 c. 1958 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 17, 1933 Watsonville, California, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 2017 (aged 83) Watsonville, California, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 198 lb (90 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Watsonville (Watsonville, California) |
| College | Santa Clara (1951–1955) |
| NBA draft | 1955: 1st round, 5th overall pick |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Playing career | 1955–1964 |
| Position | Power forward / small forward |
| Number | 12, 20, 17 |
| Career history | |
| 1955–1961 | New York Knicks |
| 1961–1962 | San Francisco Saints |
| 1962 | New York Knicks |
| 1962–1964 | San Francisco Warriors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 7,355 (13.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,142 (7.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 843 (1.6 apg) |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Kenneth Robert Sears (August 17, 1933 – April 23, 2017)[1][2] was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the first basketball player on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, appearing on the December 20, 1954, issue during his senior season in college.[3]
A 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) forward, Sears was a first round selection of the New York Knicks in the 1955 NBA draft and played eight seasons (1955–1961, 1962–1964) in the NBA with the Knicks and San Francisco Warriors. He averaged 13.9 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game in his NBA career, appearing as an NBA All-Star in 1958 and 1959. Sears also led the NBA in field goal percentage in consecutive years (1959, 1960).[4]
- ^ FitzGerald, Tom (April 24, 2017). "Former Santa Clara, NBA forward Ken Sears dies at 83". SFGATE.com. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Men's Basketball Hall of Famer Passes Away". Santa Clara Athletics. April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Cover". Sports Illustrated. December 20, 1954.
- ^ NBA career statistics. Retrieved May 31, 2007.