 Leonard, circa 1962 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 17, 1932 Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | April 13, 2021 (aged 88) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Gerstmeyer (Terre Haute, Indiana) |
| College | Indiana (1951–1954) |
| NBA draft | 1954: 2nd round, 10th overall pick |
| Selected by the Baltimore Bullets | |
| Playing career | 1956–1963 |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 21 |
| Coaching career | 1962–1964, 1968–1980 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1956–1961 | Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1961–1963 | Chicago Packers / Zephyrs |
| As coach: | |
| 1962–1964 | Chicago Zephyrs / Baltimore Bullets |
| 1968–1980 | Indiana Pacers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
| |
| Career playing statistics | |
| Points | 4,204 (9.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,217 (2.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,427 (3.3 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Career coaching record | |
| NBA & ABA | 573–534 (.518) |
| Basketball Hall of Fame as coach | |
William Robert "Slick" Leonard[1] (July 17, 1932 – April 13, 2021) was an American professional basketball player, coach and color commentator. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, where he was a two-time All-American and a member of their national championship squad in 1953. After playing professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Leonard coached the Indiana Pacers to three American Basketball Association (ABA) championships. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2014.