Guy Rodgers
(1935-2001)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2014
Card Shown:
1970 Topps
Position: PG
Height: 6’0″
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Guy Rodgers was one of the best point guards that the NBA has ever seen. A left-handed shooter, he could pass, dribble, and handle the ball with the best guards in history. Other star players compared him to, or even said that he was better than, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Pete Maravich, Walt Frazier, and Bob Cousy as a passer and ball-handler.
Although Rodgers did not win an NBA Championship, he was the point guard on several very successful teams. His 1962 Philadelphia Warriors team (with Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Arizin, and Tom Gola) lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics by two points in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Guy’s 1964 San Francisco Warriors team lost to the Celtics in the NBA Finals in five games.
Awards and Honors
- Guy attended Temple University and was a two-time NCAA All American in 1956-57 and 1957-58. He led the Owls into the Final Four in 1956 and 1958. Each time they finished in third place.
- While playing at Temple Guy was named Big 5 Most Valuable Player three times.
- Rodgers was a fantastic passer. He led the NBA in assists twice, in 1962-63 with 10.4 assists per game and again in 1966-67 with 11.2 assists per game. Guy also finished second in the league in assists six times.
- When Wilt Chamberlain famously scored 100 points in a game on March 2, 1962, Guy was in the backcourt feeding the ball to Wilt.
- Rodgers was a four-time NBA All-Star in 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1967. He and Jerry Sloan were the Chicago Bulls first All-Stars in 1967.
Points of Interest
- Rodgers was sometimes referred to as “the second Cousy” because of his ball-handling skills.
- Guy was the fifth overall draft pick by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1958 NBA Draft.
- In the Chicago Bulls first season in 1966-67 Rodgers set records with 13 assists in a half and 24 assists in a game against the Knicks.
- Guy was a pass-first point guard. He was always looking for others and trying to set them up to score.
- In his twelve-year NBA career Guy played for the Philadelphia Warriors, San Francisco Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Cincinnati Royals, and Milwaukee Bucks. He finished his career with averages of 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game.
Statistics
Guy Rodgers Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Guy Rodgers – Cut Signature – Program
