In the 196970 season, the sixth disappointing season in a row, fan support was waning. In the projects he not only learned basketball but also learned firsthand about racial discrimination and economic inequality. Dating Oscar Robertson gives off the impression of being a solitary person, but in reality, he is a married man. Basketball, Thinking, Able. Widely considered one of the NBA's most dominant players, Oscar Robertson led the Bucks to a title in 1971. He broke the assists record by Bob Cousy, who had recorded 715 assists two seasons earlier, by logging 899, and joined Johnny Green and Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history with the height of 6'5 or smaller to have grabbed 900+ rebounds in a season. It was a feat that would not be repeated until Russell Westbrook managed to achieve it during the 201617 season. [12] In 2022, the NBA renamed its Western Conference championship trophy after Robertson. Thats right, man, a layup. Red Auerbach joked that after telling his players to stretch out their fingers extra wide while defending Robertson, Oscar shot the ball through their fingers!. With his legs starting to go, Robertson considered retirement. That Robertson stood out as equal to and, in the eyes of many, even better than these players was testimony to his greatness. Robertson owns a chemical company, named, Orchem, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. 1. Robertson stayed with the Bucks from 1970 to 1974, before retiring at 35 years old. The two seasons after his first NBA win, he led the Bucks to claim division titles. The anti-trust suit, named after Robertson because he was president of the union at the time, challenged the merger as well as the legality of the college draft and the NBAs reserve clause that prohibited free agency. [Interviewer #1:] Tell us a little about the, tell us a little bit about your family, the folks in your family. Net Worth in 2023: $300 thousand. Oscar was a professional basketball player, and he played for teams like Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks, and also the National Basketball Association (NBA). At age 31 and still searching for a championship, Robertson joined second-year center Abdul-Jabbar (then called Lew Alcindor) in the Bucks lineup. Born in 1938, Robertson grew up dirt-poor in a segregated housing project in Indianapolis. This encouraged the signing of more free agents and eventually led to higher salaries for all players. [2] Robertson is also the first guard in NBA history to ever average more than 10 rebounds per game, doing so three times. Early Oscar Robertson highlights. Six years after the suit was filed, the NBA finally reached a settlement, the leagues merged and the draft remained intact. Robertson finished first in the league in both assists (11.0 apg) and free throw percentage (85.3) and ranked second in scoring (31.4 ppg). In the same game during which he set the overall triple-double record, Westbrook also joined LeBron James, Oscar Robertson and Gary Payton as the only players in . 6 2005-06 Topps NBA Collectors Poker Chip White /599 Iguodala Oscar Robertson. When Robertson was a junior, Crispus Attucks dominated its opposition, going 311, and winning the 1955 state championship, the first for any all-black school in the nation. He was also a superior ball handler, leading the league in assists six times. Fifty long years, and it's down to two games. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. After their championship game wins, the team was paraded through town in a regular tradition, but they were then taken to a park outside downtown to continue their celebration, unlike other teams. He was a 12-time All-Star when he played for a point guard. This is why you don't see just one author for this article. He was thus given a $33,000 signing bonus. Robertson left the NBA with 26,710 points, 9,887 assists and 7,804 rebounds collected in 1,040 games. The partnership worked out really well as in his first season with the Bucks, Robertson and Alcindor led the Bucks to the 1971 NBA Finals where they defeated the Baltimore Bullets to claim the Championship. Here are some biography quick facts that you need to know about the American basketball legend. Knicks guard Dick Barnett once said: If you give him a 12-foot shot, hell work on you until hes got a 10-foot shot. He is Sports Persons (Basketball Player) by profession. [Oscar Robertson:] Well, we have, I have two older brothers, Bailey and Henry; a loving father, of . This town of Robertson's birth, in 1938, would have been idyllic were life there more practical for his family. Basketball as a senior. Ahead of the 1971 season, Robertson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Most Popular #23600 84 Year Old First Name Oscar November 24 Basketball Player [44] When a biography was going to be written about him in the 1990s, Robertson joked that his life had been "dull" and that he had been "married to the same woman for a long time". If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. He remained a harsh critic of social policies that adversely affect minorities, particularly African-Americans. The