Dave DeBusschere

David Albert DeBusschere ( born October 16, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan; † 14 May 2003 in New York ) was an American professional basketball player. Between 1962 and 1974 he played in the U.S. professional league NBA for the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks. DeBusschere was 1.98 m tall and played on the position of power forward.

Between 1958 and 1962, DeBusschere played for the local University of Detroit, and achieves the university record for rebounds in a game (39, on January 30, 1960) and in a season ( 540). His NBA career began in his hometown, with the Pistons as a territorial pick. 1964-1967, he was also player-coach, and at age 24 the youngest coach in the NBA history. In the 1968/69 season DeBusschere was sent to New York for the Knicks. There he won two championships (1970, '73 ) and finished a year after the last of his career.

DeBusschere was six times appointed to the All-Defensive first- team and is considered one of the best defenders in NBA history. On May 2, 1983 DeBusschere was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Between 1982 and 1986 he was vice - president of the Knicks. On 14 May 2003 he died of a heart attack.

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