Walt Bellamy
(1939-2013)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1993
Card Shown:
2012-13 Panini Prestige
Old School
Position: C
Height: 6’11”
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Walt Bellamy had to wait 18 years after he retired to enter the Hall of Fame. Bellamy was a talented center who starred at Indiana University, played on the famed 1960 Olympic team, and then in the NBA for thirteen seasons plus one game. His physical and basketball skills helped him to effectively compete against the great centers of his era. Walt was traded three times during his career because other teams wanted him and hoped that he would help lead them to a championship. Unfortunately, Bellamy played on a lot of mediocre teams during his NBA career but he will still be remembered as one of the great big men in the history of the game.
Awards and Honors
- In high school, Walt received All-State honors in football and led his team to a state title in 1956.
- Bellamy played college basketball at the Indiana University under coach Branch McCracken. He was named a Second Team All-American in 1961 for his stellar play at Indiana.
- Walt won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1962. He had been selected with the first overall pick in the 1961 NBA Draft by the Chicago Packers. In his rookie season, Bellamy averaged 31.6 points, 19.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
- Bellamy won a gold medal as a part of the United States Olympic team in Rome in 1960. Joining him on that team were Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Jerry Lucas. That team is considered by many to be the greatest amateur team in history.
- Walt was an amazing talent and an NBA All-Star in each of his first four seasons. After that, he was often overlooked as he played in an era of other great centers including Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Points of Interest
- Walt holds the record for most games played during an NBA season. As the result of a trade from the New York Knicks to the Detroit Pistons, he ended up playing in 88 games during the 1968-69 season.
- While playing for Chicago, Bellamy was a part of the first team in NBA history to start five black players.
- In eleven of his fourteen seasons, Walt averaged a double-double in points and rebounds.
- During his NBA career, Bellamy played for the Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, Baltimore Bullets, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and one game (his last) for the New Orleans Jazz. He finished his career with averages of 20.1 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.
- Walt ended his professional basketball career as the sixth-leading scorer (20,941 points) and third-leading rebounder (14,241 rebounds) in NBA history.
Statistics
Walt Bellamy Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com