Oscar Robertson

For more information on Oscar Palmer Robertson, visit Britannica.com.

Known as "The Big O," Oscar Robertson (born 1938) is regarded as one of the greatest, most versatile players ever to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Michael Jordan of his time, Robertson played guard for the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Born Oscar Palmer Robertson on November 24, 1938, in Charlotte, Tennessee, he was the son of Mazell (nee Bell) Robertson. As a child, his family (which included two elder brothers) moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. Robertson grew up in poverty, living in the ghetto. His brothers, who played basketball at a local YMCA, introduced him to the game at an early age. (Brother Bailey went on to play professional basketball with the Harlem Globe-trotters.)

Extraordinary Basketball Ability at an Early Age

By the time Robertson entered junior high school, his skills as a basketball player were already evident. As future professional teammate, Wayne Embry, told Terry Pluto in Tall Tales, "When Oscar Robertson walked into the ninth grade, he was a great player - not just for junior high, but for anywhere. The thing to remember about Oscar is that he was always great."

Robertson attended Indianapolis's Crispus Attucks High School, a primarily black school in a segregated system. In addition to his main sport, basketball, he was a baseball pitcher and competed in the high jump in track and field. However, high schools that were primarily white would not play Crispus Attucks because of racial prejudice.

Despite such barriers, Robertson's high school team was dominant. The team won two state championships and once won 45 straight games. Robertson himself was named All-State three times, and many believed that he was the one of the best high school players in the country, if not the best. A number of All-American high school teams included Robertson's name. He attributed his success to grounding in fundamentals, in addition to his natural born talent and inborn basketball smarts. Robertson told Bob Herzog of Newsday that "When I was in high school, my coach told me I wouldn't play if I took a bad shot. So I never did. I worked for good position." In high school, Robertson was also academically gifted. At graduation, he was ranked 16 out of 171 in his class.

Played College Ball in Cincinnati

Robertson was pursued by many colleges and universities for his basketball abilities. He wanted to play at his home state's Indiana University, but was not invited there because of the coach's racism. Instead, Robertson chose the University of Cincinnati, in part because it was close to his hometown. He was the first African-American to play on the school's basketball team, but did not play his freshman year (as was customary at the time).

During Robertson's three active years with the Cincinnati Bearcats, he was dominant as a forward. He led scoring of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) University Division each of those three years, averaging 33.8 points per game. Robertson was named a first team All-American three times as well. He was College Player of the Year in 1959 and 1960, the same years that the Bearcats reached the Final Four in NCAA tournament. As a senior, Robertson once scored 62 points in a game against North Texas State University. This was a record that lasted for almost three decades.

When Robertson graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1960, he had set a new career scoring record for the NCAA University Division. Robertson had broken the previous record during his junior year, though it had taken the previous holder his whole career. Robertson's total was 2973 points, a record that held for a decade. Robertson had 14 total scoring records in his division. Despite such accomplishments, he endured much racial taunting while playing, especially at schools located in the south. Even Cincinnati was somewhat segregated: a restaurant located near the university did not serve African Americans. Still, Robertson graduated with his B.B.A. (Bachelor of Business Administration), despite racial problems and nearly flunking out at one point.

Played in the Olympics

After graduation, Robertson was selected to play on the United States basketball team in the 1960 Olympics. The games were held in Rome, Italy. Robertson was the captain of the team, averaging 17 points in each of the eight games played. The Americans swept the competition, winning the Gold Medal.

Began Professional Career

Because of the way the National Basketball Association (NBA) constructed the draft at the time, Robertson was a territorial draft pick of the Cincinnati Royals. He was already well known by many players on the team because of his accomplishments with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and because of pick-up games he played with some of the Royals' players. Robertson was moved from forward to guard, though some thought he was too tall for the position at 6 ′ 5 ″ . Instead, Robertson redefined the position, adding rebounding and other aspects and attitudes of forwards. He soon became known for his skills as a ball handler and passer.

From his first year, Robertson was a dominant player, already possessing the skills needed to compete. Of his style as a player, Patricia Sellers and Andy Freeberg of Fortune wrote "He viewed basketball as a business, and he played it with precision and consistency, never with flamboyance or wasted motion." Robertson concurred, telling John Jackson of The Record "Basketball, to me, was to get the job done." He changed his game to what the team needed to win. Earning $22,000 per year, he averaged 30.5 points per game as a rookie and was named Rookie of the Year. Robertson was also named an All-NBA guard in 1960, beginning a string of nine straight years in which he received this honor.

During the 1961-62 season, Robertson did something that no one has ever done again. He averaged a triple-double over the whole season, meaning that he had double figures in three areas - scoring (30.8 points), rebounding (12.5), and assists (11.4) - while playing an average of 44 minutes per game. This feat has never been matched. At the time, Robertson told John Jackson of The Record, "When I was making those triple doubles, I didn't know anything about that - and I didn't care. I was just on a team that was small up front and needed some rebounding help. I didn't think about it until after I got out of the game." Robertson almost accomplished this feat three other years as well.

The best season of Robertson's career was 1963-64, when he averaged 31.4 points per game as well as 11 assists per game. Only Wilt Chamberlain scored more points that year, but it was Robertson who was named the NBA Player of the Year. The season was also remarkable for another reason: the beginning of the National Basketball Players Association, the players' union. During the All-Star Game, Robertson and several of the other best players in the league threatened to boycott the game before it began. They refused to leave the dressing room until the matter was settled. The players wanted to have a lawyer represent them at collective bargaining negotiations, while the team owners did not want them to have legal representation. Management gave in just before the game began. Some time later, Robertson served a term as the president of the National Basketball Players Association.

In 1969, Cincinnati traded Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Charlie Paulk and Flynn Robinson. At Milwaukee Robertson played with future superstar Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). In 1970-71, the Bucks won the NBA championship, the only championship Robertson ever won. The franchise was only in its third year. In 1971, Robertson was second to Wilt Chamberlain for the All-Time NBA Team voting. He had been twice named to the second all-NBA team by the end of his career, after being named to the first team ten times in a row.

When Robertson retired in 1973, after 14 seasons, he had scored a total of 26,710 points, 7804 rebounds (a record at one time) and 9887 assists (an NBA record at the time). He also set a record for 7694 free throws. Over the course of his career, Robertson averaged 25.7 points and 9 assists per game. He appeared in the All-Star Game 12 times and was the game's Most Valuable Player three times (including two consecutive years). He led the league in assists for six seasons as well. However, his salary was never higher than $250,000 per season.

Life After Basketball

The transition to life outside of basketball was hard for Robertson. He told Thomas Bonk of the Los Angeles Times in 1985, "Of course I had problems adjusting. I'm still adjusting. Players don't understand. They don't realize when they start playing basketball that it comes to an end." Robertson, like others, still had to make a living, though he had some preparation. He had made some real estate development investments while playing in the NBA.

Robertson stayed with the game briefly by working as a broadcaster, the color analyst for games aired on ABC Sports Radio. Primarily, however, Robertson used his college degree to become a businessman in Cincinnati. In 1981, he founded Orchem (Oscar Robertson Chemical), a company that took four years to attain profitability. Orchem made specialty chemicals used to clean the equipment of companies such as Kraft, Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch. Robertson also owned Orpack (which manufactured corrugated boxes), a construction and trucking company. He was a spokesman for Pepsi at one point as well.

