Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Bill Bridges (basketball)
William C. Bridges (April 4, 1939 – September 25, 2015) was an American basketball player who earned a National Basketball Association (NBA) championship and multiple NBA All-Star honors. Bridges played 13 seasons as a power forward in the NBA for various teams, including the St. Louis / Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors.
Born on April 4, 1939, Bridges grew up in Hobbs, New Mexico. He attended Hobbs High School and played for the Hobbs Eagles and legendary high school basketball coach Ralph Tasker, on one of New Mexico's first integrated high school teams. Bridges led Hobbs High School to New Mexico state high school basketball championships in 1956 and 1957, and an overall 57–5 record over those two years.
Bridges enrolled at the University of Kansas for the 1957–1958 school year as a non-scholarship "walk-on". With freshmen ineligible for varsity competition until 1972, Bridges competed effectively in practice sessions during his 'redshirt' season against fellow Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain who was playing his second and final season at Kansas. Bridges' performance in practices in the 1957-1958 season earned him a scholarship for his remaining three years.
During his subsequent three seasons of competition 1958-1959, 1959-1960, and 1960-1961 for the Kansas Jayhawks, Bridges averaged 13.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. He led the Big Eight in rebounding all three years (13.7, 13.8 and 14.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore, junior and senior respectively).
Bridges was chosen All-Big Eight all three seasons, and was an honorable mention All-American in 1961.
After graduation from Kansas in 1961, Bridges was drafted by the Chicago Packers (currently Washington Wizards) with the 32nd pick in the 3rd round of the 1961 NBA draft.
Instead of signing with the Packers, Bridges played for the Kansas City Steers of the American Basketball League (ABL) prior to entering the NBA. The ABL was founded by Abe Saperstein in 1960 and consisted of six teams. (Saperstein had also founded the Harlem Globetrotters.) Future Hall of Fame forward Connie Hawkins was among the ABL's players. Bridges led the ABL in rebounding during both seasons he played for the Steers and led the league in scoring during his second season. He set the ABL single-game scoring record with 55 points on December 9, 1962, and scored 49 points in his next game. Saperstein suspended play soon after because of financial losses, and the league folded at the end of 1962, with the Steers declared ABL champions.
The NBA's St. Louis Hawks signed Bridges to a contract less than two weeks after the ABL suspended play. Bridges spent the next 13 seasons (1962–1975) as a member of the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors.
Hub AI
Bill Bridges (basketball) AI simulator
(@Bill Bridges (basketball)_simulator)
Bill Bridges (basketball)
William C. Bridges (April 4, 1939 – September 25, 2015) was an American basketball player who earned a National Basketball Association (NBA) championship and multiple NBA All-Star honors. Bridges played 13 seasons as a power forward in the NBA for various teams, including the St. Louis / Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors.
Born on April 4, 1939, Bridges grew up in Hobbs, New Mexico. He attended Hobbs High School and played for the Hobbs Eagles and legendary high school basketball coach Ralph Tasker, on one of New Mexico's first integrated high school teams. Bridges led Hobbs High School to New Mexico state high school basketball championships in 1956 and 1957, and an overall 57–5 record over those two years.
Bridges enrolled at the University of Kansas for the 1957–1958 school year as a non-scholarship "walk-on". With freshmen ineligible for varsity competition until 1972, Bridges competed effectively in practice sessions during his 'redshirt' season against fellow Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain who was playing his second and final season at Kansas. Bridges' performance in practices in the 1957-1958 season earned him a scholarship for his remaining three years.
During his subsequent three seasons of competition 1958-1959, 1959-1960, and 1960-1961 for the Kansas Jayhawks, Bridges averaged 13.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game. He led the Big Eight in rebounding all three years (13.7, 13.8 and 14.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore, junior and senior respectively).
Bridges was chosen All-Big Eight all three seasons, and was an honorable mention All-American in 1961.
After graduation from Kansas in 1961, Bridges was drafted by the Chicago Packers (currently Washington Wizards) with the 32nd pick in the 3rd round of the 1961 NBA draft.
Instead of signing with the Packers, Bridges played for the Kansas City Steers of the American Basketball League (ABL) prior to entering the NBA. The ABL was founded by Abe Saperstein in 1960 and consisted of six teams. (Saperstein had also founded the Harlem Globetrotters.) Future Hall of Fame forward Connie Hawkins was among the ABL's players. Bridges led the ABL in rebounding during both seasons he played for the Steers and led the league in scoring during his second season. He set the ABL single-game scoring record with 55 points on December 9, 1962, and scored 49 points in his next game. Saperstein suspended play soon after because of financial losses, and the league folded at the end of 1962, with the Steers declared ABL champions.
The NBA's St. Louis Hawks signed Bridges to a contract less than two weeks after the ABL suspended play. Bridges spent the next 13 seasons (1962–1975) as a member of the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors.