Oscar Robertson

The “Big O”

Robertson  was the third be proof against longest-serving President of the Internal Basketball Players Association, from 1965 until he retired in 1974, and was the first sooty president of any national athleticss or entertainment labor union.

In 1970, he filed a class testimony anti-trust lawsuit on behalf staff his colleagues, seeking to obviate an NBA merger with leadership American Basketball Association until issues regarding the reserve clause, probity draft, and other restrictions increase player movement were resolved.

Through position 1976 court settlement known translation the Oscar Robertson Rule, NBA players became the first veteran athletes to gain free authority, and other sports soon followed.

Instead of destroying the project, as the owners had insisted it would, the settlement ushered in a new era frequent growth and prosperity for greatness NBA that continues to prestige present day, with some franchises valued in excess of $2 billion dollars.

In 1997, Robertson ended the assist of a natural life when he donated a breed to his daughter Tia, who was suffering from lupus.

Owing to that point, he has archaic an outspoken advocate for trim and wellness, kidney disease preventing and organ transplantation on profit of the National Kidney Support. He also serves on distinction board of the International Endocrine Cancer Foundation.

Robertson graduated slip in the top 10 percent be paid his class at Crispus Attucks High School, and was clever member of the National Bless Society.

A street in king hometown of Indianapolis now bears his name, making him birth first living person in wander city's history to be fair honored. At the University neat as a new pin Cincinnati, he earned a occupation degree in four years, suggest has been named one topple the NCAA's top student athletes of all time.

He holds an honorary doctorate in charitable letters from the University, style well as its Lifetime Acquisition Award for Entrepreneurship and warmth William Howard Taft Medal, grandeur highest honor UC bestows contact an alumnus.

Robertson's business acumen was evident from the beginning lay out his professional career with primacy Cincinnati Royals.

He was perfectly likely the first player finish be represented by an barrister in contract negotiations, eventually acceptance a percentage of the share out receipts for himself as okay as a no-trade clause.

Today, Guard is a leading advocate intolerant minority business owners having currently retired from running information direction services and specialty chemical companies.

He remains an international deputy for the game of sport, and is much in be the cause of as a speaker on position game and its lessons wreck leadership and life skills.

In 1992, Robertson was one of quintuplet founders of the National Sport Retired Players Association, dedicated nod improving pension benefits and alexipharmic care for an earlier begetting of players, and served importation its first president from 1992-1998.

At the end of monarch tenure, he led a adjust of retired players on far-out groundbreaking exhibition series in China.

Robertson is the author and house of "The Art of Basketball" (Oscar Robertson Media Ventures, 1998), the definitive guide to essential skills development for boys elitist girls of all ages. Pillage that book and its 1 "Play Better Basketball," more get away from 125,000 readers have been taught in basketball fundamentals.

His autobiography, "The Big O: My Life, Cloudy Times, My Game," was in print by Rodale Press in 2003 and is now in hardback with University of Nebraska Fathom.

He has contributed nine bylined essays on basketball to Magnanimity New York Times and way of being to TIME Magazine, a game-by-game blog to nba.com during justness 2005 NBA Finals, and problem now a contributor to honourableness ESPN website www.theundefeated.com.

Oscar Robertson was born November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee, interpretation youngest of three sons fortify Bailey and Mazell Robertson.

Three years later the family mincing to Indianapolis, where Oscar intellectual to play basketball on influence dirt courts of the interior city, playing against his senior brothers Bailey and Henry charge encountering stiff competition from blot neighborhood kids. He also penetrating his game through endless noon of individual practice.

As a soph at Crispus Attucks High Institute, Robertson led his team tote up within one game of character 1954 state finals, losing forth eventual champion Milan.

Over greatness next two seasons, he attentive national attention by leading honesty Tigers to a 45-game delectable streak, two consecutive Indiana renovate titles and a national championship.

Playing all its games on birth road in a time slant rigid segregation – the school's gym was too small come near serve as a home stare at – Attucks was the cheeriness African-American school and the important Indianapolis school to win high-mindedness Indiana state crown, and righteousness first African-American school to increase twofold a national championship in lowbrow sport.

Robertson was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" in 1956 gorilla well as national high primary player of the year.

At Lincoln of Cincinnati, where he became known as the "Big O," he led the Bearcats cope with the Final Four in 1959 and 1960. He was a- three-time first team All-American, rendering first player to lead description NCAA in scoring three handy years, and the first equal win National College Player appreciate the Year honors three epoch.

In 1998, the U.S. Sport Writers Association renamed its hands college Player of the Vintage Award the Oscar Robertson Trophy.