Robertson's contributions to basketball were not forgotten. In 1979, he was easily elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Robertson was a unanimous selection in the first year he was eligible. The following year, he was named to the NBC's 35th Anniversary All-Time team, recognition of his prowess on the basketball court. In 1994, a nine-foot-high statue of him was elected at the University of Cincinnati, much to his embarrassment. His college exploits led Robertson to be honored by the United States Basketball Writers Association. They named their college player of the year award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 1998. When the Associated Press chose the best player of the twentieth century, Robertson received the second most votes. Only Michael Jordan received more.

Robertson was regarded as hero for another gift, one that he gave unselfishly. He was married to a former teacher, Yvonne Crittenden, with whom he had three daughters, Shana, Tia and Mari. In 1997, Robertson donated a kidney to save the life of his daughter Tia, who was suffering from lupus. Doctors had to remove a rib in order to reach the kidney, limiting his mobility for a while. There was much media interest in the event, though Robertson said he was doing what any father should. After this family trauma, he became involved with the National Lupus Foundation of America and the National Kidney Foundation.

Robertson will be best remembered for his accomplishments on the basketball court. As Jack McCallum wrote in Sports Illustrated, "He was America's first Mr. Basketball, a player whose nonpareil skills - and nickname - were known even to people who knew little or nothing about the game."

Further Reading

African-American Sports Greats: A Biographical Dictionary, edited by David L. Porter, Greenwood Press, 1995.

Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Basketball and Other Indoor Sports, edited by David L. Porter, Greenwood Press, 1989.

Hickok, Ralph, The Encyclopedia of North American Sports History, Facts on File, Inc., 1992.

Page, James A., Black Olympian Medallists, Libraries Unlimited, 1991.

Pluto, Terry, Tall Tales: The Glory Years of the NBA, in the Words of the Men Who Played, Coached and Built Pro Basketball, Simon and Schuster, 1992.

Capital Times, April 11, 1997.

Dallas Morning News, December 21, 1996.

Fortune, September 26, 1988.

Jet, August 2, 1993.

Los Angeles Times, February 18, 1985.

Newsday, January 5, 1997; July 31, 1999; May 16, 1999.

People Weekly, May 26, 1997; December 29, 1997.

The Record, April 14, 1991.

Sports Illustrated, November 15, 1999.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 27, 1997.

basketball player; businessperson

Personal Information

Born Oscar Palmer Robertson on November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, TN; son of Henry Bailey Robertson and Mazell Bell Robertson; married Yvonne Crittenden, June 25, 1960. children: Shana, Tia, Mari.
Education: University of Cincinnati, BBA, 1960.

Career

Co-captain, U.S. Olympic basketball team, 1960; professional basketball player for the Cincinnati Royals, 1960-70, Milwaukee Bucks 1970-74; president of the National Basketball Player's Association, 1964-74; president and CEO, Oscar Robertson Construction, 1975-; president and CEO Orchem, Inc., 1981-; president and CEO, Orpack-Stone Corp., 1990-; president, NBA Retired Players Association, 1993-99; author, The Art of Basketball, 1999.

Life's Work

Considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Oscar Robertson has triumphed off the court as well. He oversees three successful businesses in Ohio and is often asked to provide commentary on issues ranging from civil rights to the current state of basketball. His 1999 book, The Art of Basketball, showcases the basic fundamentals that Robertson believes a good basketball player must possess. It was these fundamentals that allowed Robertson to achieve the unsurpassed feat of averaging a "tripledouble" during the entire 1961-62 season. The tripledouble is achieved by reaching double digits in points, rebounds and assists during a game. Many players have accomplished a tripledouble during a game, but nobody has maintained the average for a whole season except Robertson.

Born Oscar Palmer Robertson in Charlotte, Tennessee, the Robertson family moved to Indianapolis when Oscar was four, where his father worked for the city sanitation department. Near his home in the city's African American ghetto was a rundown basketball court known as the "dust bowl." It was here that the young Robertson shot tin cans and then old tennis balls through the hoops because the family couldn't afford a real basketball. At the age of 11, he received his first basketball, which was going to be thrown away by a family for whom his mother worked as a maid. The basketball and Robertson became inseparable.

Learned Basketball Fundamentals

Robertson's love for basketball grew when he entered Crispus Attucks High School, an all-African American school that had no gym. Coach Ray Crowe instilled the basics of the game into his team, and when Robertson combined those qualities with his years of incessant street practice, the Attucks Tigers had found a new leader. During his junior and senior years, Robertson led the team to a 45-game winning streak and two state championships. In 1956, Robertson was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball." As the first African American school to win the Indiana state title, Robertson and his Attucks teammates received national attention and Robertson was heavily recruited by more than 30 colleges.

Robertson decided to attend the University of Cincinnati because it was fairly close to his family in Indianapolis and because of the tough schedule that the Bearcats played. He again emerged as a team leader, and took his team to new heights. The Bearcats reached the Final Four during his last two years, but were defeated both times by the University of California. As an individual player, Robertson set 14 NCAA records and averaged close to 34 points per game. He won the national scoring title three times, and was named an All-American in each of his three varsity seasons. Additionally, Robertson was named College Player of the Year three years in a row--the first person to win that award three times--and in 1998 the award was named the Oscar Robertson Trophy. It was also during his years at Cincinnati where he earned the nickname, "the Big O."

While Robertson excelled on the court and in the classroom, he had no control over the racial tensions which existed in the Midwest and the South during the 1950s. As the first African American to play for Cincinnati, Robertson was subjected to the humiliation of racism on numerous occasions. Often, while on the road with his team, Robertson was not permitted to stay at the same hotel with his teammates and would stay by himself in a college dorm. Even in Cincinnati, where he was a star on the University of Cincinnati campus, there were many theaters and restaurants that refused to serve him. This rampant racism bothered Robertson so much that during his junior and senior years, he considered an offer to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. He stayed in school, however, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business in 1960.

Named Rookie of the Year

In the summer of 1960 Robertson co-captained the U.S. Olympic basketball team, a team that is considered by some to be the greatest amateur team ever put together for the Olympics. The United States finished the competition with an undefeated record, and won the gold medal. Upon returning from the Olympics, Robertson signed a three-year contract worth $100,000 to play professionally for the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings). As with his previous teams, Robertson was an immediate stand-out.

Robertson earned Rookie of the Year honors for the 1960-61 season and was named Most Valuable Player at the first of his 12 consecutive trips to the NBA All-Star game. The following year Robertson scored a feat which has yet to be matched when he averaged a tripledouble for the entire season (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists). As Ken Shouler pointed out in his book The Experts Pick Basketball's Best 50 Players in the Last 50 Years, Robertson just missed averaging a tripledouble the other four of his first five years in the NBA. Robertson credited his high school coach Ray Crowe and his insistence on fundamentals for his success in professional basketball. "Even the so-called 'natural' has to work on things," he explained to Shouler. "I did have the fundamentals down when I entered pro ball. Once you get into pro ball, you don't have time to think, 'If a guy does this, I do that.' You do things instinctively."

