Don May (basketball)

Donald John May (born January 3, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player who played college basketball at Dayton and was twice chosen as consensus second-team All-American (1967–1968). His professional career lasted from 1968 to 1975, and he played for the NBA champion New York Knicks in 1970.

Don May
Personal information
Born (1946-01-03) January 3, 1946
Dayton, Ohio
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolBelmont (Dayton, Ohio)
CollegeDayton (1965–1968)
NBA draft1968 / Round: 3 / Pick: 30th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career1968–1975
PositionSmall forward
Number5, 22, 34, 23
Career history
1968–1970New York Knicks
1970–1971Buffalo Braves
1971–1973Atlanta Hawks
1973–1974Philadelphia 76ers
1974–1975Kansas City–Omaha Kings
Career highlights and awards
Career statistics
Points3,339 (8.8 ppg)
Rebounds1,309 (3.5 rpg)
Assists389 (1.0 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Early life

Don May was born in Dayton, Ohio, one of seven children of Edward S. May and Stella (Streit) May,[1] and attended Belmont High School, where he played alongside another future college All-American and NBA player, Bill Hosket.[2] The two once combined for 88 points in one game (50 by Hosket, 38 by May).[3] Belmont captured the 1964 Ohio state championship with ease, winning the state semifinal and final by 24 and 29 points, respectively.[4] Coached by John Ross, the Bison went 26-1 (with the loss in overtime after both May and Hosket fouled out)[5] and May and Hosket were the first teammates ever to be named first-team All-Ohio.[6][7]

College career

The 6'4" forward attended the hometown University of Dayton. As a sophomore in 1965–66, he averaged 20.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game as the Flyers went 23-6 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen.[8]

In his junior year of 1966–67, May increased his averages to 22.2 points and 16.7 rebounds per game as the Flyers went 25-6[9][10] and May was named consensus second-team All-American.[11] The Flyers advanced to the NCAA tournament Final Four where, led by May's 34 points and 15 rebounds, they upset fourth-ranked North Carolina 76–62. In the NCAA title game, the Flyers fell to UCLA and future hall-of-famer Lew Alcindor despite May's 21 points and 17 rebounds.[12]

As a senior, May averaged 23.4 points and 15.0 rebounds per game as the Flyers went 21-9.[13] He was MVP of the 1967–1968 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), in which Dayton defeated the University of Kansas and its star guard Jo Jo White in the title game. May was again a consensus second-team All-American.[14]

May's 1,980 career points and 1,301 rebounds are both second in Dayton history.[15]

NBA career

May was selected in the third round of the 1968 NBA draft by the New York Knicks as well as in the third round of the 1968 ABA Draft by the Indiana Pacers.[16] He signed with the Knicks.

May played seven seasons (1968–1975) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the New York Knicks, Buffalo Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Kansas City-Omaha Kings. He averaged 8.8 points per game in his career and won an NBA championship with the Knicks in 1970.

Personal life

May was elected to the University of Dayton Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974 and to the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.[17] In 2010, he attended the 40th anniversary celebration of the New York Knicks 1970 NBA championship season.[18]

References
  1. http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Stella-May&lc=6930&pid=155719344&mid=4978900
  2. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hoskebi01.html
  3. http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2010/12/28/best_prep_basketball_team_ever.html/
  4. http://hardwoodhistory.com/2011/03/16/don-may/
  5. http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2010/12/28/best_prep_basketball_team_ever.html/
  6. http://ohiobasketballhalloffame.com/?p=2190
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-01-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/738ef828#/738ef828/119
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/738ef828#/738ef828/90
  11. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/seasons/1967.html
  12. http://hardwoodhistory.com/2011/03/16/don-may/
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/all_america.html
  15. http://hardwoodhistory.com/2011/03/16/don-may/
  16. http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/738ef828#/738ef828/77
  17. http://hardwoodhistory.com/2011/03/16/don-may/
  18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2014-03-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  • Don May at Basketball-Reference.com
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