Zelmo Beaty
(1939-2013)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2016
Card Shown:
1973 Topps
Position: C
Height: 6’9″
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Zelmo Beaty, known as “Big Z,” was an undersized center (6-foot-9 and 225 pounds) whose hard work and physical play led him to a Hall of Fame career. Although he was one of the first centers to play a face-up game. Zelmo also played a very physical game in the low post.
Beaty was a top scorer and rebounder in both the NBA and ABA. He left the NBA to play in the ABA in 1969. Zelmo helped lead the Utah Stars to the 1971 ABA championship in his first year in Utah. In his final year playing professional basketball Beaty returned to the NBA to play on the Los Angeles Lakers with Gail Goodrich, Pat Riley, and Stu Lantz (who later became the longtime Laker broadcaster).
Awards and Honors
- Zelmo led Prairie A&M to the 1962 NAIA national championship.
- He was a two-time NBA All-Star with the St. Louis Hawks (in 1966 and 1968) and a three-time ABA All-Star with the Utah Stars (in 1971, 1972, and 1973).
- Beaty was named the ABA playoffs Most Valuable Player when he led Utah to its only league championship in 1971. He averaged 23.2 points and 14.6 rebounds in those playoffs.
- In 1970-71 Zelmo led the ABA in shooting percentage at 55.4%.
- Zelmo was among the NBA or ABA top ten scorers four times and top ten rebounders four times.
- Beaty was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Points of Interest
- Beaty was the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA draft in 1962. He was selected by the St. Louis Hawks.
- Zelmo averaged a double-double in points (17.1) and rebounds (10.9) during his 12-year career in both the NBA and ABA.
- He led the NBA in personal fouls in both 1962-63 and 1965-66.
- After playing seven years with the St. Louis Hawks in the NBA, Zelmo decided to cross over and play in the ABA. Due to league rules at the time he was forced to sit out the 1969-70 season. During his year off he worked at a bank in Southern California.
- The L.A. Stars of the ABA moved to Utah before his first season with the team. After his ABA days were over Beaty did return to the NBA for one final season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers under coach Bill Sharman.
- After he retired from professional basketball Zelmo briefly coached in the ABA with the Virginia Squires during the 1975-76 season. He then worked in financial planning and was a substitute physical education teacher for many years at elementary schools in Seattle.
Statistics
Zelmo Beaty Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com