Post by KotO on Jun 2, 2020 14:55:40 GMT
www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-hall-of-famer-and-former-washington-bullets-coach-and-gm-wes-unseld-dies-140009378.html
The Washington Wizards said former player, coach, and general manager Wes Unseld died Tuesday. He was 74.
Unseld is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The five-time All-Star played for Washington from 1968-1981 and started his career with the team when they were known as the Baltimore Bullets.
“It is with profound sadness that we share that our adored husband, father and grandfather Wes Unseld passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family following lengthy health battles, most recently with pneumonia.” the Unseld family said in a statement through the Wizards.
“He was the rock of our family — an extremely devoted patriarch who reveled in being with his wife, children, friends and teammates. He was our hero and loved playing and working around the game of basketball for the cities of Baltimore and Washington D.C., Cities he proudly wore on his chest for so many years.”
Unseld was a mainstay at center for the Wizards franchise throughout the entirety of his career. He played 73 or more games in all but two of his seasons with the team and averaged over 36 minutes per game in his career.
He was named the NBA MVP and the Rookie of the Year in 1968-96 when he averaged 13.8 points per game and an astonishing 18.2 rebounds per game. A year later, he upped his scoring average to 16.2 points per game and still averaged 16.7 rebounds per game while increasing his shooting percentage to nearly 52 percent.
Washington won the 1978 NBA title with Unseld manning the post and was named NBA Finals MVP. He averaged nearly 12 rebounds and eight points per game in that championship season and played three more seasons before retiring.
The Washington Wizards said former player, coach, and general manager Wes Unseld died Tuesday. He was 74.
Unseld is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The five-time All-Star played for Washington from 1968-1981 and started his career with the team when they were known as the Baltimore Bullets.
“It is with profound sadness that we share that our adored husband, father and grandfather Wes Unseld passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family following lengthy health battles, most recently with pneumonia.” the Unseld family said in a statement through the Wizards.
“He was the rock of our family — an extremely devoted patriarch who reveled in being with his wife, children, friends and teammates. He was our hero and loved playing and working around the game of basketball for the cities of Baltimore and Washington D.C., Cities he proudly wore on his chest for so many years.”
Unseld was a mainstay at center for the Wizards franchise throughout the entirety of his career. He played 73 or more games in all but two of his seasons with the team and averaged over 36 minutes per game in his career.
He was named the NBA MVP and the Rookie of the Year in 1968-96 when he averaged 13.8 points per game and an astonishing 18.2 rebounds per game. A year later, he upped his scoring average to 16.2 points per game and still averaged 16.7 rebounds per game while increasing his shooting percentage to nearly 52 percent.
Washington won the 1978 NBA title with Unseld manning the post and was named NBA Finals MVP. He averaged nearly 12 rebounds and eight points per game in that championship season and played three more seasons before retiring.