Walter Szczerbiak Sr. (born Wolodymir; August 21, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player. At 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), Szczerbiak played at the small forward position.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 21, 1949 Hamburg, West Germany |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Saint Casimir (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |
| College | George Washington (1968–1971) |
| NBA draft | 1971: 4th round, 65th overall pick |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Playing career | 1971–1984 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 21 |
| Career history | |
| 1971–1972 | Pittsburgh Condors |
| 1972–1973 | Wilkes-Barre Barons |
| 1973–1980 | Real Madrid |
| 1980–1982 | A.P.U. Udine |
| 1983–1984 | Canarias |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
On February 3, 2008, Szczerbiak was chosen as one of the 50 most influential personalities to European club basketball, over the previous half-century, by the EuroLeague Basketball Experts Committee.[1]
Early life and education edit
Born Wolodymir Szczerbiak in a Ukrainian refugee camp in Hamburg, West Germany, he received a sponsorship from a Ukrainian Catholic Church to immigrate to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in December 1951. He later attended St. Basil College, a Ukrainian Catholic minor seminary in Stamford, Connecticut, where he first learned to play basketball. He later graduated from St. Casimir High School in Pittsburgh.[2]
Szczerbiak attended George Washington University, where he played college basketball. In 1985, he was inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame.[3]
Club career edit
After college, Szczerbiak was drafted by the Phoenix Suns, in the 4th round (14th pick, 65th overall) of the 1971 NBA draft.[4] He was also drafted by the Dallas Chaparrals, of the American Basketball Association (ABA), in the 1971 ABA Draft.[5]
Szczerbiak played in the ABA during the 1971–72 season, as a member of the Pittsburgh Condors. He then joined the Kentucky Colonels, who selected him in the Condors' dispersal draft, but he was later cut from Kentucky's roster.[6]
Szczerbiak won three EuroLeague titles with the Spanish League club Real Madrid (1974, 1978, and 1980). He also won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup three times with Real Madrid (1976, 1977, and 1978). He was named the MVP of the 1977 FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
Personal life edit
Szczerbiak was born in West Germany to Ukrainian parents who met in a refugee camp,[which?] after World War II. They later emigrated to Pittsburgh.[7] His son Wally is a former NBA player.
References edit
- ^ "EuroLeague official website, Experts decide European Club Basketball's 50 greatest contributors". 16 September 2023.
- ^ Staff, Brooklyn Eagle (2022-04-04). "The news is nothing new for this old timer". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
- ^ "Walt Szczerbiak (1985) - Hall of Fame".
- ^ Basketball-Reference.com Walt Szczerbiak page
- ^ DatabaseBasketball 1971 Dallas Chaparrals page Archived 2009-09-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ April 20, 1999 Walt Szczerbiak interview with Brett Ballantini of Basketball News
- ^ "Wally's Worlds". ESPN.com. 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
External links edit
- Career statistics and player information from Basketball-Reference.com
- Euroleague.net Profile
- Real Madrid Basketball Legends Archived 2010-10-03 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
- RealMadrid.com Walter Szczerbiak (in Spanish)
- RealMadrid.com Walter Szczerbiak (in English)
- Spanish League Profile Archived 2014-10-06 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
- Italian League Profile Archived 2014-10-06 at the Wayback Machine (in Italian)