Spencer Haywood
Basketball player, 1968 Olympic gold medalist
Born
April 22nd, 1949
76 years ago
Category
Athletes & Sports Figures
Country
United States
Links & References
An influential figure in basketball, played for the University of Detroit before joining the American Basketball Association (ABA). Achieved success with the Denver Rockets, where captured the ABA Rookie of the Year award in 1970. Later transitioned to the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing for teams including the New York Knicks, Seattle SuperSonics, and Los Angeles Lakers. Contributed significantly to the SuperSonics' 1979 NBA Championship victory. Made history by paving the way for players to enter professional leagues directly from high school, eventually leading to changes in player eligibility rules. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics
Captured NBA Championship with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015
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