Paul Walther
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Covington, Kentucky | March 23, 1927
Died | December 21, 2014 Atlanta, Georgia | (aged 87)
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Listed weight | 160 lb (73 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Covington Catholic (Park Hills, Kentucky) |
College | Tennessee (1944–1949) |
NBA draft | 1949 / Round: -- / Pick: -- |
Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers | |
Playing career | 1949–1955 |
Position | Guard / Small forward |
Number | 14, 5 |
Career history | |
1949 | Minneapolis Lakers |
1949–1953 | Indianapolis Olympians |
1953–1954 | Philadelphia Warriors |
1954–1955 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
Career highlights and awards | |
Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 2,838 (7.7 ppg) |
Rebounds | 1,168 (3.7 rpg) |
Assists | 974 (2.6 apg) |
Stats ![]() | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Paul P. Walther (March 23, 1927 – December 21, 2014) was an American basketball player.
Life[]
Walther was a native of Covington, Kentucky and a graduate of Covington Catholic High School.[1][2] He was a 6'2" guard/forward at the University of Tennessee, where he was coached by Emmett Lowery. His playing career was split by World War II, when he served in the United States Navy.[3] He was team captain at Tennessee during 1948–49, his final season there.[3]
Walther played six seasons (1949–1955) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Minneapolis Lakers, Indianapolis Olympians, Philadelphia Warriors, and Fort Wayne Pistons. He averaged 7.7 points per game in his career and appeared in the 1952 NBA All-Star Game.[4]
After his basketball career, Walther worked 32 years for Merrill Lynch in Chicago.[3]
Walther died in Atlanta at the age of 87.[5]
NBA career statistics[]
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season[]
Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1949–50 | Minneapolis | 22 | - | .400 | .524 | - | .5 | 3.4 |
1949–50 | Indianapolis | 31 | - | .390 | .591 | - | 1.5 | 7.0 |
1950–51 | Indianapolis | 63 | - | .336 | .694 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 9.1 |
1951–52 | Indianapolis | 55 | 34.6 | .401 | .750 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 12.2 |
1952–53 | Indianapolis | 67 | 36.8 | .352 | .746 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 10.7 |
1953–54 | Philadelphia | 64 | 32.3 | .352 | .704 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 6.6 |
1954–55 | Fort Wayne | 68 | 12.1 | .348 | .614 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
Career | 370 | 28.6 | .362 | .708 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 7.7 |
Playoffs[]
Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | Indianapolis | 6 | - | .293 | .474 | - | 1.3 | 5.5 |
1951 | Indianapolis | 3 | - | .429 | .733 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 5.7 |
1952 | Indianapolis | 2 | 42.5 | .500 | .889 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 16.0 |
1953 | Indianapolis | 2 | 37.5 | .250 | .941 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 13.0 |
1955 | Fort Wayne | 10 | 9.5 | .545 | .611 | 2.0 | .8 | 3.5 |
Career | 23 | 18.2 | .377 | .724 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 6.2 |
References[]
- ^ "Covington Native, NBA All Star Dies". December 24, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Paul Walther". draftexpress.com. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Former player Paul Walther dies at 87". ESPN. Associated Press. December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
- ^ "Paul Walther". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
- ^ "Paul Walther, basketball All-American for UT, dies at 87". Knox News.com. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
- 1927 births
- 2014 deaths
- American men's basketball players
- United States Navy personnel of World War II
- Fort Wayne Pistons players
- Indianapolis Olympians players
- Merrill (company) people
- Minneapolis Lakers draft picks
- Minneapolis Lakers players
- National Basketball Association All-Stars
- Philadelphia Warriors players
- Tennessee Volunteers basketball players
- Undrafted National Basketball Association players
- Covington Catholic High School alumni
- Small forwards
- Guards (basketball)
- American basketball biography, 1920s birth stubs