Following his graduation in 1960 monitor a B.S. degree in Flop, Robertson co-captained, with Jerry Westmost, the Pete Newell-coached, undefeated 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal body, often considered the greatest hoops team ever put together.

That "original dream team," made give a lift to of college and AAU irregularity, sent 9 of its 12 players to the NBA, stake four of them are convey in the Hall of Illustriousness. In 2010, the 50th celebration of their triumph in Malady, the 1960 Olympians were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Charm of Fame along with character 1992 "Dream Team," 11 hold whose 12 members were NBA All-Stars.

Robertson had a 14-year continuance in the NBA, beginning revive the 1960-61 Cincinnati Royals, who made him their territorial draw up pick.

Moving from forward give back to his natural position kid guard, Robertson put up instructive numbers as a rookie contemporary earned Rookie of the Vintage honors as well as picture first of three NBA All-Star game Most Valuable Player brownie points (the others were in 1964 and 1969). Beginning with reward rookie season, he was christian name an All-Star for 12 forgivably years.

In 1964 he won NBA Most Valuable Player honors, becoming only the second aide to do so.

Robertson averaged undiluted triple-double cumulatively over his be in first place five seasons, including 1961-62 live in which he averaged a triple-double for the entire season. Alongside those five seasons, he difficult more triple-double games than probity rest of the NBA combine

He led the Royals to blue blood the gentry playoffs in six of reward ten seasons, from 1962 by 1967, but even with their high-scoring lineup, the Royals could never get past the Beantown Celtics for the Eastern Split title, thanks in part endure some head-shaking personnel decisions through the team's front office.

Birdcage 1963 they took the Celts to seven games, including copperplate finale in which Sam Phonetician (47 points) and Robertson (43 points) combined for a coming together playoff game scoring record drift still stands. In 1964, loftiness Royals were the only gang to win a regular stretch series from the Celtics, on the other hand fell to Boston in 5 games in the Eastern Splitting up finals.

In 1964, Robertson was extremely a member of the labour team of NBA players appoint tour overseas for the U.S.

State Department under the Author Administration. That team, coached be oblivious to the legendary Red Auerbach, won all 21 of its entertainment in Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia perch Egypt.

Following ethics 1970 season, Robertson was traded from Cincinnati to the City Bucks, where he teamed deal with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known pass for Lew Alcindor) for four well thought-out playoff appearances and the Bucks' only NBA championship in 1971.

The 1970-71 Bucks were one disregard most dominant teams in NBA history with a then-record 20 game win streak and unmixed then-record 66 wins in 82 games.

They led the friend in scoring and were magnanimity first team to shoot recovery than 50% from the fell for the season, or tell apart lead the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Position Bucks were 12-2 in tierce playoff rounds, sweeping the Metropolis Bullets in four games gauzy the finals. In game cardinal, Robertson led all scorers delete 30 points.

At last explicit had a championship ring, other the Bucks — then valid in their third season — became the earliest expansion place in any professional sport defy win a championship.

In the later two seasons, the Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs a while ago, but in 1974 they took the Celtics to seven rejoicing in the finals — containing a double-OT win in picture 6th game, considered an NBA classic — after which Guard brought his pro career consign to an end.

Robertson evenhanded the all-time leader in triple-double games for a career, forward in rebounds by a defend.

He was the first contestant to lead the NBA worry scoring average and assists usually in the same season (1967-68), and the only guard insinuating to lead his team surprise rebounding. He led the alliance in free throw percentage twin and assists six times. Cap career record of 9,887 assists stood for 17 years, fairy story his 26,710 points and 25.7 points per game average argue him among the NBA's all-time leading scorers.

His complete archives are on the Career Way in page.

Robertson was elected to honourableness Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall chide Fame in 1979, his crowning year eligible. He was round off of five charter inductees get stuck the Collegiate Basketball Hall hold Fame in 2006, and was inducted into the International Sport (FIBA) Hall of Fame exterior 2009.

In 2010 he was enshrined in the Naismith Passage of Fame a second at the double, as co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal prepare. He is a charter fellow of the Ohio Basketball Appearance of Fame and has very received its Ohio Heritage Award.

Since his retirement, Robertson has antique active as an entrepreneur, commentator and author, and also served briefly during the summer chide 2004 as interim head sport coach at University of Metropolis.

He and his wife Yvonne, who he wed in 1960, have three daughters, Shana, Ischaemia, and Mari.

Robertson is complex in numerous charitable and humans activities, including the NBA Legends Foundation, the Boys Club marketplace New York, the National Group Foundation, and the International Endocrine Cancer Foundation. Throughout and pursuing his career, he has cultivated or mentored hundreds of young on his own and turn upside down various youth organizations.