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John Block (basketball)
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John Block (basketball)
John William Block Jr. (born April 16, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) power forward/center from the University of Southern California (USC), Block spent 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers (1966–1967), San Diego Rockets (1967–1971), Milwaukee Bucks (1971–1972), Philadelphia 76ers (1972–1973), Kansas City–Omaha Kings (1973–1974), New Orleans Jazz (1974), and Chicago Bulls (1974–1976). Block had his strongest season in 1967–68, when he averaged 20.2 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Rockets, who had just entered the NBA as an expansion team. Block appeared in the 1973 NBA All-Star Game, and registered 7,106 total points and 3,965 rebounds in his career.
Block was born on April 16, 1944, in Los Angeles. He attended Glendale High School, where he played center on the school's basketball team as a 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) sophomore, 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) junior, and 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) senior. In 1961, he was named Most Valuable Player in the Pacific Shores Basketball Tournament. In 1962, he was second in the voting for the California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) Player of the Year award, losing in a close vote to Douglas Bolcom. The All-Southern California Board of Basketball selected Block as first-team All-CIF at center in 1962. Glendale reached the semifinal round of the CIF's Class AAA division playoffs that year.
Block first attended Glendale College, where he led the school's basketball team during the 1962–63 season, averaging over 20 points per game. Glendale won the December 1962 Sam Barry Memorial Basketball Tournament, and Block was named center on the all-tournament team.
He then attended the University of Southern California (USC). As a 6 ft 9 in sophomore center in the 1963–64 season, he averaged 13.6 points and eight rebounds per game. The next season he averaged 16 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. As a senior (1965–66), he averaged 25.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, leading both USC and the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU; later the PAC-12) in both categories. He also led the AAWU in free throws attempted and made. He was named first-team All-AAWU in 1965, as a junior. He was unanimously selected as the 1966 first-team All-AAWU center, as a senior. He was named an honorable mention for All-American by the Associated Press in 1966.
He has been reported at 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) as an NBA forward/center. He has also been reported as being 6 ft 9 in when he played in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers selected Block in the third round of the 1966 NBA draft, 27th overall. Block played sparingly as a Lakers' rookie, averaging 2.9 points and two rebounds in 5.4 minutes per game. On the advice of Lakers teammate Rudy LaRusso, Block closely studied Jerry West in all West did while Block was with the Lakers that season.
The Lakers left Block unprotected in the 1967 expansion draft and he was selected by the San Diego Rockets for their inaugural season. Block became the Rockets' starting center, and led the team in scoring (20.2 points per game) in its first year. He also averaged 11 rebounds per game, playing nearly 35 minutes per game. Coach Jack McMahon believed Block was more suited to play forward at 6 ft 9 in, 207 lb (93.9 kg), in the style of Bob Pettit, but needed to play Block at center. Block only played in 52 games that season, however, after suffering a broken bone in his shooting hand in late January 1968 that ended his season.
After future Hall of Fame center Elvin Hayes joined the Rockets for the 1968–69 season, McMahon moved Block to power forward. Block played in 78 games, averaging nearly 32 minutes, 15.3 points and nine rebounds per game. The team's record went from 15–67 in its first year, to 35–47 in its second year. The Rockets lost in six games to the Atlanta Hawks in the Western Division playoff semifinals. Block averaged 12.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, in five playoff games in that series. In the Rockets' two-point victory in Game 4, Block scored 20 points coming in as a reserve.
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John Block (basketball)
John William Block Jr. (born April 16, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) power forward/center from the University of Southern California (USC), Block spent 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers (1966–1967), San Diego Rockets (1967–1971), Milwaukee Bucks (1971–1972), Philadelphia 76ers (1972–1973), Kansas City–Omaha Kings (1973–1974), New Orleans Jazz (1974), and Chicago Bulls (1974–1976). Block had his strongest season in 1967–68, when he averaged 20.2 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Rockets, who had just entered the NBA as an expansion team. Block appeared in the 1973 NBA All-Star Game, and registered 7,106 total points and 3,965 rebounds in his career.
Block was born on April 16, 1944, in Los Angeles. He attended Glendale High School, where he played center on the school's basketball team as a 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) sophomore, 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) junior, and 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) senior. In 1961, he was named Most Valuable Player in the Pacific Shores Basketball Tournament. In 1962, he was second in the voting for the California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) Player of the Year award, losing in a close vote to Douglas Bolcom. The All-Southern California Board of Basketball selected Block as first-team All-CIF at center in 1962. Glendale reached the semifinal round of the CIF's Class AAA division playoffs that year.
Block first attended Glendale College, where he led the school's basketball team during the 1962–63 season, averaging over 20 points per game. Glendale won the December 1962 Sam Barry Memorial Basketball Tournament, and Block was named center on the all-tournament team.
He then attended the University of Southern California (USC). As a 6 ft 9 in sophomore center in the 1963–64 season, he averaged 13.6 points and eight rebounds per game. The next season he averaged 16 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. As a senior (1965–66), he averaged 25.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, leading both USC and the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU; later the PAC-12) in both categories. He also led the AAWU in free throws attempted and made. He was named first-team All-AAWU in 1965, as a junior. He was unanimously selected as the 1966 first-team All-AAWU center, as a senior. He was named an honorable mention for All-American by the Associated Press in 1966.
He has been reported at 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) as an NBA forward/center. He has also been reported as being 6 ft 9 in when he played in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers selected Block in the third round of the 1966 NBA draft, 27th overall. Block played sparingly as a Lakers' rookie, averaging 2.9 points and two rebounds in 5.4 minutes per game. On the advice of Lakers teammate Rudy LaRusso, Block closely studied Jerry West in all West did while Block was with the Lakers that season.
The Lakers left Block unprotected in the 1967 expansion draft and he was selected by the San Diego Rockets for their inaugural season. Block became the Rockets' starting center, and led the team in scoring (20.2 points per game) in its first year. He also averaged 11 rebounds per game, playing nearly 35 minutes per game. Coach Jack McMahon believed Block was more suited to play forward at 6 ft 9 in, 207 lb (93.9 kg), in the style of Bob Pettit, but needed to play Block at center. Block only played in 52 games that season, however, after suffering a broken bone in his shooting hand in late January 1968 that ended his season.
After future Hall of Fame center Elvin Hayes joined the Rockets for the 1968–69 season, McMahon moved Block to power forward. Block played in 78 games, averaging nearly 32 minutes, 15.3 points and nine rebounds per game. The team's record went from 15–67 in its first year, to 35–47 in its second year. The Rockets lost in six games to the Atlanta Hawks in the Western Division playoff semifinals. Block averaged 12.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, in five playoff games in that series. In the Rockets' two-point victory in Game 4, Block scored 20 points coming in as a reserve.
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