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{{short description|Basketball player}}
{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Alex Groza
| name = Alex Groza
| image =
| image = Alex Groza.jpg
| width =
| width =
| caption =
| caption =
⚫
| number = 15
⚫
| position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| height_ft = 6
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| height_in = 7
| weight_lb = 218
| weight_lb = 218
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|10|07}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|10|07}}
| birth_place = [[Martins Ferry, Ohio]]
| birth_place = [[Martins Ferry, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|01|21|1926|10|07}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|01|21|1926|10|07}}
| death_place = [[San Diego, California]]
| death_place = [[San Diego, California]], U.S.
| nationality = American
| high_school = [[Martins Ferry High School|Martins Ferry]]<br />(Martins Ferry, Ohio)
| high_school = [[Martins Ferry High School|Martins Ferry]]<br />(Martins Ferry, Ohio)
| college = [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] (1945–1949)
| college = [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] (1945–1949)
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| draft_round = 1
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 2
| draft_pick = 2
| draft_team = [[Indianapolis Olympians]]
| draft_team = [[Indianapolis Jets]]
| career_start = 1949
| career_start = 1949
| career_end = 1951
| career_end = 1951
⚫
| career_number = 15
⚫
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| years1 = {{nbay|1949|start}}–{{nbay|1950|end}}
| years1 = {{nbay|1949|start}}–{{nbay|1950|end}}
| team1 = [[Indianapolis Olympians]]
| team1 = [[Indianapolis Olympians]]
| cyears1 = 1959–1966
| cyears1 = 1959–1966
| cteam1 = [[Bellarmine Knights|Bellarmine]]
| cteam1 = [[Bellarmine Knights men's basketball|Bellarmine]]
| cyears2 = [[1970–71 ABA season|1970]]
| cyears2 = [[1970–71 ABA season|1970]]
| cteam2 = [[Kentucky Colonels]]
| cteam2 = [[Kentucky Colonels]]
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* [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1951}})
* [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1951}})
* 2× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1949|end}}, {{nbay|1950|end}})
* 2× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1949|end}}, {{nbay|1950|end}})
* 2× [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball champions|NCAA champion]] ([[1948 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1948]], [[1949 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1949]])
* 2× [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball champions|NCAA champion]] ([[1948 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1948]], [[1949 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1949]])
* 2× [[NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA Final Four MOP]] (1948, 1949)
* 2× [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA Final Four MOP]] (1948, 1949)
* 2× Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1947 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1947]], [[1949 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1949]])
* 2× Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1947 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1947]], [[1949 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1949]])
* Consensus second-team All-American ([[1948 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1948]])
* Consensus second-team All-American ([[1948 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1948]])
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| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 318 (2.4 apg)
| stat3value = 318 (2.4 apg)
| bbr = grozaal01
| medal_templates =
| medal_templates =
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|basketball]]}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|basketball]]}}
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{{MedalGold|[[1948 Summer Olympics|1948 London]] | [[Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics|Team competition]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1948 Summer Olympics|1948 London]] | [[Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics|Team competition]]}}
}}
}}

'''Alex John Groza'''<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grozaal01.html Alex Groza Player Statistics] Basketball-Reference.com</ref> (October 7, 1926 – January 21, 1995) was an American professional [[basketball]] player from [[Martins Ferry, Ohio]]. Resulting from the [[CCNY point shaving scandal]], Groza was banned from the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) for life in 1951. In college, he won two NCAA championships as captain of the [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|University of Kentucky Wildcats]], and was a two-time All-NBA player for the [[Indianapolis Olympians]] before his career abruptly ended.
'''Alex John Groza'''<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grozaal01.html Alex Groza Player Statistics] Basketball-Reference.com</ref> (October 7, 1926 – January 21, 1995) was an American professional [[basketball]] player from [[Martins Ferry, Ohio]]. Resulting from the [[CCNY point shaving scandal]], Groza was banned from the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) for life in 1951. In college, he won two NCAA championships as captain of the [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|University of Kentucky Wildcats]], and was a two-time All-NBA player for the [[Indianapolis Olympians]] before his career abruptly ended.