Bucks cruised past the Bullets and their strong frontcourt of Wes Unseld and Gus Johnson in four games, the first Finals sweep in 12 years. He was nothing short of incredible as a collegian, scoring 33.8 points per game with a one-handed style that made his shots virtually unblockable. His team won the NBA title in his first season there and dominated the entire season. Since that point, he has been an outspoken advocate for health and wellness, kidney disease prevention and organ transplantation on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation. [2], Robertson attended Crispus Attucks High School, an all-black high school, where he was coached by Ray Crowe, whose emphasis on a fundamentally sound game had a positive effect on his style of play. He led the league in assists six times and in free throw percentage twice. [1] The averages for his first five NBA seasons are a triple-double: 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 10.6 assists per game. Among his 14 NCAA records was a career scoring mark that stood until Pete Maravich bested it in 1970. Robertson was a broadcaster for CBS for the 1974-75 season. Carving his name into NBA history. The name Oscar Robertson has become a household name over the years. [34] Robertson appeared in a television advertisement advocating for passage of the initiative,[35] but it was ultimately defeated. The team became the first all-black high school team to win a state championship in the United States in . At Crispus Attucks, Robertsons natural physical abilities and instincts were polished by coach Ray Crowe, who was obsessed with teaching the basics of the game. Oscar Robertson averaged 30 points or more in six seasons and was considered the first big guard, averaging 7.5 rebounds for his career. He learned how to shoot by using tennis balls and rags wrapped with rubber bands and tossing them into a peach basket in the back of his family's home. There will never be another player like the 'Big Dipper', who changed the game with his strength, athleticism and skill. [30] In July 2004, Robertson was named interim head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team for approximately a month while head coach Bob Huggins served a suspension stemming from a drunk-driving conviction. Robertsons playmaking and scoring brilliance were rewarded with commendation after commendation, and finally with an NBA title in the twilight of his career. He was the leading scorer of the team,[13] as the U.S. team won its nine games by a margin of 42.4 points. Measuring 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 metres) and weighing more than 200 pounds (91 kg), Robertson was larger than most guards. They started dating and their dating lasted for two years. [16] In his rookie season, Robertson averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists (leading the league), almost averaging a triple-double for the entire season. Henry Aaron Roberto Clemente Rube Foster Cito Gaston Josh Gibson Frank Robinson Willie Mays Satchel Paige Jackie Robinson Basketball Greats A lot of people are familiar with the old Negro Baseball Leagues, but less have heard about the African American basketball teams known as "the Black Fives", named after the starting five players. One of the best players of his time, Oscar Robertson overcame several turmoils in his career to emerge as one of the very best players, NBA has ever produced. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. In the late 1950s road trips through the Midwest were awkward, to say the least. The Big O had just broken many of Cousys records and Cincinnati was suddenly too small for the both of them. His family was unable to afford a basketball, so he practiced using tennis balls, rags bound with. The team, described as the greatest assemblage of basketball talent ever at that point, steamrolled the competition to win the gold medal. Check out some rarely seen Oscar Robertson highlights with the Royals! He is the son of Bailey Robertson (father) and Mazell Robertson (mother). [23] No reasons were officially given, but many pundits suspected head coach Bob Cousy was jealous of all the attention Robertson was getting. He revealed that he considered Marques Haynes and Goose Tatum who were Harlem Globetrotters players as his basketball idols. He is a member of famous Producer with the age 84 years old group. I'll be honest, it really makes me reflect. The couple got married in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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Before the 1969-70 season, near the end of Robertson's peak as a player, the Royals brought in. Ten of the twelve college players on the American squad later played in the NBA, including Robertson as well as future Basketball Hall-of-Famers West, Jerry Lucas, and Walt Bellamy. and "Oh, Brent, did you see that!" He led the Bearcats to two Final Fours and a 79-9 record during his three varsity seasons. Unlike many other boys who preferred baseball, the NBA star was drawn to basketball, which he saw as "a poor kids' game." [42] In October 2021, Robertson was honored as one of theleague's greatest players of all time by being named to theNBA 75th Anniversary Team. A player with a very eccentric personality, Robertson is seen as a hero in not just basketball but in sports in general as he is one of the stars who rose above the domineering force of racism. Robertson also owns the chemical company Orchem, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.