Remember the ABA: Spencer Haywood

Spencer Haywood Ht. 6-8 Wt. 225 College - Detroit ABA Team: Denver (1969-70) All-American at University of Detroit; 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Winner; 1st College Player to Test ABA Hardship Draft Rule in 1969; Led ABA in Scoring and Rebounding as a rookie in 1969-70; ABA Rookie of the Year in 1969-70; 1969-70 ABA League MVP; MVP of 1969-70 ABA All-Star Game; 2nd Rookie (behind Wilt Chamberlain) to score 2,500 points in first pro season; ABA Record Holder for most field goals (986) and rebounds (1637) in a season; ABA Record Holder for Highest Rebound per Game Average (19.5 in 1969-70); Member of 1969-70 ABA All-Pro Team From Jim O'Brien's 1971-72 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball: Dominated ABA as rookie during 1969-70 season . . . Averaged 30 points and 19.5 rebounds to lead ABA in both categories . . . Also topped everyone on technical foul calls . . . "He would play in any league and be a superstar," says Knicks MVP Willis Reed . . . MVP in 1970 ABA All-Star Game when he impressed national TV audience . . . Only second rookie in pro history to score more than 2,500 points, duplicating effort by Wilt Chamberlain . . . All-American at Detroit as sophomore, led U.S. to gold medal in 1968 Olympics right out of Trinidad Junior College . . . Signed six-year contract with Rockets for reported $1.9 million . . . Center of stormy controversy during 1970-71 season after jumping from Rockets to play for NBA Seattle Supersonics . . . NBA owners argued that he wasn't eligible to play since his college class hadn't graduated (Denver signed him as a special "hardship" case) . . . Court case ending up knocking out NBA's four-year eligibility rule, a shocking development for college athletics - things will never be the same again . . . Jazz is his bag . . . So is controversy . . . Prides himself on clothing, some of which he designs himself . . . . . . Would like to do radio-television work someday . . ."In my opinion," he says, "there is no better forward than I am. But I'm not saying I'm the best."
	GP	Min	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TReb	AST	PF	Stl	Blk	Pnts	RPG	APG	PPG
Career ABA Totals	84	3808	986	1998	.493	0	11	.000	547	705	.776	1637	190	221	-	-	2519	19.5	2.3	30.0
ABA Playoff Totals	12	568	185	362	.511	1	5	.200	69	83	.831	237	39	31	-	-	440	19.8	3.3	36.7
ABA All-Star Totals	1	39	10	19	.526	0	0	.000	3	4	.750	19	2	4	-	-	23	19.0	2.0	23.0

Spencer Haywood

Ht. 6-8
Wt. 225
College - Detroit
ABA Team: Denver (1969-70)

All-American at University of Detroit; 1968 Olympic Gold Medal Winner; 1st College Player to Test ABA Hardship Draft Rule in 1969; Led ABA in Scoring and Rebounding as a rookie in 1969-70; ABA Rookie of the Year in 1969-70; 1969-70 ABA League MVP; MVP of 1969-70 ABA All-Star Game; 2nd Rookie (behind Wilt Chamberlain) to score 2,500 points in first pro season; ABA Record Holder for most field goals (986) and rebounds (1637) in a season; ABA Record Holder for Highest Rebound per Game Average (19.5 in 1969-70); Member of 1969-70 ABA All-Pro Team

From Jim O'Brien's 1971-72 Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball:
Dominated ABA as rookie during 1969-70 season . . . Averaged 30 points and 19.5 rebounds to lead ABA in both categories . . . Also topped everyone on technical foul calls . . . "He would play in any league and be a superstar," says Knicks MVP Willis Reed . . . MVP in 1970 ABA All-Star Game when he impressed national TV audience . . . Only second rookie in pro history to score more than 2,500 points, duplicating effort by Wilt Chamberlain . . . All-American at Detroit as sophomore, led U.S. to gold medal in 1968 Olympics right out of Trinidad Junior College . . . Signed six-year contract with Rockets for reported $1.9 million . . . Center of stormy controversy during 1970-71 season after jumping from Rockets to play for NBA Seattle Supersonics . . . NBA owners argued that he wasn't eligible to play since his college class hadn't graduated (Denver signed him as a special "hardship" case) . . . Court case ending up knocking out NBA's four-year eligibility rule, a shocking development for college athletics - things will never be the same again . . . Jazz is his bag . . . So is controversy . . . Prides himself on clothing, some of which he designs himself . . . . . . Would like to do radio-television work someday . . ."In my opinion," he says, "there is no better forward than I am. But I'm not saying I'm the best."

Spencer Haywood

Spencer Haywood's 1969-70 season with the ABA Denver Rockets was one of the most amazing individual years in professional basketball history.

He led the ABA in scoring with 30 points per game (beating out Hall of Famer Rick Barry who averaged 27.7 for the Washington Caps). He also led the ABA in rebounding with 19.5 rebounds per game (beating out Mel Daniels who averaged 17.6 for the Pacers).