In 1964, Robertson was named league MVP while winning MVP honors for the second time at the All-Star game and leading the Royals to their best season ever with a 55-25 record. Still, the Royals could never advance beyond the second round of the playoffs despite Robinson's efforts. "Oscar always made the big play, the right play," former Los Angeles Laker Elgin Baylor explained to Shouler. "When you played against Oscar you not only faced an opponent with a tremendous amount of talent and physical skills, but you were also up against a finely tuned pro basketball mind. Oscar was smarter than any pro player I have ever faced." Also in 1964, Robertson became president of the NBA player's union, a position he held until his retirement from playing in 1974.

Finally Won a Championship

Although Robertson and the Royals continued to post winning records during the late 1960s, they were not a championship caliber team. During the 1969-70 season, new Royals coach Bob Cousy wanted to trade Robertson to the Baltimore Bullets, a trade Robertson vetoed by staging a two-week hold out. In April of 1970, Robertson approved a trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks, a fiery, young team that included Lew Alcindor--who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With Robertson on the roster, the Bucks advanced to the NBA Finals in 1971. The Bucks went on to sweep the Bullets in four games, and Robinson had won his first NBA championship. In 1974 the Bucks again charged to the NBA Finals, but lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games. Robertson retired from basketball shortly after the defeat.

Although his playing days were over, Robertson was still involved with professional basketball for the next two years as the result of a 1970 lawsuit against the NBA that he filed as president of the player's union. The anti-trust suit challenged the merger of the NBA and American Basketball Association (ABA), the college draft and the NBA's reserve clause that prohibited free agency. In 1976, the suit was settled. The NBA and ABA were allowed to merge, while the college draft remained intact. Drafted players were given the option of refusing to join the team that drafted them and reentering the draft one year later. Teams were no longer required to provide compensation when signing a free agent, which encouraged the signing of more free agents and led to higher salaries for players. The issue became known as "the Oscar Robertson Rule."

Following his retirement from basketball, Robertson returned to the Cincinnati area where he became a prominent businessman and participant in a number of charitable and community activities. He made headlines in 1997 when he donated a kidney to his daughter Tia, who had been suffering from lupus, a disease in which the body's immune system becomes overactive and attacks tissues and organs, particularly the kidneys. His daughter's illness prompted Robertson to become involved with the National Lupus Foundation and the National Kidney Foundation, for whom he acts as an advocate for organ donation.

As the 20th century drew to a close, Robertson began to appear on "Greatest Athletes of the Century" lists, including those presented by Sports Illustrated and ESPN. He maintained a vigorous pace in both his business and charitable activities. Robinson also authored The Art of Basketball, a book designed to teach the fundamentals of basketball to youngsters. Like his old high school coach Ray Crowe, Robertson stresses the fundamentals not only in basketball, but in daily life. As he wrote in The Art of Basketball: "Listen to people in authority--parents, teachers, coaches. They can offer you insights and information. Strive to become as good an athlete as you can, but remember, that education is equally important. ...Take pride in being a well-educated athlete instead of the alternative. It makes for a more balanced and successful life."

Awards

Sporting News College Player of the Year, 1958, 1959, 1960; Sporting News All-Star First Team, 1958, 1959, 1960; Gold medal, U.S. Olympic basketball team, 1960; NBA Rookie of the Year, 1961; All-NBA First Team, 1961-69; NBA All-Star Game MVP, 1961, 1964, 1969; NBA Most Valuable Player, 1964; Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 1979; NBA 35th Anniversary All-Star Team, 1980; Olympic Hall of Fame, 1984; Oscar Robertson statue on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, 1994; College Player of the Year Award renamed the Oscar Robertson Trophy, 1998; named one of the Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century, Sport Illustrated, 1999; named Indiana Living Legend, 1999; named one of the 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century, ESPN, 1999; Ohio Governor's Award, 1999.

Further Reading

Books

• Bayne, Bijan C., Sky Kings: Black Pioneers of Professional Basketball, Grolier Publishing, 1988.
• Robertson, Oscar, The Art of Basketball, Oscar Robertson Media Ventures, 1999.
• Shouler, Kenneth A., The Experts Pick Basketball's Best 50 Players in the Last 50 Years, AllSport Books, 1996.

• Cincinnati Post, April 5, 1999.
• Indianapolis Star, March 20, 1955.
• Jet, August 2, 1993, p.36.
• New York Daily News, July 31, 1997.
• New York Times, September 17, 1989, p. S-1; November 7, 1998, p. A-15.
• People, May 26, 1997, p.52; December 29, 1997, p. 148.

• Additional information for this profile was obtained from www.ESPN.com; www.NBA.com/history/robertson_bio.html; and www.thebigO.com.

— Brian Escamilla

Oscar Robertson
Position(s)	Point guard
Jersey #(s)	14, 1
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Born	November 24, 1938 (1938-11-24) (age 71) Charlotte, Tennessee
Career information
Year(s)	1960–1974
NBA Draft	1960 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1/territorial
College	Cincinnati
Professional team(s)
Cincinnati Royals (1960–1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974)
Career stats
Points	26,710 (25.7 ppg)
Assists	9,887 (9.5 apg)
Rebounds	7,804 (7.5 rpg)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Career highlights and awards
1× NBA Champion (1971) 1× NBA MVP (1964) 12× NBA All-Star (1961–1972) 9× All-NBA First Team Selection (1961–1969) 2× All-NBA Second Team Selection (1970–1971) 1961 NBA Rookie of the Year 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1961, 1964, 1969) NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team 2× USBWA College Player of the Year (1959, 1960)
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Medal record
Competitor for  United States
Men's Basketball
Olympic Games
Gold	1960 Rome	Team Competition

Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee), nicknamed "The Big O" or O-Train, is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks.^[1] The 6-foot-5, 220-pound ^[2] Robertson played the shooting guard/point guard position, and was a twelve-time All-Star, eleven-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in fourteen professional seasons. He is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season, and he is regarded as one of the best and most versatile NBA players of all time.^[3] He was a key player on the team which brought the Bucks their only NBA championship in the 1970-71 NBA season. However, his playing career, especially during high school and college, was plagued by racism.^[3]

For his outstanding achievements, Robertson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, and was voted one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.^[4] The United States Basketball Writers Association renamed their college Player of the Year Award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in his honor in 1998, and he was one of five people chosen to represent the inaugural National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame class in 2006.^[5]

Robertson was also an integral part of the Oscar Robertson suit^[6] of 1970. The landmark NBA antitrust suit, named after the then-president of the NBA Players' Association, led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players.^[3]

Contents 1 Early Years 2 High school career 3 College career 4 1960 Olympics 5 Professional career 5.1 Cincinnati Royals 5.2 Milwaukee Bucks and the 'Oscar Robertson suit' 5.3 Post-NBA career 6 Legacy 7 Personal life 8 See also 9 Books 10 References 11 External links

Early Years

Robertson was born in poverty and grew up in a segregated housing project in Indianapolis. In contrast to many other boys who preferred to play baseball, he was drawn to basketball because it was "a poor kids' game." Because his family could not afford a basketball, he learned how to shoot by tossing tennis balls and rags bound with rubber bands into a peach basket behind his family's home.^[3] Robertson attended Crispus Attucks High School, a segregated all-black school.

