Nate Archibald
(Born 1948)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1991
Card Shown:
2014-15 Panini Flawless
Association Autographs
Position: PG
Height: 6’1″
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Nate “Tiny” Archibald was a point guard who loved to attack the rim, but he also set up others to score. With his speed, quickness, and ball handling abilities, Archibald could penetrate the lane and was a strong finisher, even against the taller, bigger players that tried to stop him. Nate could also use the threat of his speed to get open looks from the perimeter, where he was also very effective.
Early in his career, Nate was called upon to dominate the ball, either scoring himself or dishing the ball to an open teammate. Later in his career, especially with the Boston Celtics, Archibald’s role was to be the floor general. Surrounded by many talented players, Nate did just that. He facilitated the offense and helped lead the 1980-81 Celtics to the NBA Championship.
Awards and Honors
- In 1972-73, Nate became the only player in NBA history to lead the league in both points per game (34.0) and assists per game (11.4) in the same season.
- Archibald was a six-time NBA All-Star. In 1981 he was selected as the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.
- Nate was named to the All-NBA First Team three times and the All-NBA Second Team twice during his NBA career.
- In 1980-81, Tiny helped lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA Championship, leading the team in assists with 7.7 per game during the season. Also on that Celtics championship team were Hall of Famers Larry Bird (in his second year), Kevin McHale (a rookie), and Robert Parish.
- Archibald was chosen as one of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
Points of Interest
- Archibald was raised in the South Bronx, in the Patterson housing projects. He escaped the drugs, crime, and violence that surrounded him by focusing on the game of basketball.
- Nate was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in the second round, with the 19th overall pick, in the 1970 NBA Draft.
- The coach of the Royals when they drafted Archibald was Bob Cousy, a spectacular yet also undersized former point guard, who became a mentor for Nate. After each game he would spend time with Tiny, explaining to him the finer points of running a basketball team.
- During his career, Archibald played for the Royals, the Kansas City Kings, the New York Nets, the Boston Celtics, and the Milwaukee Bucks. He retired from the NBA with averages of 18.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.
- Nate has always remained committed to helping those in need in the area where he grew up. He has run basketball camps, stressed the need for education, and been involved in social programs to help those who are less fortunate.
Statistics
Nate Archibald Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com