Clyde E

Clyde E. Lovellette

A two-time consensus All-American center, six-foot-nine-inch Clyde Lovellette led the Kansas Jayhawks to an 80-63 victory over St. John's in the 1952 NCAA basketball championship game. That year, Lovellette led the nation in scoring with his average of 28.4 points per game, was named Most Valuable Player in the NCAA Final Four, and Helms Foundation Player of the Year. He was a member of the 1952 U.S.A. Olympic Gold Medal Team in Helsinki. Lovellette had career highs with 44 points against St. Louis and 22 rebounds against Colorado. He left Kansas as the school's all-time scoring and rebounding leader with 1,888 career points and 813 rebounds in 77 games. Lovellette began his career as an All-State player at Garfield High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. During his three seasons at Kansas University, he was the Big-Seven scoring champion each season (21.8, 22.8, 28.4 scoring averages) and made first team all-conference all three years. In 1952-53 he played with the Phillips 66ers, champions of the National Industrial League with a 50 and 5 record, as he scored 944 points and was named to the NIBL All-Star Team. Lovellette spent 11 seasons in the NBA, 1954-1966, and played for three world championship teams -- the Minneapolis Lakers (1954) and Boston Celtics (1963 and 1964). He played four years with the Lakers, one with Cincinnati, four with St. Louis, and wound up his career in 1964 after two seasons with the Celtics. He averaged 17 points in 704 NBA games.

Two-time consensus All-American basketball center at Kansas
Led Jayhawks to NCAA National basketball championship in 1952
Led the nation in scoring in 1952 with 28.4 points a game
Named Most Valuable Player in the NCAA Final Four
Member of 1952 U. S. Olympic gold medal team in Helsinki
Left KU as career scoring and rebounding leader
Big-Seven scoring champion three years
Played on three World Championship teams in 11 NBA seasons

Clyde Lovellette, one of the first dominate big men in the history of college basketball, was an All-American center in 1951 and ’52. he was one of four captains on the ’52 team which won the NCAA national championship. At 6-9 and with a deft hook shot, Lovellette was a prolific scorer leading the Jayhawks all three years he was in school and setting an NCAA tournament record with 141 points in ’52. He also left KU with records for single season scoring, career scoring, single season field goals, career field goals and conference career field goals. He also was a three-time pick as a first team All-Big Seven center and was a member of the United State 1952 Olympic gold medal basketball squad. He went on to a 12-year professional career playing on three NBA championship teams during stays in Minnesota, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Boston.