High school career

At Crispus Attucks, Robertson's coach was Ray Crowe, whose emphasis on a fundamentally sound game had a positive effect on Robertson's style of play. In 1954, as a sophomore, he starred on an Attucks team that lost in the semi-state finals (state quarterfinals) to eventual state champions Milan, whose story would later be the basis of the 1986 movie classic Hoosiers. But with Robertson leading the team, Crispus Attucks proceeded to dominate its opposition, going 31–1 in 1955 and winning the first state championship for any all-black school in the nation. The following year the team finished with a perfect 31–0 record and won a second straight state title, becoming the first team in Indiana to secure a perfect season along the way to a state-record 45 straight victories. The state championships won by the all-black school were the first-ever for Indianapolis. However, the celebrations were cut short by the city's leaders. The players were driven outside of town to hold their party because, said Robertson in the Indianapolis Star, "They said the blacks are gonna tear up downtown." Robertson was also named Indiana "Mr. Basketball" in 1956, after scoring 24.0 points per game during his senior season.^[3] After his graduation that year, Robertson enrolled at the University of Cincinnati.

College career

Robertson continued to dominate his opponents while at Cincinnati, recording an incredible scoring average of 33.8 points per game, the third highest in college history. In each of his three years, he won the national scoring title, was named an All-American, and was chosen College Player of the Year, while setting 14 NCAA and 19 school records.^[4] Robertson's stellar play led the Bearcats to a 79–9 overall record during his three varsity seasons, including two Final Four appearances. However, a championship eluded Robertson, a phenomenon which would become a repeated occurrence in his later career. When Robertson left college he was the all-time leading NCAA scorer until fellow Hall of Fame player Pete Maravich topped him in 1970.^[3]

Despite his success on the court, Robertson's college career was soured by racism. He was Cincinnati's fifth black player, preceded by Chester Smith (1932), London Gant (1936), Willard Stargel (1942), and Tom Overton (1951). Road trips to segregated cities were especially difficult, with Robertson often sleeping in college dorms instead of hotels. "I'll never forgive them," he told the Indianapolis Star years later.^[3] Decades after his college days, Robertson's stellar NCAA career was rewarded by the United States Basketball Writers Association when, in 1998, they renamed the trophy awarded to the NCAA Division I Player of the Year the Oscar Robertson Trophy. This honor brought the award full circle for Robertson since he had won the first two awards ever presented.^[7]

1960 Olympics

After college, Robertson co-captained the United States basketball team at the 1960 Summer Olympics with Jerry West. The team, described as the greatest assemblage of amateur basketball talent ever, went undefeated during the competition to win the gold medal. Robertson was a starting forward along with Purdue's Terry Dischinger, but played point guard as well. He was the co-leading scorer with fellow NBA legend Jerry Lucas, as the United States team won its nine games by a dominating margin of 42.4 points per game. Ten of the twelve college players on the American squad later played professionally in the NBA, including future Hall-of-Famers West, Lucas, and Walt Bellamy.^[8]

Professional career

Cincinnati Royals

Prior to the 1960-61 NBA season, Robertson made himself eligible for the 1960 NBA Draft. There, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals as a territorial pick. The Royals also gave Robertson a $33,000 signing bonus, a far cry from his childhood days when he was too poor to afford a basketball.^[3] Robertson soon proved worthy of their trust, continuing to dominate his opposition on the professional level. In his rookie season, Robertson finished with incredible all-around stats of 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists (leading the league), almost averaging a triple-double for the entire season. For his spectacular performance, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year, was elected into the All-NBA First Team – which would happen in each of Robertson's first nine years – and made the first of 12 All-Star Game appearances.^[1] In addition, he was named the 1961 NBA All-Star Game MVP following his 23 point, 14 assist, and 9 rebound performance in a West victory. However, the Royals finished with a dismal 33–46 record and stayed in the cellar of the Western Division.

In the 1961-62 NBA season, Robertson wrote NBA history. In that season, he became the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for the entire season, averaging 30.8 points, 11.4 assists and 12.5 rebounds per game.^[1] He also convincingly broke the assists record by Bob Cousy, who had recorded 715 regular season assists two seasons earlier, by logging 899 of them. The Royals earned a playoff berth; however, they were eliminated in the first round by the Detroit Pistons.^[9] In the following 1962-63 NBA season, Robertson further established himself as one of the greatest players of his generation, averaging an impressive 28.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 9.5 assists, narrowly missing out on another triple-double season.^[1] The Royals would charge into the Eastern Division Finals, but then succumb in a grueling seven games series against a great Boston Celtics team led by Bill Russell.^[10]

In the 1963-64 NBA season, the Royals achieved an impressive 55–25 record,^[11] which meant second place in the Eastern Division. Under new coach Jack McMahon, Robertson flourished, and for the first time in his career, he had a decent supporting cast: second scoring option Jack Twyman was now supplemented by blossoming frontcourt players Jerry Lucas and Wayne Embry, and fellow guard Adrian Smith helped Robertson in the backcourt. Robertson had another magnificent season, leading the NBA in free-throw percentage, scoring a career-high 31.4 points per game, and averaging 9.9 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game—just missing another triple-double season.^[1] In fact, the averages for his first five seasons in the NBA are a triple-double again: 30.3 points per game, 10.4 rebounds and 10.6 assists. For his feats, he won the NBA MVP Award and became the only player other than legendary centers Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to win this title from 1960 to 1968.^[3] 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. In the postseason, the Royals defeated the Philadelphia 76ers led by Wilt Chamberlain, but then were dominated by the Celtics losing four games to one.^[3]

From a win–loss perspective, however, this season would be Robertson's last successful Royals season. From the 1964-65 NBA season on, things began to turn sour for the franchise. Despite Robertson's stellar play, never failing to record averages of at least 24.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 8.1 assists in the six following years,^[1] the Royals were eliminated in the first round three times in a row from 1965 to 1967, and then even missed the playoffs three consecutive seasons from 1968 to 1970. In the 1969-70 NBA season, the sixth disappointing season in a row, fan support was waning. To attract the public, 41-year old head coach Bob Cousy even made a short-lived comeback. For seven games, the legendary Celtics point guard partnered Robertson in the Royals' backcourt, but they still missed the playoffs.^[3]

Milwaukee Bucks and the 'Oscar Robertson suit'

Prior to the 1970–71 season, the Royals stunned the basketball world by trading Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. Officially, no reasons were named, but many pundits suspected head coach Bob Cousy was jealous of all the attention Robertson was getting.^[3] Robertson himself said: "I think he [Cousy] was wrong and I will never forget it."^[3]

However, the trade proved highly beneficial for the veteran Robertson. After being stuck with an under-performing team for the last six years, he now was paired with the young Lew Alcindor, who would years later become the all-time NBA scoring leader under the name of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With Alcindor in the low post and Robertson running the backcourt, the Bucks charged to a league best 66–16 record, including a then-record 20-game win streak, a dominating 12–2 record in the playoffs, and crowned their season with the NBA title by routing the Baltimore Bullets 4–0 in the 1971 NBA Finals. For the first time in his career, Robertson had won a championship on the NCAA or NBA level.^[3]