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==College career==
==College career==
[[File:Alex-Groza-jersey.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A jersey honoring Groza hangs in [[Rupp Arena]].]]
[[File:Alex-Groza-jersey.jpg|thumb|left|upright|A jersey honoring Groza hangs in [[Rupp Arena]].]]
Groza was the captain and center of the "[[Fabulous Five (Kentucky Wildcats)|Fabulous Five]]" that won the 1948 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship and 1949 [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Men's Basketball Championships]], as well as the leading scorer on the gold medal-winning [[Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics|1948 USOlympic basketball team]].<ref>{{cite web
Groza was the captain and center of the "[[Fabulous Five (Kentucky Wildcats)|Fabulous Five]]" that won the 1948 and 1949 [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Men's Basketball Championships]], as well as the leading scorer on the gold medal-winning [[Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics|1948 US Olympic basketball team]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.straitpinkie.com/kentucky-2/all-time-kentucky-team-starting-pg-12-ralph-beard/
|url=http://www.straitpinkie.com/kentucky-2/all-time-kentucky-team-starting-pg-12-ralph-beard/
|title=All-Time Kentucky Team (Starting PG): #12 Ralph Beard
|title=All-Time Kentucky Team (Starting PG): #12 Ralph Beard
|publisher=straitpinkie.com
|publisher=straitpinkie.com
|accessdate=May 27, 2013
|access-date=May 27, 2013
|url-status=dead
|url-status=dead
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005231849/http://www.straitpinkie.com/kentucky-2/all-time-kentucky-team-starting-pg-12-ralph-beard/
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005231849/http://www.straitpinkie.com/kentucky-2/all-time-kentucky-team-starting-pg-12-ralph-beard/
|archivedate=October 5, 2013
|archive-date=October 5, 2013
}}</ref><ref name="SportsRef">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/alex-groza-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418081158/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/alex-groza-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title=Alex Groza Olympic Results |accessdate=June 14, 2018}}</ref> Groza was three-time All-American and All-[[Southeastern Conference|SEC]], and two-time [[NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player]].
}}</ref><ref name="SportsRef">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/alex-groza-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418081158/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/alex-groza-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title=Alex Groza Olympic Results |access-date=June 14, 2018}}</ref> Groza was three-time All-American and All-[[Southeastern Conference|SEC]], and two-time [[NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player]].


==Professional career==
==Professional career==
Groza was drafted in the 1st round of the 1949 [[NBA Draft]] by the Indianapolis Olympians. Groza averaged 23.4 points per game in his rookie season and was named [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award#Unofficial winners|NBA Rookie of the Year]]. Because the award was selected by newspaper writers at the time, the NBA currently does not recognize Groza having won the award. He averaged 22.5 points per game over two seasons before being implicated along with college teammates [[Ralph Beard]] and [[Dale Barnstable]] in a [[CCNY point shaving scandal|point shaving scandal]] during the 1948–49 season at Kentucky. NBA president [[Maurice Podoloff]] banned all of the implicated players from the league for life.


=== Indianapolis Olympians (1949–1951) ===
⚫
As a result of this ban, Groza became the first player in NBA history to end his career with a season in which he averaged at least 20 points per game (Groza averaged 21.7 PPG during the [[1950–51 NBA season|1950–51]]). In NBA history, only three players have had higher scoring averages in their final NBA seasons: [[Bob Pettit]] (22.5 PPG in [[1964–65 NBA season|'64-65]]), [[Paul Arizin]] (21.9 PPG in [[1961–62 NBA season|'61-62]]), and [[Dražen Petrović]] (22.3 PPG in [[1992–93 NBA season|'92-93]]).
Groza was drafted in the 1st round of the [[1949 BAA draft]] by the [[Indianapolis Jets]].<ref>{{cite news |title=3 'Tucky Stars among choices in BAA draft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-herald-3-tucky-stars-among/150059153/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=[[The Journal Herald]] |agency=[[United Press]] |date=22 March 1949 |page=8 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> While he signed a contract to play for the Jets, he later changed his mind and signed with [[Indianapolis Olympians]] of the [[National Basketball League (United States)|National Basketball League]] as a player and co-owner.<ref>{{cite news |title='I suspect Groza is avoiding me', says B.A.A. president Podoloff in Lexington; He was so right |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-i-suspect-groza-is/150059649/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=[[The Courier-Journal]] |date=2 June 1949 |page=11 (Section 2) |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Jim O'Leary |title=Basketball merger saved red face for Alex Groza |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-basketball-m/150060431/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=[[The Knoxville News-Sentinel]] |date=10 August 1949 |page=17 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> With the merger of the BAA and the NBL to form the [[National Basketball Association]] in August the same year,<ref>{{cite news |title=NBL, BAA merge, end pro net war |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republic-nbl-baa-merge-end-pro-net/149768648/ |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=The Republic |agency=UP |date=4 August 1949 |page=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> Groza started his professional career in the new league where he averaged 23.4 points per game in his rookie season and was named [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award#Unofficial winners|NBA Rookie of the Year]]. Because the award was selected by newspaper writers at the time, the NBA currently does not recognize Groza having won the award. He averaged 22.5 points per game over two seasons before being implicated along with college teammates [[Ralph Beard]] and [[Dale Barnstable]] in a [[CCNY point shaving scandal|point shaving scandal]] during the 1948–49 season at Kentucky. NBA president [[Maurice Podoloff]] banned all of the implicated players from the league for life.

