Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] Robertson played point guard and was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in 14 seasons. In 1962, he became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season (the only player in history besides Russell Westbrook).[2] In the 1970–71 NBA season, he was a key player on the team that brought the Bucks their first NBA title. His playing career, especially during high school and college, was plagued by racism.[2]
Robertson is a two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, having been inducted in 1980 for his individual career, and in 2010 as a member of the 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team and president of the National Basketball Players Association. Also in 1980, Robertson was named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team.[3] He was again voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.[4] The United States Basketball Writers Association renamed their College Player of the Year Award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in his honor in 1998, and he was one of five people chosen to represent the inaugural National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame class in 2006.[5] He was ranked as the 36th best American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN.[6][7] In October 2021, Robertson was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.[8]
Robertson was also an integral part of Robertson v. National Basketball Ass'n of 1970.[9] The landmark NBA antitrust suit, which was filed when Robertson was the president of the NBA Players' Association, led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players.[2] He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009.
- ^ "Oscar Robertson stats". Basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Oscar Robertson Bio". NBA.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
- ^ "NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team | Basketball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Oscar Robertson Basketball Hall of Fame summary". Hoophall.com. Archived from the original on January 21, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
- ^ "Wooden, Russell lead founding class into Collegiate Hall of Fame". Abc.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
- ^ "Top N. American athletes of the century". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
- ^ "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – Hall of Famers". Hoophall.com. Archived from the original on February 15, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
- ^ "NBA 75th Anniversary Team announced". NBA.com. October 21, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ "Oscar defined the triple-double". ESPN. Archived from the original on October 27, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2015.