[45]. Also known as: Oscar Palmer Robertson, the Big O. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. He is also famous from other names as The Big O. In Robertson's last season, he helped lead Milwaukee to a league-best 5923 record and helped them to reach the 1974 NBA Finals. He won the NBA MVP award and became the only player other than Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to win it from 1960 to 1968. Co-captains on the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic basketball team, Robertson and Jerry West entered the NBA one after the other in the 1960 NBA Draft. The league was full of stars at the time, including West, Chamberlain, Russell, Elgin Baylor, Willis Reed and John Havlicek. But his father, Bailey, lacked money to acquire farm machinery, so he moved his wife, Mazell, and three children, Bailey Jr., Henry and Oscar, to Naptown, Indiana. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979 and named to the NBAs 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996-97. Debbie and Family, When I think of Oscar my mind goes . [2] In his NBA debut, Robertson recorded 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 140123 win over the visiting Lakers. Oscar Robertson Height, Weight & Measurements At 84 years old, Oscar Robertson height is 6' 4" (1.95 m) . [38] These numbers are even more astonishing if it is taken into account that the three-point shot, which benefits sharpshooting backcourt players, did not exist when he played. Exhibition Label. Oscar was named to the 35th NBA anniversary All-time team in 1980 and was crowned one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. [37] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Robertson as the 12th greatest player in NBA history. Prior to the amendment, free agency was non-existent and basketball franchises owned players which forbade them from discussing with another franchise as long as they had a contract with the franchise. It was an emotional end to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of American sport. Elg off the board. Oscar Robertson, a three-time All-Star MVP and NBA MVP in 1963-64, led the Bucks to the title in 1971. . [1] Robertson played point guard and was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in 14 seasons. He was the second highest ranked point guard on the list again behind only Johnson. After his successful high school career, he went on to play for the University of Cincinnati. His college career was marred by racism. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about not available Oscar Robertson on ESPN. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Oscar Robertson. Omissions? Robertson had what for him was a typical late-career season: Playing every game but one, he tallied 19.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per contest. After he graduated from high school, Robertson's impressive basketball skills got him admission to the University of Cincinnati, where he first met Yvonne. Oscar Robertson is honored along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell in the basketball category. Robertson went to the Cincinnati Royals as a territorial pick. Donald Oscar Robertson was born c. 1924, and died at age 21 years old on January 1, 1946. In those days, Southern university programs such as Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina did not recruit black athletes, and road trips to segregated cities were especially difficult, with Robertson often sleeping in college dorms instead of hotels. [2] In the 197071 NBA season, he was a key player on the team that brought the Bucks their first NBA title. [43], Robertson is the son of Mazell and Bailey Robertson. Like Oscar Robertson and other Indianapolis basketball greats, he cut his teeth at the court at . [25] Robertson adds that he still could average a triple-double season in today's basketball and that he is highly skeptical that anyone else could do it; it was later done by Russell Westbrook in the 201617 season. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). From 1960 to 1968 Robertson was the only player other than Chamberlain or Russell to win the MVP Award. 