Earl Monroe
(Born 1944)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1990
Card Shown:
2014-15 Panini Flawless
Association Autographs
Position: SG/PG
Height: 6’3″
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Vernon “Earl the Pearl” Monroe played the game of basketball with a unique brand of showmanship. His patented spin move, hesitation dribble, pump fakes, clever ball handling, and improvised shots made him difficult to guard. Opposing players never knew what he would do next. Monroe was one of the first players to showcase his tremendous one-on-one skills and blend them into his team’s goal of playing winning basketball.
Awards and Honors
- Earl played his college ball at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina under Hall of Fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines. As a senior he led the team to an NCAA Division II title in 1966-67, averaging 41.5 points per game.
- Monroe won the 1967-68 NBA Rookie of the Year award, averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. In voting for the award, he captured 78 of 79 first place votes. His future New York Knicks teammate Bill Bradley received the other first place vote.
- Earl helped lead the Knicks to the 1973 NBA Championship. He was part of a star-studded team that also included Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Jerry Lucas, and Willis Reed.
- Monroe was named an NBA All-Star four times during his career, twice each with the Baltimore Bullets and the Knicks.
- Earl was selected to the 1968-69 All-NBA First Team.
- In 1996, Earl was recognized as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
Points of Interest
- Monroe was selected by the Baltimore Bullets with the second overall draft pick in the first round of the 1967 NBA Draft. During his thirteen-year NBA career, Earl played a little over four years for the Bullets and nearly nine years with the Knicks.
- In his four years with Baltimore, Earl teamed with Wes Unseld and Gus Johnson to lead the Bullets to the playoffs three times, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 1971. In those finals the Bullets were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks who were led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.
- Earl finished his career with averages of 18.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
- After his retirement from basketball, Monroe managed a few singing groups and started his own record company named Pretty Pearl records.
Statistics
Earl Monroe Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com
Personal Autograph Interaction
We met Earl Monroe as we were getting ready to depart from our hotel on the morning after the 2024 Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony. He graciously signed two cards each for myself and my son Joshua. We appreciate Earl taking the time to sign some great cards that we added to our autograph collections.
Thank you, Earl!
In-Person Autograph Photos
Earl signed two cards for me. The first is the 2014-15 Panini National Treasures Springfield Swatches numbered 03/49. The second is the 1972-73 Topps card.