Professional_career Oscar_Robertson

1 professional career

1.1 cincinnati royals
1.2 milwaukee bucks , oscar robertson suit
1.3 post-nba career

professional career
cincinnati royals

robertson displaying ball-handling talent cincinnati royals

prior 1960–61 nba season, robertson made himself eligible 1960 nba draft. drafted cincinnati royals territorial pick. royals gave robertson $33,000 signing bonus, far cry childhood days when poor afford basketball. in rookie season, robertson averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds , 9.7 assists (leading league), averaging triple-double entire season. named nba rookie of year, elected all-nba first team – happen in each of robertson s first 9 seasons – , made first of 12 consecutive all-star game appearances. in addition, named 1961 nba all-star game mvp following 23-point, 14-assist, 9-rebound performance in west victory. however, royals finished 33–46 record , stayed in cellar of western division.

in 1961–62 season, robertson became first player in nba history average triple-double entire season, 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds , 11.4 assists. robertson set then-nba record triple-doubles during regular season 41 triple-doubles; record stand on half century when, in 2016–17, russell westbrook recorded 42 , joined robertson other player average triple-double entire season. broke assists record bob cousy, had recorded 715 assists 2 seasons earlier, logging 899. royals earned playoff berth; however, eliminated in first round detroit pistons. in next season, robertson further established himself 1 of greatest players of generation, averaging 28.3 points, 10.4 rebounds , 9.5 assists, narrowly missing out on triple-double season. royals advanced eastern division finals, succumbed in seven-game series against boston celtics team led bill russell.

in 1963–64 season, royals achieved 55–25 record, put them second place in eastern division. under new coach jack mcmahon, robertson flourished, , first time in career, had decent supporting cast: second scoring option jack twyman supplemented jerry lucas , wayne embry, , fellow guard adrian smith helped robertson in backcourt. robertson led nba in free-throw percentage, scored career-high 31.4 points per game, , averaged 9.9 rebounds , 11.0 assists per game. averages first 5 nba seasons triple-double: 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds , 10.6 assists per game. won nba mvp award , became player other bill russell , wilt chamberlain win 1960 1968. robertson won second all-star game mvp award year after scoring 26 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, , dishing off 8 assists in east victory. in postseason, royals defeated philadelphia 76ers, dominated celtics 4 games 1.

robertson averaged triple-double first 5 seasons in nba royals, recording averages of 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, , 10.6 assists per game. 1964–65 season on, things began turn sour franchise. despite robertson s stellar play, never failing record averages of @ least 24.7 points, 6.0 rebounds , 8.1 assists in 6 following seasons, royals eliminated in first round 1965 1967, missed playoffs 1968 1970. in 1969–70 season, sixth disappointing season in row, fan support waning. attract public, 41-year-old head coach bob cousy made short comeback player. 7 games, former celtics point guard partnered robertson in royals backcourt, missed playoffs.

milwaukee bucks , oscar robertson suit

robertson member of milwaukee bucks

prior 1970–71 season, royals stunned basketball world trading robertson bucks flynn robinson , charlie paulk. no reasons officially given, many pundits suspected head coach bob cousy jealous of attention robertson getting. robertson himself said: think wrong , never forget it. relationship between oscar , royals had soured point cincinnati had approached lakers , knicks deals involving star player (the knicks players discussed in scenarios unknown, los angeles stated publicly royals asked jerry west , wilt chamberlain, lakers saying not consider trading either star).

however, trade proved highly beneficial robertson. after being stuck under-performing team last 6 years, paired young lew alcindor, years later become all-time nba scoring leader kareem abdul-jabbar. alcindor in low post , robertson running backcourt, bucks charged league-best 66–16 record, including then-record 20-game win streak, dominating 12–2 record in playoffs, , crowned season nba title sweeping baltimore bullets 4–0 in 1971 nba finals. first time in career, robertson had won nba championship.

from historical perspective, however, robertson s important contribution made not on basketball court, rather in court of law. year of landmark robertson v. national basketball ass n, antitrust suit filed nba s players association against league. robertson president of players association, case bore name. in suit, proposed merger between nba , american basketball association delayed until 1976, , college draft free agency clauses reformed. robertson himself stated main reason clubs owned players: players forbidden talk other clubs once contract up, because free agency did not exist then. 6 years after suit filed, nba reached settlement, aba–nba merger took place, , oscar robertson suit encouraged signing of more free agents , led higher salaries players.

on hardwood, veteran robertson still proved valuable player. paired abdul-jabbar, 2 more division titles bucks followed in 1971–72 , 1972–73 season. in robertson s last season, helped lead milwaukee league-best 59–23 record , helped them reach 1974 nba finals. there, robertson had chance end stellar career second ring. bucks matched against boston celtics team powered inspired dave cowens, , bucks lost in 7 games. testament robertson s importance bucks, in season following retirement bucks fell last place in division 38–44 record in spite of continued presence of abdul-jabbar.

robertson elected wisconsin athletic hall of fame in 1995.

post-nba career

robertson in 2010

after retired active player, robertson stayed involved in efforts improve living conditions in native indianapolis, concerning fellow african-americans. in addition, worked color commentator brent musburger on games televised cbs during 1974–75 nba season. trademark expression oh, brent, did see that! in reaction flashy or spectacular situations such fast breaks, slam dunks, player collisions, etc.

after retirement, kansas city kings (the royals moved there while robertson bucks) retired #14; retirement continues honored kings in current home of sacramento. bucks retired #1 wore in milwaukee.

in 1994, nine-foot bronze statue of robertson erected outside fifth third arena @ shoemaker center, current home of cincinnati bearcats basketball. robertson attends many of games there, viewing bearcats chair @ courtside. in 2006, statue relocated entrance of richard e. lindner athletics center @ university of cincinnati.

starting in 2000, robertson served director countrywide financial corporation, until company s sale bank of america in 2008.

after many years out of spotlight, robertson recognized on november 17, 2006 impact on college basketball when chosen member of founding class of national collegiate basketball hall of fame. 1 of 5 people, along john wooden, bill russell, dean smith , dr. james naismith, selected represent inaugural class.

in july 2004, robertson named interim head coach of cincinnati bearcats men s basketball team approximately month while head coach bob huggins served suspension stemming drunk-driving conviction.

in january 2011, robertson joined class action lawsuit against ncaa, challenging organization s use of images of former student athletes.

in 2015, robertson among group of investors placed marijuana legalization initiative on ohio ballot. initiative sought exclusive grow rights group members while prohibiting other cultivation except small amounts personal use. robertson appeared in television advertisement advocating passage of initiative, defeated.