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Keith Erickson
Keith Raymond Erickson (born April 19, 1944) is an American former basketball and volleyball player. He played on two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) under head coach John Wooden, where he was the key player in the team's zone-press defense. He was a member of the United States Men's Olympic Volleyball Team in the 1964 Olympics. He played 12 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA), participating in four NBA Finals series, and missing a fifth because of injury.
Erickson was born on April 19, 1944, in San Francisco. Erickson attended El Segundo High School (California), where he was on the basketball team in his senior year. As a senior (1960-61), Erickson was selected second-team All-Pioneer League in basketball. He was an All-Star baseball player at shortstop for El Segundo as well. Among his baseball teammates was future Major League Baseball player Bobby Floyd. In 1961, his baseball team won the Pioneer League Championship and came in second in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs.
After graduating high school, Erickson attended El Camino Junior College. After leaving high school at a young age (17), he believed El Camino prepared him to go to a larger school, and he had no regrets about not going to a larger college or university right away out of high school. He also needed to improve his grades out of high school to be able to attend a school like the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He played center on the basketball team at El Camino (1961-62). He also played on the school's baseball team.
Erickson transferred to UCLA for his 1962-63 sophomore year, after it was the only school to offer him a scholarship. He received a half-baseball half-basketball scholarship. He played basketball at UCLA for three years under Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Wooden. As a sophomore he averaged five points and 6.1 rebounds per game; 10.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a junior; and 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a senior. Playing forward, the 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Erickson called the signals for UCLA's zone-press defense. His role in UCLA's press defense is his most important legacy to the team's success.
In Erickson's junior year, the 1963-64 UCLA team had a perfect 30–0 record. Erickson's teammates included two future NBA guards: Naismith Hall of Fame guard Gail Goodrich and NBA All-Star Walt Hazzard. The Bruins won the NCAA National Championship Game over Duke, 98–83. Erickson had eight points and five rebounds in the championship game.
Erickson played a key role in UCLA's reaching the championship. In the West Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament, against the University of San Francisco, he led the Bruins with 10 rebounds. In the National Semifinals (Final Four), UCLA defeated Kansas State University, 90–84. During that game, the Bruins had surrendered two first half leads and then fallen behind in the second half, as some of the team underperformed. Erickson, however, stepped up and led the Bruins with 28 points (17 points above his scoring average) and 10 rebounds in saving the victory.
The Bruins were National Champions again in 1965, with a 28–2 record, and a championship game victory over the University of Michigan, 91–80. Erickson had 28 points and nine rebounds in UCLA's 100–76 victory over Brigham Young University in the Western Region Semifinals. He had 29 points and 11 rebounds in the Western Region Final win over San Francisco, 101–93. However, Erickson had an injured leg muscle and only scored two points in each of the last two games of the 1965 NCAA Tournament; though UCLA still won. He had been bothered by a groin injury throughout the season.
The Associated Press (AP) selected Erickson as a third-team All-American in his senior year (1965).
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Keith Erickson
Keith Raymond Erickson (born April 19, 1944) is an American former basketball and volleyball player. He played on two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) under head coach John Wooden, where he was the key player in the team's zone-press defense. He was a member of the United States Men's Olympic Volleyball Team in the 1964 Olympics. He played 12 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA), participating in four NBA Finals series, and missing a fifth because of injury.
Erickson was born on April 19, 1944, in San Francisco. Erickson attended El Segundo High School (California), where he was on the basketball team in his senior year. As a senior (1960-61), Erickson was selected second-team All-Pioneer League in basketball. He was an All-Star baseball player at shortstop for El Segundo as well. Among his baseball teammates was future Major League Baseball player Bobby Floyd. In 1961, his baseball team won the Pioneer League Championship and came in second in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs.
After graduating high school, Erickson attended El Camino Junior College. After leaving high school at a young age (17), he believed El Camino prepared him to go to a larger school, and he had no regrets about not going to a larger college or university right away out of high school. He also needed to improve his grades out of high school to be able to attend a school like the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He played center on the basketball team at El Camino (1961-62). He also played on the school's baseball team.
Erickson transferred to UCLA for his 1962-63 sophomore year, after it was the only school to offer him a scholarship. He received a half-baseball half-basketball scholarship. He played basketball at UCLA for three years under Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Wooden. As a sophomore he averaged five points and 6.1 rebounds per game; 10.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game as a junior; and 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a senior. Playing forward, the 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Erickson called the signals for UCLA's zone-press defense. His role in UCLA's press defense is his most important legacy to the team's success.
In Erickson's junior year, the 1963-64 UCLA team had a perfect 30–0 record. Erickson's teammates included two future NBA guards: Naismith Hall of Fame guard Gail Goodrich and NBA All-Star Walt Hazzard. The Bruins won the NCAA National Championship Game over Duke, 98–83. Erickson had eight points and five rebounds in the championship game.
Erickson played a key role in UCLA's reaching the championship. In the West Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament, against the University of San Francisco, he led the Bruins with 10 rebounds. In the National Semifinals (Final Four), UCLA defeated Kansas State University, 90–84. During that game, the Bruins had surrendered two first half leads and then fallen behind in the second half, as some of the team underperformed. Erickson, however, stepped up and led the Bruins with 28 points (17 points above his scoring average) and 10 rebounds in saving the victory.
The Bruins were National Champions again in 1965, with a 28–2 record, and a championship game victory over the University of Michigan, 91–80. Erickson had 28 points and nine rebounds in UCLA's 100–76 victory over Brigham Young University in the Western Region Semifinals. He had 29 points and 11 rebounds in the Western Region Final win over San Francisco, 101–93. However, Erickson had an injured leg muscle and only scored two points in each of the last two games of the 1965 NCAA Tournament; though UCLA still won. He had been bothered by a groin injury throughout the season.
The Associated Press (AP) selected Erickson as a third-team All-American in his senior year (1965).
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