⚫
As a result of this ban, Groza became the first player in NBA history to end his career with a season in which he averaged at least 20 points per game (Groza averaged 21.7 PPG during the [[1950–51 NBA season|1950–51]]). In NBA history, only three players have had higher scoring averages in their final NBA seasons: [[Bob Pettit]] (22.5 PPG in [[1964–65 NBA season|'64–65]]), [[Paul Arizin]] (21.9 PPG in [[1961–62 NBA season|'61–62]]), and [[Dražen Petrović]] (22.3 PPG in [[1992–93 NBA season|'92–93]]).


== NBA career statistics ==
== NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader=y}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#CFECEC; width:3em"|*
|Led the league
|}


=== Regular season ===
=== Regular season ===
Line 91: Line 87:
!Team
!Team
!GP
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!FG%
!FT%
!FT%
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| style="text-align:left;" |[[1949–50 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1949–50 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
|64
|64
|–
|style="background:#cfecec;"|'''.478*'''
|style="background:#cfecec;"|'''.478*'''
|.729
|.729
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| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
|'''66'''
|'''66'''
|–
|style="background:#cfecec;"|.470*
|style="background:#cfecec;"|.470*
|'''.786'''
|'''.786'''
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| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
|130
|130
|–
|.474
|.474
|.765
|.765
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| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |All-Star
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |All-Star
|1
|1
|–
|.500
|.500
|1.000
|1.000
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!Team
!Team
!GP
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!FG%
!FT%
!FT%
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| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950 NBA Playoffs|1950]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950 NBA Playoffs|1950]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1949–50 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1949–50 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
|6
|'''6'''
|–
|'''.595'''
|'''.595'''
|'''.831'''
|'''.831'''
Line 162: Line 151:
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season|Indianapolis]]
|3
|3
|–
|.493
|.493
|.758
|.758
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| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
|9
|9
|–
|.544
|.544
|.804
|.804
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==Coaching career==
==Coaching career==
After his playing career ended, Groza became the coach of [[Bellarmine College]] (now University) in [[Louisville, Kentucky]]. In 1963, Groza led the Knights to a Kentucky Intercolliegiate Athletic Conference title and was named KIAC coach of the year. Groza left Bellarmine in 1966 for a brief coaching and managerial career in the [[American Basketball Association]]. Between 1971 and 1975, Groza coached 40 games with the [[Kentucky Colonels]] and [[San Diego Conquistadors]] and held a number of front office positions, including becoming the Kentucky Colonels' business manager in 1969 and general manager of the San Diego Conquistadors in 1972 (and, later, San Diego's head coach). Groza was 2-0 as coach of the Colonels but 15-23 as coach of the Conquistadors, putting his career coaching record at 17–23.<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/grozaal01c.html Alex Groza Coach Statistics] Basketball-Reference.com</ref> Groza served as general manager of the San Diego Conquistadors beginning in 1972 until taking over as the team's coach in 1974, replacing [[Wilt Chamberlain]]. In 1975 Groza became director of player development for the [[San Diego Sails]] of the ABA.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/TeamMaterial/SanDiegoMaterial/ConquistadorsSailsYearly.html Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors/San Diego Sails Year-by-Year Notes<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225005001/http://www.remembertheaba.com/TeamMaterial/SanDiegoMaterial/ConquistadorsSailsYearly.html |date=December 25, 2008 }}</ref>
After his playing career ended, Groza became the coach of [[Bellarmine College]] (now University) in [[Louisville, Kentucky]]. In 1963, Groza led the Knights to a Kentucky Intercolliegiate Athletic Conference title and was named KIAC coach of the year. Groza left Bellarmine in 1966 for a brief coaching and managerial career in the [[American Basketball Association]]. Between 1971 and 1975, Groza coached 40 games with the [[Kentucky Colonels]] and [[San Diego Conquistadors]] and held a number of front office positions, including becoming the Kentucky Colonels' business manager in 1969 and general manager of the San Diego Conquistadors in 1972 (and, later, San Diego's head coach). Groza was 2–0 as coach of the Colonels but 15–23 as coach of the Conquistadors after replacing [[Wilt Chamberlain]] in 1974, putting his career coaching record at 17–23.<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/grozaal01c.html Alex Groza Coach Statistics] Basketball-Reference.com</ref> He was named general manager of the expansion Conquistadors on August 8, 1972.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/08/09/archives/personalities-k-c-jones-hired.html White Jr., Gordon S. "Personalities: K.C. Jones Hired," ''The New York Times'', Wednesday, August 9, 1972.] Retrieved November 30, 2020</ref> In 1975 Groza became director of player development for the [[San Diego Sails]] of the ABA.<ref>[http://www.remembertheaba.com/TeamMaterial/SanDiegoMaterial/ConquistadorsSailsYearly.html Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors/San Diego Sails Year-by-Year Notes<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225005001/http://www.remembertheaba.com/TeamMaterial/SanDiegoMaterial/ConquistadorsSailsYearly.html |date=December 25, 2008 }}</ref> After the Sails folded, he was named vice president and general manager of the San Diego Breakers of the [[International Volleyball Association]] on April 5, 1976.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/06/archives/people-in-sports-danforth-named-tulane-coach.html Harvin, Al. "People in Sports," ''The New York Times'', Tuesday, April 6, 1976.] Retrieved January 28, 2023.</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
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==Miscellaneous==
==Miscellaneous==
*Groza led the league in field goal percentage in 1950.
*Groza led the league in field goal percentage in 1950 and 1951.
*Alex Groza was the brother of football Hall of Famer [[Lou Groza]].
*Alex Groza was the brother of [[American football]] [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|hall of fame]] [[placekicker]] [[Lou Groza]].
*Groza's nickname was "The Beak".<ref name=gould>{{Cite book| last = Gould | first = Todd | title = Pioneers of the hardwood: Indiana and the birth of professional basketball | publisher = Indiana University Press | year = 1998 | page = [https://archive.org/details/pioneersofhardwo0000goul/page/167 167] |url=https://archive.org/details/pioneersofhardwo0000goul| url-access = registration | isbn = 978-0-253-21199-6}}</ref>
*Groza's nickname was "The Beak".<ref name=gould>{{Cite book| last = Gould | first = Todd | title = Pioneers of the hardwood: Indiana and the birth of professional basketball | publisher = Indiana University Press | year = 1998 | page = [https://archive.org/details/pioneersofhardwo0000goul/page/167 167] |url=https://archive.org/details/pioneersofhardwo0000goul| url-access = registration | isbn = 978-0-253-21199-6}}</ref>


