Wyndol Gray

Wyndol Gray
Personal information
Born(1922-03-30)March 30, 1922
DiedMarch 20, 1994(1994-03-20) (aged 71)
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolSouth (Akron, Ohio)
College
Playing career1946–1948
PositionGuard / forward
Number4, 3
Career history
1946–1947Boston Celtics
1947St. Louis Bombers
1948Providence Steamrollers
1948Toledo Jeeps
Career highlights and awards
Career BAA statistics
Points363
ReboundsNot tracked
Assists50
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Wyndol Woodrow Gray (March 30, 1922 – March 20, 1994) was an American professional basketball player. He was the brother of Cortez Gray, who was also a professional basketball player.[1]

Gray played at Akron South High School in Akron, Ohio and went on to play collegiately at Bowling Green State University in 1942. At the time, freshmen were allowed to play to compensate for a shortage of college-age players due to World War II. Gray played on future Hall of Fame coach Harold Anderson's first team at Bowling Green. He led the team in scoring at 22.3 points per game and the Falcons went 18–4.[2]

Gray joined the Navy after the season, and returned to Bowling Green for the 1944–45 season as a part of the V-12 Navy College Training Program[3] and, along with big man Don Otten, led the Falcons to the final of the 1945 National Invitation Tournament, where they were defeated by the George Mikan-led DePaul Blue Demons. After the season, Gray was named a consensus first team All-American – Bowling Green's first in basketball.[2]

In 1945–46, Gray played at Harvard. There he led the Crimson to their first NCAA tournament appearance[4] and at the conclusion of the season he was named a second team All-American by the Sporting News magazine,[5] giving him the unusual distinction of being named an All-American at two different universities.

After his college career was over, Gray played for Honey Russell on the first Boston Celtics team in 1946–47. He played in 55 of the team's 60 games and finished third on the team in scoring at 6.4 points per game. The following season, the Celtics traded Gray to the St. Louis Bombers for guard Cecil Hankins. Eleven games into his Bombers career, Gray was again traded, this time to the Providence Steamrollers for forward Ariel Maughan. Gray's Steamrollers career lasted only one game.[6]

Gray, who is one of only four Harvard players to play in the NBA, died on March 20, 1994.

BAA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played  FG%  Field-goal percentage
 FT%  Free-throw percentage  APG  Assists per game
 PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP FG% FT% APG PPG
1946–47 Boston 55 .292 .581 .9 6.4
1947–48 St. Louis 11 .167 .333 .3 1.2
1947–48 Providence 1 .000 .000 .0 .0
Career 67 .283 .570 .7 5.4

References

  1. ^ "Cortez Gray". Peach Basket Society. December 11, 2015. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  2. ^ a b 2009-10 Bowling Green men's basketball media guide, accessed October 2, 2010
  3. ^ BGSU HOF profile, accessed October 2, 2010
  4. ^ Harvard’s Amaker Calls Upset Win a Defining Moment, accessed September 2, 2010
  5. ^ Harvard basketball All-Americans, accessed September 2, 2010.
  6. ^ Basketball-reference.com