2022-23 Panini Prizm Draft Oscar Robertson Stained Glass SSP Cincinnati Bearcats. ", Oscar Robertson and wife Yvonne Crittenden at Tony La Russa's 2nd annual Leaders & Legends gala for Animal Rescue Foundation on November 22, 2013 | Photo: Getty Images. Yvonne Crittenden is married to Oscar Robertson, a retired professional basketball player. The landmark Oscar Robertson suit, filed against the league by the Players Association, stalled a proposed merger between the NBA and the American Basketball Association. Unlike many other boys who preferred baseball, the NBA star was drawn to basketball, which he saw as "a poor kids' game. What should have been a joyous culmination to that 1955 season . His average of 25.7 points per game ranks as the seventh-highest mark ever among retired players, and he averaged 30 points or more in six seasons. Oscar Robertson's high school team in Indianapolis was the first all-black basketball team in the nation to win a state title. If his first five NBA seasons are strung together, Robertson averaged a triple-double over those, averaging 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists. He has been married for a . #OscarRobertson #NBA #GOAT-Music:1) Audiomachine - Ashes of Time2) Machinimasound - Battle of the Titans Oscar Robertson was born in Charlotte, Tennessee, on November 24, 1938. [2] Robertson himself stated that the main reason was that clubs basically owned their players: players were forbidden to talk to other clubs once their contract was up, because free agency did not exist until 1988. [20], In the 196364 season, the Royals achieved a 5525 record,[21] which put them second place in the Eastern Division. Oscar Robertson, the Big O, is the player against whom all others labeled versatile are judged, and he may remain the standard forever. 1st in the country in scoring average . First call Dandridge got after HOF news was from the 'Big O'. Robertson grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he led Crispus Attucks High School to two state championships. He preferred to play basketball over baseball, which was more popular in the neighborhood because it was "a poor kids' game". Oscar Robertson was the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. [2] He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009. He managed to play three more seasons, however, helping the Bucks to division titles in each of those years. Donald Robertson was buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery Vii. In his second season in the NBA, he emerged as the first player in the league to average a triple-double throughout the season. He won the All-Star and regular-season MVP Awards and led the Royals to a 55-25 record, good enough for second place in the Eastern Division. During trips to segregated cities, Robertson had to sleep in college dormitories rather than hotels, like his peers. Three times he won the national scoring title, was an All-American, and was named College Player of the Year. He wasn't angry about his. Biography facts, career and personal life of famous basketball players. Robertson, too poor to own a basketball as a child, signed for $33,000 per year. He, however, did not win the NCAA Championship. He is so great he scares me, Celtics Coach Red Auerbach once said. Years later, he told The Indianapolis Star: "I'll never forgive them. Robertson stated: "[Officials] thought the blacks were going to tear the town up, and they thought the whites wouldn't like it. He is American by nationality. In 1994, a nine-foot bronze statue of Robertson was erected outside the Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center, the current home of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball. Robertson was also an integral part of Robertson v. National Basketball Ass'n of 1970. He has just a few children, all of whom bear his family. He repeated as assists champion with 11.4 per game and a total of 899, smashing yet another record set by Cousy, who had accumulated 715 assists two years earlier. The team, however, remained in the Western Division cellar. Basketball, Team, School. This is just one of these examples. Oscar Robertson PPG 25.7 RPG 7.5 APG 9.5 HEIGHT 6'5" (1.96m) WEIGHT 205lb (93kg) COUNTRY USA LAST ATTENDED Cincinnati BIRTHDATE November 24, 1938 DRAFT 1960 R1 Pick 1 EXPERIENCE 14 Years Stats. Robertsons on-court brilliance, and the off-court racism to which he was subjected, continued at the University of Cincinnati. With Abdul-Jabbar winning the scoring title and the MVP award, Milwaukee posted the NBAs best record in 1970-71 at 66-16. Remembering the Life of the Late Basketball Star, Ron Howard Feels 'Lucky' to Have Met Future Wife at School & Says 'There Was Never Anybody Else' for 51 Years, Hugh Jackman Met 13-Year Older Wife When She Definitely Avoided Men Under 30 - They Are Married for 25 Years, Who Is Bronny James Dating? [2] As a testament to Robertson's importance to the Bucks, in the season following his retirement the Bucks fell to last place in their division with a 3844 record in spite of the continued presence of Abdul-Jabbar.[26]. In the 1960 NBA Draft, Oscar Robertson was selected by the Cincinnati Royals as a territorial pick. As Robertson was the president of the Players Association, the case bore his name. He remembers a tough childhood, plagued by poverty and racism. