Hall of Fame Player Passes Away at 74
The basketball community is mourning the death of Olympic gold medalist Walt Bellamy. Bellamy spent 14 years in the NBA and was the first overall draft pick in 1961. He passed away at the age of 74.
“Walt was an amazing talent on the court throughout his career and became an active member of our Hall of Fame family upon his enshrinement,” said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “He will forever be known as one of the best big men in history. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.”
Walt Bellamy was one of the most resilient and competitive players of his era, only missing 12 games during his 14-year stint in the NBA. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in Rome in 1960. Bellamy retired in 1974 and was the sixth all-time in scoring (20,941 points, 20.1 ppg) and third all-time in rebounding (14,241 rebounds, 13.1 rpg). He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1962 and was a NBA All-Star from 1962-65. Bellamy was inducted in to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.