Oscar Robertson

Oscar Palmer Robertson ( * November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee ) is a former American professional basketball player. Between 1960 and 1974 he played in the U.S. professional league NBA for the Cincinnati Royals and the teams Milwaukee Bucks. Robertson is 1,95 m tall and played on the position of the point guards. In addition to Magic Johnson, John Stockton and Bob Cousy, he is one of the best players in his position in basketball history.

Childhood and youth

As Robertson was four years old, his family moved from Charlotte to Indianapolis. Inspired by his older brother Bailey "flap " Jr. Oscar began to play basketball on the outdoor courts at the age of six years. As a black man in times of racial segregation, he attended from 1954 to the purely African-American Crispus Attucks High School. Their basketball team led the outstanding gambling Robertson in 1955 and 1956 for the national championship of Indiana. Never before has an African-American high school had succeeded.

In the 1950s, began U.S. universities, including black players to recruit for their sports teams. So Robertson was an outstanding high school basketball player of the 1956 - vintage more than 30 offers of sports scholarships. He planned to study business administration and opted for the University of Cincinnati. Although he had to contend with racial discrimination there, he played outstanding. Point averages of 35.1 (1958 ) 32.6 (1959) and 33.7 (1960 ) earned him three times the award for player of the year. His points total achieved in 2973 were just one of 14 NCAA records, the Robertson aufstellte during his college career.

The team from Cincinnati but was defeated in 1959 and 1960 respectively in the semifinals of the NCAA tournaments of the University of California. Robertson played in 1959 with the idea that the early to leave University and, like Wilt Chamberlain to play one year with the Harlem Globetrotters. He rejected the idea, and studied until 1960. This year he played with Jerry West, Walt Bellamy and Jerry Lucas for the U.S. national team at the Summer Olympic Games in Rome in 1960. The outstanding gambling troupe, and is considered by many to be the "true, first Dream Team " won the gold medal with no problems.

Professional career

In the NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals in 1960 Robertson chose as territorial pick. On September 10, 1960, he signed with the Royals a three- year contract for $ 100,000. A high contract, which he justified by winning the award for " Newcomer of the Year " ( Rookie of the Year ). In his second season (1961 /62) Robertson succeeded in one of today's unmatched performance: With 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game, he managed to have the whole season a triple -double as the average. His first and only award the MVP won Robertson 1964. During the same year he became president of the NBA players union.

Although he belonged through the entire 1960 to the best players in the NBA, failed Robertson to win an NBA title with the Royals. In 1970, after the Royals had missed for the third time the play-offs, they were planning a rebuild of the team and offered Robertson with other teams. However, Robertson refused obstinately against a change to the Baltimore Bullets in which he has no chance of winning the title figured itself.

On April 21, 1970, the Royals finally sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks, the (later Kareem Abdul- Jabbar ) already had with Lew Alcindor on an outstanding center. Robertson and Alcindor complemented each other perfectly, and already the following season managed to win the title against the Bullets. It should be Robertson's only championship, as the Los Angeles Lakers completed the trial the defense of the title already in the Western Conference finals. After the 1973 season in the first play-off round came from, the Bucks made ​​it to the finals again in 1974. There, they lost just seven games against the Boston Celtics.

After this final defeat of the 35 -year-old Robertson ended his career. His 9887 achieved Assists remained for nearly 20 years record in the NBA, and were only surpassed by Magic Johnson. He was elected (1961 - 1969) during his career nine times in a row to the All- NBA First Team and was nominated twelve times for the NBA All-Star Game (1961 - 1972). With 26,710 points, he is ranked 10 of the most successful NBA players by points.

From 1965 to 1974, Robertson President of the National Basketball Players Association players union.

Robertson jersey numbers, the # 14 (with the Royals ) and the # 1 (with the Bucks ) are withdrawn by the two clubs and will not be awarded. On April 28, 1980 Oscar Robertson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and on 22 September 2009 in the FIBA Hall of Fame.

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