TODAY’S SPORTSTAT – Ex-76ers guard, Greer, left lasting impression

By JERRY TAPP

One of the NBA’s greatest players, Hal Greer, passed away on April 14. He was a 10-time all-star, a Hall of Famer and a member of the NBA’s 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was 81.

Here are a few stats you may not know about Hal Greer.

• Greer is one of 10 players in NBA history to play 800 or more games and have career averages of at least 19 points, five rebounds and four assists per game. The others on this list: Elgin Baylor, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Drexler, John Havlicek, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, Oscar Robertson, Chris Webber and Jerry West. He averaged 19.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in the regular season in his career.
• He is one of 129 players in league history to play in more than 1,000 regular season games. He played in 1,122 games.
• Greer is one of 43 players to have played in 80 or more games in a season nine times or more (he played in 80 or more games nine times). Karl Malone tops this list with 17 seasons with 80 or more games played.
• Greer scored 21,586 regular season points in his career. He is one of 44 players to reach the 20,000-point milestone. He did not, however, ever have a 2,000-point season.
• He played in 92 playoff games averaging 20.4 points per game in the post-season. He is one of 34 players to play 80 or more playoff games and have a 20.0 points per game average.
• Greer was listed at 6’2”. He is one of only three players 6’2” or shorter to have 5,000 or more career rebounds (the others are Lenny Wilkens and Jerry West). In fact, of all players 6’2” and under, Greer tops the list with most career rebounds with 5,665.
• He is one of 13 players from Marshall University to play in the NBA. His 21,586 career points in the NBA are the most of any Marshall player. Jason Williams (“White Chocolate”) is second on the list for most points scored by a Marshall University player in the league.
• Greer was the 14^th selection in the 1958 NBA Draft. Of the 87 players chosen in that draft, Greer ranks second in career points behind Elgin Baylor, third in rebounds behind Baylor and Wayne Embry and second in assists behind Guy Rodgers.

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