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==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
*[http://www.nba.com/historical/playerfile/index.html?player=alex_groza Alex Groza Info Page] at [[NBA.com]]
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815162222/http://www.nba.com/historical/playerfile/index.html?player=alex_groza |title=Alex Groza at NBA.com |date=mdy}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grozaal01.html Alex Groza Player Statistics] at Basketball-Reference.com
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grozaal01.html Alex Groza player statistics] at Basketball-Reference.com
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/grozaal01c.html Alex Groza Coach Statistics] at Basketball-Reference.com
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/grozaal01c.html Alex Groza coach statistics] at Basketball-Reference.com
*[http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Groza_Alex.html Alex Groza] – UK Career Statistics and Biography
*[http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Groza_Alex.html Alex Groza] – UK Career Statistics and Biography
*{{Olympics.com|alexander-john-groza}}
*{{Olympedia}}
*{{citation | title=Alex Groza, Basketball Star For Kentucky, Is Dead at 68 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 23, 1995 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/23/obituaries/alex-groza-basketball-star-for-kentucky-is-dead-at-68.html}}
*{{citation | title=Alex Groza, Basketball Star For Kentucky, Is Dead at 68 | newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 23, 1995 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/23/obituaries/alex-groza-basketball-star-for-kentucky-is-dead-at-68.html}}
*{{Find a Grave|729110|accessdate=September 3, 2010}}
*{{Find a Grave|729110|access-date=September 3, 2010}}


