Spencer Haywood
From Hoopedia
Spencer Haywood (born April 22, 1949, in Silver City, Mississippi) is a retired American professional basketball player.
In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School. In 1967, Haywood led the school to the state championship — the first public school in Michigan to win the state championship in 37 years.
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College
Haywood attended Trinidad State Junior College in Trinidad, Colorado during the 1967-68 college season, where he averaged 28.2 points and 22.1 rebounds per game. Due to his exceptional performance and talent, Haywood made the USA Olympic Basketball team in 1968. Haywood was the leading scorer on the USA's gold medal winning basketball team during the 1968 Olympics at 16.1 points per game, and he set a USA field goal percentage record of .719.
Haywood transferred to the University of Detroit Mercy later that year, and led NCAA Division I men in rebounding with a 21.5 average per game while scoring 32.1 points per game during the 1968-69 season. He decided to turn pro after his sophomore year, but National Basketball Association (NBA) rules, which then required a player to wait until his class graduated, prohibited him from entering the league. As a result, he joined the Trinidad State Junior College of the American Basketball Association (ABA).
ABA
Haywood led the ABA in scoring at 30.0 points per game and rebounding at 19.5 rebounds per game. He was named both the ABA Rookie of the Year and ABA Most Valuable Player in his rookie season (1969-70), and became the youngest ever recipient of the MVP at the age of 21. His 19.5 rebound per game average is the all-time highest in ABA history. Haywood also won the ABA's All-Star Game MVP that same year with a strong 23 point, 19 rebound, and 7 blocked shot performance for the West team.
NBA
In 1970, after forcing his way into the NBA through legal action (in a case that went all the way to the US Supreme Court), Haywood joined the Seattle SuperSonics. He was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1972 and 1973 and the All-NBA Second Team in 1974 and 1975. Haywood's 29.2 points per game in the 1972-73 season and 13.4 rebounds per game in 1973-74 are still the single-season record averages for the SuperSonics for these categories. Haywood played in four NBA All-Star Games while with Seattle, including a strong 23 point 11 rebound performance in 1974. In the 1974-75 season, he helped lead the SuperSonics to their first playoff berth. Overall, during his five seasons with Seattle, Haywood averaged 24.9 points per game and 12.1 rebounds per game.
Haywood's court victory was bittersweet, however. During his tenure with Seattle, Haywood was booed at several NBA arenas. At one arena, the public-address announcer even went so far as to announce "Ladies and gentlemen, we have an illegal player on the court (referring to Haywood)," during pre-game introductions.
In 1975, the Supersonics traded him to the New York Knicks where he teamed with Bob McAdoo. Haywood later played for the New Orleans Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Bullets. He earned a championship ring with the Lakers in the 1979-80 season, but didn't play any of their post-season games due to a suspension for illegal drug use.
Haywood and his wife, Linda, have four daughters. Haywood has been sober for over two decades now. He was previously married to Somali supermodel Iman.
Haywood's #24 jersey was retired by the SuperSonics during a halftime ceremony on February 26, 2007.
