DAVE ROBISCH
ROBISCH, DAVID GEORGE
Hometown: Springfield, IL
Born December 22, 1949
| CATEGORY | TOTAL | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | |
| YEAR | So. | Jr. | Sr. | ||
| POSITION | C/F | C/F | C/F | ||
| HEIGHT | 6'9 | 6'9 | 6'10 | ||
| WEIGHT | 233 | 235 | |||
| JERSEY | |||||
| Games Played/Started | 26/83/ | 27/25 | 26/ | 30/ | |
| Points | 1754 | 489 | 689 | 576 | |
| Per Game | 21.1 | 18.1 | 26.5 | 19.2 | |
| Rebounds | 815 | 199 | 314 | 302 | |
| Per Game | 9.8 | 7.4 | 12.1 | 10.1 | |
| FG: Attempts | 1410 | 373 | 526 | 511 | |
| Made | 646 | 181 | 250 | 215 | |
| Percent | 45.8 | 48.3 | 47.5 | 42.1 | |
| FT: Attempts | 677 | 190 | 254 | 233 | |
| Made | 462 | 127 | 189 | 146 | |
| Percent | 68.2 | 66.8 | 74.4 | 62.7 | |
| Production Points/Game | |||||
| Production Points/Minute |
1969: Lettered, Starter, All Big 8
1970: Lettered, Starter, All Big 8, Conference Scoring Champ
1971: Lettered, Starter, All-American
DAVE ROBISCH (Player 1969-71)
David George Robisch was born December 22, 1949 in Cincinnati, Ohio and played his first year of high school basketball there, but finished his prep career in Springfield, Illinois, where he starred on the court.
Robisch, a 6’10 left hander with a knack for banking the ball in the basket, led KU in scoring each of his three varsity seasons. As a sophomore in 1969, he averaged 18.1 points per game, leading KU to the NIT. His junior year, he averaged 26.5 points a game, tops in the Big Eight, on his way to Big Eight Player of the Year. As a senior, he averaged 19.2 points, leading undefeated KU to the 1971 conference title and to the Final Four, where KU lost to eventual champion UCLA.
Robisch said “the one shot I remember the most was the one I made to put us ahead in the second half against UCLA, but they called me for traveling. Most viewers thought that the Bruins received a kind whistle on the phantom traveling call, stopping KU’s momentum.
He finished with 1,754 career points (ending as KU’s second all-time scorer and now ranks 8th) and 815 rebounds (now 10th best by a Jayhawk).
He
also lettered two years as a baseball pitcher and was all-conference in 1969.
Courted by pro baseball scouts, Dave chose basketball instead and was selected
in the fifth round by the ABA Denver Rockets. After three years in Denver, he
became part of one of the most infamous trades in ABA history. The Baltimore
Claws had obtained the rights to star Dan Issel from the Kentucky Colonels. The
Claws were unable to come up with the $500,000 they owed the Colonels, so they
traded Issel to the Nuggets in exchange for Robisch and $500,000, using the cash
to pay the Colonels.
Shortly after arriving in Baltimore, the Claws folded. He then became the victim of circumstance, and was moved to four other teams in a five-week span, finally landing with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA where he stayed three seasons. In 1979 he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, then back to the Nuggets, and finished his career with the Kansas City Kings in 1984. In 13 seasons he played in 930 games, scoring 10,581 points and making 6,173 rebounds.
Robisch’s two sons – Brett and Scott, both played for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Brett finished his career at OSU after transferring from Illinois. Scott began with the “Pokes, then transferred to Butler.
Robisch had his jersey No. 40 placed on the Allen Fieldhouse south wall February 27, 2005. After retiring from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Robisch is currently an elected official in his native Springfield, Illinois, serving as a Trustee of Capital Township.
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Kansas University basketball greats Dave Robisch, left, talks with Bud Stallworth during a timeout Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse during the Iowa State game Saturday afternoon.