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year, was elected into the All-NBA First Teamwhich would happen in each of Robertson's first nine seasonsand made the first of 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances. That year was a historic year for basketball and Robertson who was the NBA Player Association president. Childhood And Early Life American basketball great Oscar Robertson was born on the 24 November 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee. The first player to average a triple-double for an entire season, Oscar Robertson was a versatile player who led the Bucks to the 1971 title. The Big O made his first of 12 consecutive trips to the All-Star Game, winning the MVP award after scoring 23 points and setting a record with 14 assists, one better than Bob Cousys previous mark. Rather than engaging in baseball which several kids of his time did, he had to settle with basketball which was believed to be a poor kid game. Robertson was trained by his high school coach, whose emphasis on a fundamentally sound game had a positive effect on the star's style of play. The Royals progressed to the Eastern Conference finals but were defeated by the Boston Celtics. Throughout the mid-1960s the great Boston and Philadelphia 76ers teams would stand impenetrable, keeping the Royals from advancing to The Finals. By this time the Royals had assembled a powerful supporting cast for the young superstar, with Twyman, rookie Jerry Lucas and Wayne Embry up front and Adrian Smith joining Robertson in the backcourt. Robertson grew up in poverty in Indianapolis, the son of sharecroppers and the grandson of enslaved people, with a family that couldn't afford a basketball. [2], Robertson averaged a triple-double over his first five seasons in the NBA with the Royals, recording averages of 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game in 451 contest. [8], In 1959, the Player of the Year Award was established to recognize the best college basketball player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. #OscarRobertson #NBA #GOAT-Music:Neon Nox - Backup Data (https://youtu.be/Xg8aIjF0LCE)Neon Nox - Mass Effect (https://youtu.be/EPkWImlLa78)Retrodict - Close . His personal best may have been his line of 45 points, 23 rebounds, and 10 assists against Indiana State in 1959. With forward Jack Twyman contributing 25.3 points per game, the Royals improved to 33-46. [2] Robertson also won his second All-Star Game MVP award that year after scoring 26 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and dishing off 8 assists in an East victory. And for me, especially, because it took over 10 years in the league to get to that moment. Corrections? After he retired as an active player, Robertson stayed involved in efforts to improve living conditions in his native Indianapolis, especially concerning fellow African-Americans. [11], Robertson had many outstanding individual game performances, including 10 triple-doubles. 12, Oscar Robertson was more than a triple-double legend; he was a visionary leader", "Children's Museum unveils 'sports legends' for new outdoor exhibit", "NBA redesigns Finals trophy, adds awards named after Magic Johnson, Larry Bird", "UC Legend Oscar Robertson to be Honored at Spring Commencement", "Oscar Robertson's 1971 NBA championship ring sells for $91,000", "A Letter to My Bucks Family | by Oscar Robertson", Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year, UPI College Basketball Player of the Year Award, NCAA Division I men's basketball season scoring leaders, 1958 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1959 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1960 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Oscar_Robertson&oldid=1152423455, All-American college men's basketball players, Basketball players at the 1959 Pan American Games, Basketball players at the 1960 Summer Olympics, Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball players, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award winners, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, National Basketball Players Association presidents, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States, Pan American Games medalists in basketball, United States men's national basketball team players, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, Articles with dead external links from November 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. On June 9, 2007, Oscar received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Cincinnati for both his philanthropic and entrepreneurial efforts. The date was November 24, 1938, and in the small town of Charlotte, Tennessee, Oscar Palmer Robertson was born. He remained the only player to do so for more than 50 years until Russell Westbrook matched his feat in 2016-17. Oscar found Yvonne to be gorgeous and a talented pianist. Robertson was the first selection of the 1960 NBA draft and earned Rookie of the Year honours that season with the Cincinnati Royals. Prior to Russel Westbrook 2016/17 triple-double basketball season, he said he was sceptical anyone could do it. [2] After his graduation that year, Robertson enrolled at the University of Cincinnati. In the 196768 season, Robertson became the first of only two players in NBA history to lead the league in both scoring average and assists per game in the same season (also achieved by Nate Archibald). It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. He set 14 NCAA records during his college days.
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