From a historical perspective, however, Robertson's most important contribution was made not on the court, but rather in court. It was the year of the landmark Oscar Robertson suit, an antitrust suit filed by the NBA's Players Association against the league. As Robertson was the president of the Players Association, the case bore his name. In this suit, the proposed ABA-NBA merger between the NBA and the American Basketball Association was delayed until 1976, and the college draft as well as the free agency clauses were reformed.^[3] 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 back then.^[12] Six years after the suit was filed, the NBA finally reached a settlement, the ABA-NBA merger took place, and the Oscar Robertson suit encouraged signing of more free agents and eventually led to higher salaries for all players.^[3]

On the hardwood, the veteran Robertson still proved he was a valuable player. Paired with Abdul-Jabbar, two more division titles with the Bucks followed in the 1971–72 and 1972–73 season. In Robertson's last season, he helped lead Milwaukee to a league-best 59–23 record and helped them to reach the 1974 NBA Finals. There, Robertson had the chance to end his stellar career with a second ring. The Bucks were matched up against the Boston Celtics, but powered by an inspired Dave Cowens, the Bucks lost in seven games.^[3] 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 38–44 record in spite of the continued presence of Abdul-Jabbar.^[13]

Post-NBA career

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.^[3] In addition, he worked as a color commentator with Brent Musburger on games televised by CBS during the 1974-75 NBA season.^[14] After his retirement, the Kansas City Kings (the Royals moved there while Robertson was with the Bucks) retired his number 14 jersey; the retirement continues to be honored by the Kings in their current home of Sacramento. The Bucks also retired the number 1 jersey he wore in Milwaukee. Since 1994, a nine-foot bronze statue honors Robertson outside the Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center, the current home of Cincinnati Bearcats basketball.^[4] Robertson attends many of the games there, viewing the Bearcats from a chair at courtside. After many years outside the spotlight, on November 17, 2006, Robertson was recognized for his impact on college basketball as a member of the founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was one of five, along with John Wooden, Bill Russell, Dean Smith and Dr. James Naismith, selected to represent the inaugural class.^[5]

Legacy

Robertson is regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, a triple threat who could score inside, outside and also was a stellar playmaker. His rookie scoring average of 30.5 points per game is the third highest of any rookie in NBA history, and Robertson averaged more than 30 points per game in six of his first seven seasons.^[1] Only two other players in the NBA have had more 30+ point per game seasons in their career. Robertson was the first player to average more than 10 assists per game, doing so at a time when the criteria for assists were more stringent than today.^[3] Furthermore, Robertson is the only guard in NBA history to ever average more than 10 rebounds per game, doing so three times. In addition to his 1964 regular season MVP award, Robertson won three All-Star Game MVPs in his career (in 1961, 1964, and 1969). He has the all-time highest scoring average in the All-Star Game for players participating in four or more games (the league standard for the record) at 20.5 points per game. He ended his career with 26,710 points (25.7 per game, ninth-highest all time), 9,887 assists (9.5 per game) and 7,804 rebounds (7.5 per game).^[1] He led the league in assists six times, and at the time of his retirement, he was the NBA's all-time leader in career assists and free throws made, and was the second all-time leading scorer behind the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.^[3]

Robertson also set yardsticks in versatility. If his first five seasons are strung together, Robertson averaged a triple-double over these 400+ games, averaging an incredible 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 10.6 assists.^[15] For his career, Robertson had 181 triple-doubles, a record that has never been approached.^[16] These numbers are even more astonishing if it is taken into account that the three-point shot did not exist when he played, which was introduced by the NBA in the 1979–80 season and benefits sharpshooting backcourt players. In 1967–68, Robertson also 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). The official scoring and assist titles went to other players that season, however, because the NBA based the titles on point and assist totals (not averages) prior to the 1969–70 season. Robertson did, however, win a total of six NBA assist titles during his career. For his career, Robertson shot a high .485 field goal average and led the league in free-throw percentage twice—in the 1963–64 and 1967–68 seasons.^[1]

Robertson is recognized by the NBA as the first legitimate "big guard", paving the way for other over-sized backcourt players like Magic Johnson.^[3] Furthermore, he is also credited to have invented the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, a shot which Michael Jordan later became famous for.^[17] For the Cincinnati Royals, now relocated and named the Sacramento Kings, he scored 22,009 points and 7,731 assists, and is all-time leader in both statistics for the combined Royals / Kings teams.^[3]

Robertson was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame on April 28, 1980. He received the "Player of the Century" award by the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 2000 and was ranked third on SLAM Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players in 2003, behind fellow NBA legends Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. Furthermore, in 2006, ESPN named Robertson the second greatest point guard of all time, praising him as the best post-up guard of all time and placing him only behind Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson.^[15]

In 1959, the Player of the Year Award was established to recognize the best college basketball player of the year by the United States Basketball Writers Association. Five nominees are presented and the individual with the most votes receives the award during the NCAA Final Four. In 1998, it was renamed the Oscar Robertson Trophy in honor of the player who won the first two awards because of his outstanding career and his continuing efforts to promote the game of basketball. In 2004, an 18" bronze statue of Robertson was sculpted by world-renowned sculptor Harry Weber.^[7]

Personal life

Robertson is the son of Mazell and Bailey Robertson. He has two brothers, Bailey Jr. and Henry. He remembers a tough childhood, plagued by poverty and racism.^[18] Due to his troubled childhood, Robertson was known to be sullen and prone to violent outbreaks. However after winning the Olympic gold medal, then signing his first big contract with the Royals and marrying his sweetheart Yvonne Crittinden within several months, he blossomed into a calm, content young man. His U.S. Olympic teammate Jerry West remarked amicably how much Robertson had "grown up" in that year.^[17] In the following years, Robertson fathered daughters Shane Yvonne (b. 1962) and Tia Elaine (b. 1964), and led a private life without scandal; 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"^[17] In 1997, Robertson donated one of his kidneys to his daughter Tia, who suffered lupus-related kidney failure.^[17] He has been an honorary spokesman for the National Kidney Foundation ever since. In 2003, he published his own biography, The Big O, after his own nickname. Robertson also owns the chemical company Orchem, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.^[19]

Regarding basketball, Robertson has stated that legendary Harlem Globetrotters players Marques Haynes and "clown prince" Goose Tatum were his idols.^[12] Now in his seventies, he refrains from playing basketball, although he still follows it on TV, and now lists woodworking as his prime hobby.^[12] 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. He is also rumored to be highly annoyed by autograph seekers, snarling and being quite rude to them. ^[12] On June 9, 2007, Oscar received an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters from the University of Cincinnati for both his philanthropic and entrepreneurial efforts.^[20]

