Don Ford
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Santa Barbara, California | December 31, 1952
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, California) |
College |
|
NBA draft | 1975 / Round: 6 / Pick: 92nd overall |
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
Playing career | 1975–1983 |
Position | Power forward |
Number | 35 |
Career history | |
1975–1980 | Los Angeles Lakers |
1980–1982 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
1982–1983 | Auxilium Torino |
Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 3,016 (6.4 ppg) |
Rebounds | 1,691 (3.6 rpg) |
Assists | 647 (1.4 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Donald J. Ford (born December 31, 1952) is a former American basketball power forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. He also was a member of the Auxilium Torino in Europe. He played college basketball at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Early years[]
Ford attended Santa Barbara High School. He was a teammate of future NBA player Keith Wilkes (later Jamaal Wilkes).[1] He enrolled at Santa Barbara City College. As a freshman in the 1971–1972 season, he contributed to a 26–6 record and a Western State Conference Championship. He averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds per game, including 3 contests with 29 points. He received first-team All-American honors by the California Junior College Federation.[2]
He transferred to the University of New Mexico after his freshman season. As a sophomore, he was a backup, posting 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest.
He transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara at the end of his sophomore season. As a junior, he sat out the season because of the NCAA's transfer rules. As a senior, he averaged 19.6 points (led the team), 8.4 rebounds (led the team) and 2.5 assists (second on the team).[3]
Professional career[]
Ford was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 6th round (92nd overall) of the 1975 NBA Draft. He spent four-and-a-half seasons with the team and was mostly know for his defense, while averaging 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
In the 1979-80 championship season, his playing time was limited behind Jamaal Wilkes, Jim Chones and Spencer Haywood. On February 15, 1980, he was traded along with a 1980 1st round draft pick (#22-Chad Kinch) to the Cleveland Cavaliers, in exchange for Butch Lee and a 1982 1st round draft pick (#1-James Worthy).[4]
On January 19, 1982, he was waived after being passed on the depth chart by Keith Herron.[5][6] He played in 474 games, averaging 6.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
In 1982, he signed with the Auxilium Torino in Italy's Lega Basket Serie A.
Personal life[]
In 1989, he was named assistant coach and director of community relations to the Santa Barbara Islanders of the Continental Basketball Association.[7]
Ford was married to Sharon Tate's sister Patti, with whom he had three children.[8] He currently lives in Santa Barbara where he works as a real estate agent, as well as serving as color commentator on UCSB basketball radio broadcasts.
References[]
- ^ "Exploring the Lakers' Ties to Santa Barbara". NBA. September 20, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Athletics Department Announces SBCC Vaqueros Hall of Fame Class of 2020". Santa Barbara City College. February 11, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Lakers Sign Forward Don Ford". Los Angeles Times. August 11, 1975. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Lakers Beat Deadline; Get Lee From Cavaliers". Los Angeles Times. February 16, 1980. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Notebook". The Akron Beacon Journal. January 29, 1982. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland Cavaliers". The Palm Beach Post. January 20, 1982. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ "Transactions". San Bernardino Sun. San Bernardino, California. 14 September 1989. p. 43. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
- ^ "Blog News". September 29, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
External links[]
- NBA stats @ basketballreference.com
- Don Ford profile @ lakersweb.com
- 1952 births
- Living people
- American expatriate basketball people in Italy
- American men's basketball players
- Basketball players from California
- Cleveland Cavaliers players
- Continental Basketball Association coaches
- Los Angeles Lakers draft picks
- Los Angeles Lakers players
- New Mexico Lobos men's basketball players
- Santa Barbara City Vaqueros men's basketball players
- Small forwards
- Sportspeople from Santa Barbara, California
- UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's basketball players