Wayne Hightower

Wayne Hightower
Personal information
Born (1940-01-14)January 14, 1940
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died April 18, 2002(2002-04-18) (aged 62)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight 192 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school Overbrook
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
College Kansas (1959–1961)
NBA draft 1962 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall
Selected by the San Francisco Warriors
Playing career 1961–1972
Position Power forward / Center
Number 55, 20, 12, 54, 35
Career history
1961–1962 Real Madrid
19621965 San Francisco Warriors
19651967 Baltimore Bullets
1967 Detroit Pistons
19671969 Denver Rockets
19691971 Los Angeles / Utah Stars
1971 Texas Chaparrals
1971–1972 Carolina Cougars
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points 6,568 (11.6 ppg)
Rebounds 3,966 (7.0 rpg)
Assists 959 (1.7 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Wayne A. Hightower (January 14, 1940 – April 18, 2002) was an American professional basketball player who had a long and productive career in the NBA and ABA, during the 1960s and early 1970s. He was a 6'8" power forward and center. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

College career

Hightower played college basketball at Kansas, with the Kansas.

Professional career

After graduating from college, Hightower moved to Spain, and signed with Real Madrid, whom he led to the 1961–62 season Spanish national domestic league championship, and the 1962 final of FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague), which the team lost.

He was drafted in the 1962 NBA draft, at the 7th spot overall, by the San Francisco Warriors, with whom he played for 3 seasons.

The pinnacle of his NBA career came with the Warriors, when together his teammate and fellow Philadelphia native, Wilt Chamberlain, he reached the 1964 NBA Finals. Hightower recorded his best season that year, averaging 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

He later played for several other teams, and moved on to play in the ABA, in 1967, before retiring in 1972.

Death

Hightower died on April 18, 2002, in his hometown of Philadelphia.[2][3]

Notes

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