{{navboxes
{{navboxes
|list=
|list=
{{S-start}}
{{S-start}}
{{succession box | title=[[Kentucky Colonels]] Head Coach | before=[[Gene Rhodes]] | years=1970–1970| after= [[Frank Ramsey (basketball)|Frank Ramsey]] }}
{{succession box | title=[[Kentucky Colonels]] Head Coach | before=[[Gene Rhodes]] | years=1970| after= [[Frank Ramsey (basketball)|Frank Ramsey]] }}
{{succession box | title=[[San Diego Conquistadors]] Head Coach | before=[[Wilt Chamberlain]] | years=1974–1975| after= [[Beryl Shipley]] }}
{{succession box | title=[[San Diego Conquistadors]] Head Coach | before=[[Wilt Chamberlain]] | years=1974–1975| after= [[Beryl Shipley]] }}
{{S-end}}
{{S-end}}
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{{Bellarmine Knights men's basketball coach navbox}}
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{{Bellarmine Knights baseball coach navbox}}
{{1948 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
{{1948 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
{{1949 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
{{1949 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball navbox}}
{{NCAA Basketball Tournament MOP men}}
{{NCAA basketball tournament MOP men}}
{{1947 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1947 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
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{{1948 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans}}
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{{Footer 1948 Olympic Champions Basketball Men}}
{{Footer 1948 Olympic Champions Basketball Men}}
{{1949 BAA Draft}}
{{1949 BAA Draft}}
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{{Bellarmine Knights men's basketball coach navbox}}
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{{Bellarmine Knights baseball coach navbox}}
{{Kentucky Colonels}}
{{Kentucky Colonels}}
}}
}}
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[[Category:American Basketball Association executives]]
[[Category:American Basketball Association executives]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Banned National Basketball Association players]]
[[Category:Banned NBA players]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Ohio]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Ohio]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1948 NCAA Men's Division I Final Four]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1948 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1948 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Basketball players at the 1949 NCAA Men's Division I Final Four]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Ohio]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Ohio]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Hungarian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Romanian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Romanian descent]]
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[[Category:Bellarmine Knights baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Bellarmine Knights men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Bellarmine Knights men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
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Revision as of 11:31, 26 June 2024

Alex Groza
Personal information
Born(1926-10-07)October 7, 1926
Martins Ferry, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJanuary 21, 1995(1995-01-21) (aged 68)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High schoolMartins Ferry
(Martins Ferry, Ohio)
CollegeKentucky (1945–1949)
BAA draft1949: 1st round, 2nd overall pick
Selected by the Indianapolis Jets
Playing career1949–1951
PositionCenter
Number15
Career history
As player:
1949–1951Indianapolis Olympians
As coach:
1959–1966Bellarmine
1970Kentucky Colonels
1974–1975San Diego Conquistadors
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points2,925 (22.5 ppg)
Rebounds709 (10.7 rpg)
Assists318 (2.4 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1948 London Team competition

Alex John Groza[1] (October 7, 1926 – January 21, 1995) was an American professional basketball player from Martins Ferry, Ohio. Resulting from the CCNY point shaving scandal, Groza was banned from the National Basketball Association (NBA) for life in 1951. In college, he won two NCAA championships as captain of the University of Kentucky Wildcats, and was a two-time All-NBA player for the Indianapolis Olympians before his career abruptly ended.

Early life

Groza grew up in Martins Ferry, Ohio and attended Martins Ferry High School. He was the brother of future Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Lou Groza.

Alex Groza led the Purple Riders to two undefeated regular seasons and to the Ohio state tournament both years, as Martins Ferry finished 24–1 in 1943 and 26–1 in 1944. In 1944, he scored 628 points, including 41 in one game, and was named first-team All-Ohio.[2]

College career

A jersey honoring Groza hangs in Rupp Arena.

Groza was the captain and center of the "Fabulous Five" that won the 1948 and 1949 NCAA Men's Basketball Championships, as well as the leading scorer on the gold medal-winning 1948 US Olympic basketball team.[3][4] Groza was three-time All-American and All-SEC, and two-time NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

Professional career

Indianapolis Olympians (1949–1951)

Groza was drafted in the 1st round of the 1949 BAA draft by the Indianapolis Jets.[5] While he signed a contract to play for the Jets, he later changed his mind and signed with Indianapolis Olympians of the National Basketball League as a player and co-owner.[6][7] With the merger of the BAA and the NBL to form the National Basketball Association in August the same year,[8] Groza started his professional career in the new league where he averaged 23.4 points per game in his rookie season and was named NBA Rookie of the Year. Because the award was selected by newspaper writers at the time, the NBA currently does not recognize Groza having won the award. He averaged 22.5 points per game over two seasons before being implicated along with college teammates Ralph Beard and Dale Barnstable in a point shaving scandal during the 1948–49 season at Kentucky. NBA president Maurice Podoloff banned all of the implicated players from the league for life.

