The La Salle University Explorers men’s basketball program of NCAA Division I is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. La Salle’s history contains a great deal of past success, such as two appearances in the Final 4 and one NCAA Championship. Dozens of former Explorers have been chosen in the NBA Draft and the best NBA basketball players from La Salle include one Hall of Famer, Tom Gola.
Tom Gola:
Hall of Fame forward Tom Gola was 1 of the greatest NBA basketball players from La Salle University. Gola averaged 20.9 points and 18.7 rebounds in his college career and he led the Explorers to their 1954 NCAA Championship. The five-time NBA All-Star spent six-plus seasons with the Warriors and finished his career with the Knicks. He averaged a double-double 3 times with the Warriors and he helped them win the 1956 NBA Championship. He notched career averages of 12.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and four.7 assists per game. La Salle’s present house court is named following Tom Gola.
Larry Foust:
An eight-time All-Star from the 1950s, center Larry Foust ranks among the greatest NBA basketball players from La Salle University. In 1950, Foust became the very first player drafted out of La Salle and he went on to have a 12-year NBA career. Foust averaged double-figures in scoring and rebounding in each and every of his 1st five seasons as a member of the Pistons. He led the NBA in rebounds and field aim percentage as soon as each and every and he accumulated career totals of 11,198 points and 8,041 rebounds per game. Foust retired as one of the NBA’s greatest rebounders and half a century later, he remains in the all-time best 60.
Jack George:
One of the very best NBA basketball players from La Salle University was Jack George, a best point guard from the early NBA. George was a multi-sport talent for the Explorers as a star of each their basketball and baseball teams. He was drafted by the Warriors in 1953 and spent eight powerful seasons in the NBA. In the best season of his career, George teamed up with Tom Gola on the Warriors’ 1956 championship team he averaged 13.9 points, four.3 rebounds, and 6.three assists per game to earn selections to the All-Star and All-NBA teams. He created a second All-Star team in 1957 and ranked in the NBA’s leading ten in assists 5 occasions.
Lionel Simmons:
Forward Lionel Simmons was a recent productive NBA basketball player from La Salle University. Simmons had 1 of the greatest college careers in NCAA basketball history with the Explorers. In 4 years, he scored 3,217 points to turn out to be the third leading scorer in Division I history. As the 1990 Naismith College Player of the Year, he was chosen seventh overall by Sacramento and spent his entire seven-year career there. Though his career was abbreviated by chronic injury troubles, Simmons had a excellent beginning with the Kings, averaging 18. points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4. assists per game as a rookie. He topped 15 points per game in each of his 1st 4 NBA seasons.
Joe Bryant:
A beginning forward, a coach, and the father of a existing All-Star, Joe Bryant was 1 of the very best NBA basketball players from La Salle. With averages of 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds for the Explorers, Bryant was a first round choice in the 1975 NBA Draft. Bryant played eight NBA seasons with his best good results coming in the final three. From 1980 to 1983, he averaged 11.1 points and four.2 rebounds per game with the Clippers and Rockets. Joe Bryant is the father of Lakers’ excellent Kobe Bryant.
References:
Alumni: Hall of Athletes. La Salle University.
Written by William Menna
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