Clyde E. Lovellette

The first player ever to play on an NCAA, Olympic, AAU, and NBA championship team, Clyde Lovellette fostered the trend of tall, physical, and high-scoring centers. Under Hall of Fame coach Phog Allen, the 6-foot-9-inch center led the nation in scoring during his senior year at Kansas and is the only player to lead the nation in scoring and win a national championship in the same season. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament in 1952 and averaged better than 35 points per game in postseason play. As a pro, Lovellette became one of the first big men to move outside and utilize the one-handed set shot extending his shooting range and offensive repertoire. This tactic allowed him to play either the small forward, power forward, or center positions, forcing the opposition's big man to play out of position. His 11-year NBA career included stints with the Minneapolis Lakers, Cincinnati Royals, St. Louis Hawks, and Boston Celtics and he was an integral component of championships in Minneapolis (1954) and Boston (1963, 1964).