See also

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds

Books

• Robertson, Oscar The Art of Basketball: A Guide to Self-Improvement in the Fundamentals of the Game (1998) ISBN 978-0-966-24830-2
• Robertson, Oscar The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game (2003) ISBN 1-57954-764-8 autobiography
• Grace, Kevin. "Cincinnati Hoops." Chicago, IL: Arcadia, 2003.
• Grace, Kevin; Hand, Greg; Hathaway, Tom; and Hoffman, Carey. "Bearcats! The Story of Basketball at the University of Cincinnati." Louisville, KY: Harmony House, 1998.
• Robertson Oscar, Damian Aromando. "Parquet Cronicles" (2000)
• "But They Can't Beat Us" Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks Tigers by Randy Roberts ISBN 1-57167-257-5

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} basketball-reference.com. "Oscar Robertson stats". http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/roberos01.html. Retrieved 2007-01-25. 
2. ^ NBA.com, Oscar Robertson summary, accessed May 1, 2007.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v} nba.com. "Oscar Robertson nba.com summary". http://www.nba.com/history/players/robertson_bio.html. Retrieved 2007-01-25. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} hoophall.com. "Oscar Robertson NBA Hall of Fame summary". http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Robertson.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-25. 
5. ^ ^{a b} abc.com. "Wooden, Russell lead founding class into Collegiate Hall of Fame". http://nabc.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/112106aae.html. Retrieved 2007-01-25. 
6. ^ http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016428.html
7. ^ ^{a b} usbwa.com. "Oscar Robertson Trophy". http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/robertson/index.html. Retrieved 2007-01-25. 
8. ^ usabasketball.com. "Games of the XVIIth Olympiad -- 1960". http://www.usabasketball.com/history/moly_1960.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
9. ^ basketball-reference.com. "1962 Cincinnati Royals". http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1962.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
10. ^ basketball-reference.com. "1963 Cincinnati Royals". http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1961.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
11. ^ basketball-reference.com. "1964 Cincinnati Royals". http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CIN/1964.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
12. ^ ^{a b c d} thebigo.com. "Oscar Robertson FAQ". http://www.thebigo.com/FAQs/FAQsIndex.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
13. ^ basketball-reference.com. "1975 Milwaukee Bucks". http://www.basketball-reference.com/teamsMIL/1975.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
14. ^ thebigo.com. "Oscar Robertson Company Information". http://www.thebigo.com/Autobiography/contents.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
15. ^ ^{a b} espn.com. "Daily Dime: Special Edition – The 10 Greatest Point Guards Ever". http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestPointGuards. Retrieved 2007-01-25. 
16. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian. "Making triple trouble". http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-kidd111806&prov=yhoo&type=lgns. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
17. ^ ^{a b c d} Flatter, Ron. "ESPN Classic – Oscar defined the triple-double". http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Robertson_Oscar.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
18. ^ thebigo.com. "Oscar Robertson Company Information". http://www.thebigo.com/Autobiography/autobioIndex.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
19. ^ Orchem. "Orchem Corporation". http://www.orchemcorp.com. Retrieved 2008-07-20. 
20. ^ UC Legend Oscar Robertson to be Honored at Spring Commencement

External links

• Oscar Robertson's official homepage
• Oscar Robertson's Career Profile on ARHE Network
• nba.com summary
• Hall of Fame summary
• Career Statistics
• Oscar Robertson Trophy
• Information on Robertson's collegiate career