As a result of this ban, Groza became the first player in NBA history to end his career with a season in which he averaged at least 20 points per game (Groza averaged 21.7 PPG during the 1950–51). In NBA history, only three players have had higher scoring averages in their final NBA seasons: Bob Pettit (22.5 PPG in '64–65), Paul Arizin (21.9 PPG in '61–62), and Dražen Petrović (22.3 PPG in '92–93).

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 *  Led the league

Regular season

Year Team GP FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1949–50 Indianapolis 64 .478* .729 – 2.5 23.4
1950–51 Indianapolis 66 .470* .786 10.7 2.4 21.7
Career 130 .474 .765 10.7 2.4 22.5
All-Star 1 .500 1.000 13.0 1.0 17.0

Playoffs

Year Team GP FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1950 Indianapolis 6 .595 .831 – 2.0 22.8
1951 Indianapolis 3 .493 .758 14.0 0.7 32.3
Career 9 .544 .804 14.0 1.6 26.0

Coaching career

After his playing career ended, Groza became the coach of Bellarmine College (now University) in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1963, Groza led the Knights to a Kentucky Intercolliegiate Athletic Conference title and was named KIAC coach of the year. Groza left Bellarmine in 1966 for a brief coaching and managerial career in the American Basketball Association. Between 1971 and 1975, Groza coached 40 games with the Kentucky Colonels and San Diego Conquistadors and held a number of front office positions, including becoming the Kentucky Colonels' business manager in 1969 and general manager of the San Diego Conquistadors in 1972 (and, later, San Diego's head coach). Groza was 2–0 as coach of the Colonels but 15–23 as coach of the Conquistadors after replacing Wilt Chamberlain in 1974, putting his career coaching record at 17–23.[9] He was named general manager of the expansion Conquistadors on August 8, 1972.[10] In 1975 Groza became director of player development for the San Diego Sails of the ABA.[11] After the Sails folded, he was named vice president and general manager of the San Diego Breakers of the International Volleyball Association on April 5, 1976.[12]

Personal life

After the team moved to Houston, Groza remained in San Diego, working as a sales manager for Reynolds International until his death.[13]

Alex Groza died of cancer in 1995 at age 68. He was survived by his wife of 42 years, Jean (Watson) Groza,[2] two sons, two daughters, and two grandchildren.[13]

Miscellaneous

References

  1. ^ Alex Groza Player Statistics Basketball-Reference.com
  2. ^ a b Alex Groza Ohio Valley Athletic Conference
  3. ^ "All-Time Kentucky Team (Starting PG): #12 Ralph Beard". straitpinkie.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  4. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Alex Groza Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "3 'Tucky Stars among choices in BAA draft". The Journal Herald. United Press. March 22, 1949. p. 8. Retrieved June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ "'I suspect Groza is avoiding me', says B.A.A. president Podoloff in Lexington; He was so right". The Courier-Journal. June 2, 1949. p. 11 (Section 2). Retrieved June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  7. ^ Jim O'Leary (August 10, 1949). "Basketball merger saved red face for Alex Groza". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. 17. Retrieved June 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ^ "NBL, BAA merge, end pro net war". The Republic. UP. August 4, 1949. p. 11. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  9. ^ Alex Groza Coach Statistics Basketball-Reference.com
  10. ^ White Jr., Gordon S. "Personalities: K.C. Jones Hired," The New York Times, Wednesday, August 9, 1972. Retrieved November 30, 2020
  11. ^ Remember the ABA: San Diego Conquistadors/San Diego Sails Year-by-Year Notes Archived December 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Harvin, Al. "People in Sports," The New York Times, Tuesday, April 6, 1976. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Alex Groza, Basketball Star For Kentucky, Is Dead at 68 New York Times. January 23, 1995.
  14. ^ Gould, Todd (1998). Pioneers of the hardwood: Indiana and the birth of professional basketball. Indiana University Press. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-253-21199-6.
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