to 1976. During this time, he was chosen to play in the NBA All-Star Game four times, from 1972 to 1975. He once set a team record for the most rebounds in a single game with 27. Over his five years with the team, Sidney averaged 22.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
Later NBA Teams
In October 1976, Sidney joined the Boston Celtics. The next season, his former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, went on to win an NBA championship. Sidney played for the Celtics from 1976 to 1978. After that, he moved to the San Diego Clippers, where he played until 1981.
In total, Sidney played 760 games over ten seasons in the NBA. He averaged 16.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. After his time in the NBA, Sidney played one season of basketball in Italy.
Life After Basketball
After his basketball career, Sidney Wicks lived in Italy for a year. Then he returned to the United States.
Coaching and Other Work
He worked as an assistant coach at UCLA for four years. After coaching, Sidney started working in real estate. He has lived in different places, including Atlanta, Florida, and Los Angeles.
Personal Life
Sidney Wicks was married from 1973 to 1979. He has one daughter named Sibahn Epps.
In 1989, Sidney was seriously injured in a car accident in Mira Mesa, San Diego, California. A large truck did not stop at a red light and hit his car. Sidney was hurt and needed medical care. He recovered from his injuries.
As of 2006, Sidney Wicks was living in North Carolina and Los Angeles.
Images for kids
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Wicks being double-teamed in a 1971 game
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Wicks playing for the Trail Blazers in 1972
See also
In Spanish: Sidney Wicks para niños