Links to related articles Awards and achievements Preceded by Bob Boozer NBA first overall draft pick 1960 NBA Draft Succeeded by Walt Bellamy Preceded by Wilt Chamberlain NBA Rookie of the Year 1961 Succeeded by Walt Bellamy Preceded by Wilt Chamberlain NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player 1961 Succeeded by Bob Pettit Preceded by Bill Russell NBA Most Valuable Player 1963–64 Succeeded by Bill Russell Preceded by Bill Russell NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player 1964 Succeeded by Jerry Lucas Preceded by Hal Greer NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player 1969 Succeeded by Willis Reed Sporting positions Preceded by Tom Heinsohn NBA Players Association President 1965-1974 Succeeded by Paul Silas v • d • e 1960 Olympic Champions Men's Basketball team - United States Arnette | Bellamy | Boozer | Dischinger | Haldorson | Imhoff | Kelley | Lane | Lucas | Robertson | Smith | West | Coach: Newell | Assistant Coach: Womble v • d • e 1960 NBA Draft First Round Oscar Robertson · Jerry West · Darrall Imhoff · Jackie Moreland · Lee Shaffer · Lenny Wilkens · Al Bunge · Satch Sanders Second Round Jay Arnette · Dave Budd · Kelly Coleman · Ron Johnson · Wilbur Trosch · Frank Radovich · Pickles Kennedy · Leroy Wright v • d • e National Basketball Association number one overall draft picks 1947: McNeely | 1948: Tonkovich | 1949: Shannon | 1950: Share | 1951: Melchiorre | 1952: Workman | 1953: Felix | 1954: Selvy | 1955: Ricketts | 1956: Green | 1957: Hundley | 1958: Baylor | 1959: Boozer | 1960: Robertson | 1961: Bellamy | 1962: McGill | 1963: Heyman | 1964: Barnes | 1965: Hetzel | 1966: Russell | 1967: Walker | 1968: Hayes | 1969: Alcindor | 1970: Lanier | 1971: Carr | 1972: L. Martin | 1973: Collins | 1974: Walton | 1975: D. Thompson | 1976: Lucas | 1977: Benson | 1978: M. Thompson | 1979: E. Johnson | 1980: Carroll | 1981: Aguirre | 1982: Worthy | 1983: Sampson | 1984: Olajuwon | 1985: Ewing | 1986: Daugherty | 1987: D. Robinson | 1988: Manning | 1989: Ellison | 1990: Coleman | 1991: L. Johnson | 1992: O'Neal | 1993: Webber | 1994: G. Robinson | 1995: Smith | 1996: Iverson | 1997: Duncan | 1998: Olowokandi | 1999: Brand | 2000: K. Martin | 2001: Brown | 2002: Yao | 2003: James | 2004: Howard | 2005: Bogut | 2006: Bargnani | 2007: Oden | 2008: Rose | 2009: Griffin v • d • e Milwaukee Bucks 1970–71 NBA Champions 1 Robertson | 4 Smith | 5 Winkler | 7 Allen | 8 Webb | 10 Dandridge | 14 McGlocklin | 18 Greacen | 19 Cunningham | 20 Boozer | 33 Alcindor (Finals MVP) | 35 McLemore | Head Coach Costello v • d • e Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 1980 Players Jerry Lucas • Oscar Robertson • Jerry West Coaches Everett Shelton Contributors Lester Harrison Referees Dallas Shirley v • d • e Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Based in Springfield, Massachusetts Members   Coaches (82) Allen • Anderson • Auerbach • Auriemma • Barmore • Barry • Blood • Boeheim • Brown • Calhoun • Cann • Carlson • Carnesecca • Carnevale • Carril • Case • Chancellor • Chaney • Conradt • Crum • Daly • Dean • Díaz-Miguel • Diddle • Drake • Ferrándiz • Gaines • Gamba • Gardner • Gill • Gomelsky • Gunter • Hannum • Harshman • Haskins • Hickey • Hobson • Holzman • Iba • Jackson • Julian • Keaney • Keogan • Knight • Krzyzewski • Kundla • Lambert • Litwack • Loeffler • Lonborg • McCutchan • A. McGuire • F. McGuire • Meanwell • Meyer • Miller • Moore • Nikolić • Novosel • Olson • Ramsay • Riley • Rubini • Rupp • Rush • Sachs • Sharman • Shelton • Sloan • Smith • Stringer • Summitt • Taylor • Thompson • Wade • Watts • Wilkens • Williams • Wooden • Woolpert • Wootten • Yow Boldface indicates those who are also inducted as players   Contributors (56) Abbott • Bee • Biasone • H. Brown • W. Brown • Bunn • Colangelo • Davidson • Douglas • Duer • Embry • Fagan • Fisher • Fleisher • Gavitt • Gottlieb • Gulick • Harrison • Hearn • Hepp • Hickox • Hinkle • Irish • Jones • Kennedy • Lemon • Liston • Lloyd • McLendon • Mokray • Morgan • Morgenweck • Naismith • Newell • Newton • J. O'Brien • L. O'Brien • Olsen • Podoloff • Porter • Reid • Ripley • Saperstein • Schabinger • St. John • Stagg • Stanković • Steitz • Taylor • Teague • Tower • Trester • Vitale • Wells • Wilke • Zollner   Players (139) Guards Archibald • Beckman • Belov • Bing • Blazejowski • Borgmann • Brennan • Cervi • Cousy • Davies • Drexler • Dumars • Frazier • Friedman • Gervin • Goodrich • Greer • Hanson • Haynes • Holman • Hyatt • Jeannette • Johnson • K. Jones • S. Jones • Jordan • Lieberman • Maravich • Marcari • Martin • McDermott • McGuire • Meyers • Monroe • Murphy • Page • Petrović • Robertson • Roosma • Russell • Schommer • Sedran • Sharman • Steinmetz • Stockton • Thomas • Thompson • Vandivier • Wanzer • West • Wilkens • Woodard • Wooden Forwards Arizin • Barkley • Barry • Baylor • Bird • Bradley • Cunningham • Curry • Dalipagić • Dantley • DeBusschere • Dehnert • Endacott • English • Erving • Foster • Fulks • Gale • Gates • Gola • Hagan • Havlicek • Hawkins • Hayes • Heinsohn • Howell • Lucas • Luisetti • McAdoo • B. McCracken • J. McCracken • McHale • Mikkelsen • Miller • Pettit • Phillip • Pollard • Ramsey • Schayes • Schmidt • Thompson • Twyman • White • Wilkins • Worthy • Yardley Centers Abdul-Jabbar • Barlow • Bellamy • Chamberlain • Cooper • Ćosić • Cowens • Crawford • DeBernardi • Donovan • Ewing • Gallatin • Gruenig • Harris-Stewart • Houbregs • Issel • Johnson • Johntson • Krause • Kurland • Lanier • Lovellette • Lapchick • Macauley • Malone • Meneghin • Mikan • Murphy • Olajuwon • Parish • Reed • Risen • Robinson • Russell • Semjonova • Thurmond • Unseld • Wachter • Walton Boldface indicates those who are also inducted as coaches   Referees (13) Enright • Hepbron • Hoyt • Kennedy • Leith • Mihalik • Nucatola • Quigley • Rudolph • Shirley • Strom • Tobey • Walsh   Teams (6) Buffalo Germans • The First Team • Harlem Globetrotters • New York Rens • Original Celtics • 1966 Texas Western Awards Bob Cousy Award • Curt Gowdy Media Award • John Bunn Award • Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award Website: http://www.hoophall.com/ v • d • e NBA 35th Anniversary Team Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Elgin Baylor • Wilt Chamberlain • Bob Cousy • Julius Erving • John Havlicek • George Mikan • Bob Pettit • Oscar Robertson • Bill Russell • Jerry West v • d • e National Basketball Association's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Nate Archibald • Paul Arizin • Charles Barkley • Rick Barry • Elgin Baylor • Dave Bing • Larry Bird • Wilt Chamberlain • Bob Cousy • Dave Cowens • Billy Cunningham • Dave DeBusschere • Clyde Drexler • Julius Erving • Patrick Ewing • Walt Frazier • George Gervin • Hal Greer • John Havlicek • Elvin Hayes • Magic Johnson • Sam Jones • Michael Jordan • Jerry Lucas • Karl Malone • Moses Malone • Pete Maravich • Kevin McHale • George Mikan • Earl Monroe • Hakeem Olajuwon • Shaquille O'Neal • Robert Parish • Bob Pettit • Scottie Pippen • Willis Reed • Oscar Robertson • David Robinson • Bill Russell • Dolph Schayes • Bill Sharman • John Stockton • Isiah Thomas • Nate Thurmond • Wes Unseld • Bill Walton • Jerry West • Lenny Wilkens • James Worthy v • d • e NBA Most Valuable Player Award 1956: Pettit | 1957: Cousy | 1958: Russell | 1959: Pettit | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Russell | 1962: Russell | 1963: Russell | 1964: Robertson | 1965: Russell | 1966: Chamberlain | 1967: Chamberlain | 1968: Chamberlain | 1969: Unseld | 1970: Reed | 1971: Abdul-Jabbar | 1972: Abdul-Jabbar | 1973: Cowens | 1974: Abdul-Jabbar | 1975: McAdoo | 1976: Abdul-Jabbar | 1977: Abdul-Jabbar | 1978: Walton | 1979: M. Malone | 1980: Abdul-Jabbar | 1981: Erving | 1982: M. Malone | 1983: M. Malone | 1984: Bird | 1985: Bird | 1986: Bird | 1987: Johnson | 1988: Jordan | 1989: Johnson | 1990: Johnson | 1991: Jordan | 1992: Jordan | 1993: Barkley | 1994: Olajuwon | 1995: Robinson | 1996: Jordan | 1997: K. Malone | 1998: Jordan | 1999: K. Malone | 2000: O'Neal | 2001: Iverson | 2002: Duncan | 2003: Duncan | 2004: Garnett | 2005: Nash | 2006: Nash | 2007: Nowitzki | 2008: Bryant | 2009: James v • d • e NBA Rookie of the Year Award 1953: Meineke | 1954: Felix | 1955: Pettit | 1956: Stokes | 1957: Heinsohn | 1958: Sauldsberry | 1959: Baylor | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Robertson | 1962: Bellamy | 1963: Dischinger | 1964: Lucas | 1965: Reed | 1966: Barry | 1967: Bing | 1968: Monroe | 1969: Unseld | 1970: Alcindor | 1971: Cowens & Petrie | 1972: Wicks | 1973: McAdoo | 1974: DiGregorio | 1975: Wilkes | 1976: Adams | 1977: Dantley | 1978: Davis | 1979: Ford | 1980: Bird | 1981: Griffith | 1982: Williams | 1983: Cummings | 1984: Sampson | 1985: Jordan | 1986: Ewing | 1987: Person | 1988: Jackson | 1989: Richmond | 1990: Robinson | 1991: Coleman | 1992: Johnson | 1993: O'Neal | 1994: Webber | 1995: Hill & Kidd | 1996: Stoudamire | 1997: Iverson | 1998: Duncan | 1999: Carter | 2000: Brand & Francis | 2001: Miller | 2002: Gasol | 2003: Stoudemire | 2004: James | 2005: Okafor | 2006: Paul | 2007: Roy | 2008: Durant | 2009: Rose v • d • e NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award 1951: Macauley | 1952: Arizin | 1953: Mikan | 1954: Cousy | 1955: Sharman | 1956: Pettit | 1957: Cousy | 1958: Pettit | 1959: Baylor & Pettit | 1960: Chamberlain | 1961: Robertson | 1962: Pettit | 1963: Russell | 1964: Robertson | 1965: Lucas | 1966: A. Smith | 1967: Barry | 1968: Greer | 1969: Robertson | 1970: Reed | 1971: Wilkens | 1972: West | 1973: Cowens | 1974: Lanier | 1975: Frazier | 1976: Bing | 1977: Erving | 1978: R. Smith | 1979: Thompson | 1980: Gervin | 1981: Archibald | 1982: Bird | 1983: Erving | 1984: Thomas | 1985: Sampson | 1986: Thomas | 1987: Chambers | 1988: Jordan | 1989: Malone | 1990: Johnson | 1991: Barkley | 1992: Johnson | 1993: Stockton & Malone | 1994: Pippen | 1995: Richmond | 1996: Jordan | 1997: Rice | 1998: Jordan | 1999: No Game Played | 2000: O'Neal & Duncan | 2001: Iverson | 2002: Bryant | 2003: Garnett | 2004: O'Neal | 2005: Iverson | 2006: James | 2007: Bryant | 2008: James | 2009: Bryant & O'Neal v • d • e UPI College Basketball Player of the Year Award winners 1955: T. Gola  | 1956: B. Russell  | 1957: C. Forte  | 1958: O. Robertson  | 1959: O. Robertson  | 1960: O. Robertson  | 1961: J. Lucas  | 1962: J. Lucas  | 1963: A. Heyman  | 1964: G. Bradds  | 1965: B. Bradley  | 1966: C. Russell  | 1967: L. Alcindor  | 1968: E. Hayes  | 1969: L. Alcindor  | 1970: P. Maravich  | 1971: A. Carr  | 1972: B. Walton  | 1973: B. Walton  | 1974: B. Walton  | 1975: D. Thompson  | 1976: S. May  | 1977: M. Johnson  | 1978: B. Lee  | 1979: L. Bird  | 1980: M. Aguirre | 1981: R. Sampson  | 1982: R. Sampson  | 1983: R. Sampson  | 1984: M. Jordan  | 1985: C. Mullin  | 1986: W. Berry  | 1987: D. Robinson  | 1988: H. Hawkins  | 1989: D. Ferry  | 1990: L. Simmons  | 1991: S. O'Neal  | 1992: J. Jackson  | 1993: C. Cheaney  | 1994: G. Robinson  | 1995: J. Smith  | 1996: M. Camby v • d • e Oscar Robertson Trophy winners 1959: O. Robertson  | 1960: O. Robertson  | 1961: J. Lucas  | 1962: J. Lucas  | 1963: A. Heyman  | 1964: W. Hazzard  | 1965: B. Bradley  | 1966: C. Russell  | 1967: L. Alcindor  | 1968: L. Alcindor  | 1969: P. Maravich  | 1970: P. Maravich  | 1971: S. Wicks  | 1972: B. Walton  | 1973: B. Walton  | 1974: B. Walton  | 1975: D. Thompson  | 1976: A. Dantley  | 1977: M. Johnson  | 1978: P. Ford  | 1979: L. Bird  | 1980: M. Aguirre  | 1981: R. Sampson  | 1982: R. Sampson  | 1983: R. Sampson  | 1984: M. Jordan  | 1985: C. Mullin  | 1986: W. Berry  | 1987: D. Robinson  | 1988: H. Hawkins  | 1989: D. Ferry  | 1990: L. Simmons  | 1991: L. Johnson  | 1992: C. Laettner  | 1993: C. Cheaney  | 1994: G. Robinson  | 1995: E. O'Bannon  | 1996: M. Camby  | 1997: T. Duncan  | 1998: A. Jamison  | 1999: E. Brand  | 2000: K. Martin  | 2001: S. Battier  | 2002: J. Williams  | 2003: D. West  | 2004: J. Nelson  | 2005: A. Bogut  | 2006: A. Morrison & J. Redick  | 2007: K. Durant  | 2008: T. Hansbrough  | 2009: B. Griffin v • d • e 1960 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans First Team Darrall Imhoff • Jerry Lucas • Oscar Robertson • Tom Stith • Jerry West Second Team Terry Dischinger • Tony Jackson • Roger Kaiser • Lee Shaffer • Len Wilkens v • d • e Milwaukee Bucks Founded in 1968 • Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin The Franchise Franchise • Expansion Draft • All-time roster • Seasons • Head coaches • Current season Arenas MECCA Arena • Bradley Center Coaches Costello • Nelson • Harris • Hamblen • Dunleavy • Ford • Karl • Porter • Stotts • Krystkowiak • Skiles D-League Affiliate Fort Wayne Mad Ants Administration Owner: Herb Kohl • General Manager: John Hammond • Head Coach: Scott Skiles Notable Figures Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Ray Allen • Vin Baker • Andrew Bogut • Junior Bridgeman • Sam Cassell • Larry Costello • Dave Cowens • Terry Cummings • Alex English • Marques Johnson • Bob Lanier • Jon McGlocklin • Sidney Moncrief • Don Nelson • Gary Payton • Michael Redd • Mo Williams • Glenn Robinson • Brian Winters • Oscar Robertson Retired Numbers 1 • 2 • 4 • 14 • 16 • 32 • 33 Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Nate Archibald • Dave Cowens • Wayne Embry • Alex English • Bob Lanier • Moses Malone • Oscar Robertson NBA Championships (1) 1971 Mascot Bango Media TV: FSN Wisconsin • Radio: WTMJ-AM • Announcers: Jim Paschke • Jon McGlocklin • Ted Davis • Dennis Krause v • d • e NBA on CBS Related programs The CBS Late Movie • College Basketball on CBS Related articles Ratings Commentators All-Star Game • Eastern Conference Finals • Western Conference Finals • NBA Finals Key figures Rick Barry • Gary Bender • Hubie Brown • James Brown • Don Criqui • Billy Cunningham • Len Elmore • Keith Erickson • John Havlicek • Sonny Hill • Rod Hundley • Steve Jones • Kevin Loughery • Verne Lundquist • Brent Musburger • Pat O'Brien • Bill Raftery • Don Robertson • Oscar Robertson • Mendy Rudolph • Bill Russell • Dick Stockton • Pat Summerall • Lesley Visser All-Star Games 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 NBA Finals 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 Music "Last Night" • "Whatever We Imagine" • "Back in the High Life Again" • "The Way You Do the Things You Do" • "Theme from The Last Waltz" Lore The Shot • Lakers–Celtics rivalry

Persondata
NAME	Oscar Palmer Robertson
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Big O
SHORT DESCRIPTION	NBA player
DATE OF BIRTH	November 24, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH	Charlotte, Tennessee
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

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