Leonard Gray
Leonard Earl Gray (December 19, 1951 – June 13, 2006) was an American professional basketball player. He was born at the University of Kansas Medical Center and raised in Kansas City, Kansas.[1] Gray attended Sumner Academy of Arts and Science where he played basketball all four years and football through his junior year until breaking a leg and deciding not to return for a senior season. Because of his stature, Gray was affectionately referred to as, "Hugie". Gray was a 6'8" (203 cm) 240 lb (109 kg) forward and he played collegiately at the Long Beach State from 1971 to 1974[2] after transferring from the University of Kansas (where he played one season on the freshman team).[1] Though he was drafted by both the NBA and the NFL (San Francisco 49ers, fifteenth round as a Tight End), he passed on football and played in the NBA from 1974 to 1977. He was originally selected with the tenth pick in the 3rd round of the 1973 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks.[3] He was also taken in the 1973 ABA Supplementary Draft by the Utah Stars,[4] for whom he never played, and by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 8th pick of the second round in 1974.[5] During his three-year NBA career with the Sonics and the Washington Bullets, Gray averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 224 career games.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 19, 1951 Kansas City, Kansas |
| Died | June 13, 2006 (aged 54) New Jersey |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Sumner (Kansas City, Kansas) |
| College | Long Beach State (1971–1974) |
| NBA draft | 1974 / Round: 2 / Pick: 26th overall |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Playing career | 1974–1977 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 11, 12 |
| Career history | |
| 1974–1976 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1976–1977 | Washington Bullets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 2,408 (10.8 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,169 (5.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 490 (2.2 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
A resident of Las Vegas, Gray died in New Jersey[2] on June 13, 2006, aged 54.[1][2]
Leonard was the son of the late Paralee and Leonard Gray, Sr. He has two sons. Gray is also the uncle of professional basketball players Courtney and Ashley Paris.
Notes
- Fond Farewell – January 1st – December 31st, 2006, NBRPA website
- In Memoriam, The Beach Review – The magazine of California State University, Long Beach: Fall 2006
- 1973 NBA Draft Archived 2008-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, basketballreference.com
- 1973 NBA Draft (Special Circumstances Draft) Archived 2013-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, basketballreference.com
- 1974 NBA Draft Archived 2008-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, basketballreference.com
External links
- Leonard Gray NBA stats @ basketballreference.com