Willie Naulls facts for kids
Naulls from 1956 UCLA yearbook
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 7, 1934 Dallas, Texas, US |
| Died | November 22, 2018 (aged 84) Laguna Niguel, California, US |
| High school | San Pedro (San Pedro, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UCLA (1953–1956) |
| NBA Draft | 1956 / Round: 2 / Pick: 9th overall |
| Selected by the St. Louis Hawks | |
| Pro career | 1956–1966 |
| Career history | |
| 1956 | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1956–1962 | New York Knicks |
| 1962–1963 | San Francisco Warriors |
| 1963–1966 | Boston Celtics |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 11,305 (15.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,508 (9.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,114 (1.6 apg) |
William Dean Naulls (born October 7, 1934 – died November 22, 2018) was an American professional basketball player. He played for 10 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Willie Naulls was a four-time NBA All-Star with the New York Knicks. He also won three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics.
Naulls grew up in California. He was named the state's Mr. Basketball in high school. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. He earned All-American honors in 1956. The St. Louis Hawks chose Naulls as the ninth pick in the 1956 NBA draft. He played briefly for St. Louis before joining the New York Knicks. He spent most of his career with the Knicks. There, he became the first African American to be named a captain of a major American professional sports team. Naulls later played for the San Francisco Warriors. He finished his career with the Boston Celtics. In 1964, he was part of the first all-black starting lineup in NBA history.
Contents
Early Life and School Years
Willie Naulls was born in Dallas, Texas. His parents were Daily and Bettie Naulls. When he was nine, his family moved to Los Angeles. They moved to escape racial segregation during World War II. His father worked at shipyards in San Pedro. His mother worked as a domestic worker. Willie was a basketball star at San Pedro High. He was named California Mr. Basketball in 1952.
College Basketball Career
Naulls went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played basketball for the Bruins. His coach was John Wooden, who later became a famous Basketball Hall of Fame coach.
In December 1954, during his junior year, UCLA played against San Francisco. UCLA won 47–40. San Francisco's team included Bill Russell and K. C. Jones, who would later be Naulls' teammates in Boston. Naulls played better than Russell in that game. It was San Francisco's only loss that season. They went on to win two national championships.
As a senior in the 1955–56 season, Naulls set a UCLA record. He grabbed 28 rebounds in one game against Arizona State. He also set a school record for most field goal attempts in a season. UCLA won the Pacific Coast Conference championship that year. They also went to the NCAA tournament. Naulls was named a second-team All-American.
During his three years at UCLA, Naulls averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. When he finished college, he was UCLA's all-time leader in points (1,225) and rebounds (900). In 1986, he was added to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.
NBA Professional Career
The St. Louis Hawks picked Willie Naulls in the second round of the 1956 NBA draft. He was the ninth player chosen overall. Naulls found the racial segregation in St. Louis very different from Southern California. He had not seen such segregation since he was eight years old.
He played only 19 games for the Hawks. Then, he was traded to the New York Knicks. He spent most of his professional career with the Knicks.
Playing for the New York Knicks
For seven years with the Knicks, Naulls averaged a double-double. This means he averaged 19.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He was chosen as an NBA All-Star four times. In 1960, the Knicks made him their captain. This made him the first African-American athlete to be a captain for any professional team in a major American sport.
In the 1960–61 season, Naulls scored 1,846 points. This was a team record for points in a single season. He averaged 23.4 points per game. His teammate Richie Guerin broke this record the next season. On March 2, 1962, Naulls scored 31 points. This was his seventh game in a row scoring 30 points or more, another team record. In that same game, Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scored his NBA record 100 points against the Knicks. Naulls' streak of 30+ points lasted until 2010. It was then broken by Amar'e Stoudemire.
Joining the Boston Celtics
During the 1962–63 NBA season, the Knicks traded Naulls to the San Francisco Warriors. He played briefly for them. Then, he was traded to the Boston Celtics. Naulls played his last three professional seasons with the Celtics. He helped them win three NBA championships in a row.
In December 1964, Naulls replaced an injured Tom Heinsohn in a game against St. Louis. This created the NBA's first all-black starting lineup. The lineup included Naulls, Bill Russell at center, K. C. and Sam Jones at guard, and Satch Sanders at forward. The 1964–65 Celtics team was later named one of the 10 best teams in NBA history. Willie Naulls, who was 6 feet 6 inches tall, finished his 10-year NBA career. He averaged 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Later Life and Passing
Willie Naulls passed away on November 22, 2018. He died in Laguna Niguel, California. He had been battling a health condition called Churg–Strauss syndrome for eight years. He died from respiratory failure caused by this illness.
See also
- Race and ethnicity in the NBA
