National Basketball League awards and honors |
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Championship |
Individual awards |
Honors |
In basketball, points are accumulated through free throws or field goals. [1] The National Basketball League's (NBL) scoring title was awarded to the player with the most total points in a given season. [2] [3]
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Bobby McDermott holds the NBL all-time record for career points scored (3,583), while fellow Hall of Famer George Mikan holds the single season points (1,195) and points per game (21.3) records. McDermott earned the most points spanning an eight-year NBL career, but Mikan only played two seasons and set both records during 1948–49, the final year the league existed.
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | |||||
† | Denotes player who won the MVP Award that year | |||||
Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player had been the scoring leader up to and including that season | |||||
G | Guard | F | Forward | C | Center |
Season | Player | Pos. | Team | Total points | Games played | PPG | Field goals made | Free throws made | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1937–38 † | Leroy Edwards | C | Oshkosh All-Stars | 210 | 13 | 16.2 | 83 | 44 | [4] |
1938–39 † | Leroy Edwards (2) | C | Oshkosh All-Stars | 334 | 28 | 11.9 | 124 | 86 | [4] |
1939–40 † | Leroy Edwards (3) | C | Oshkosh All-Stars | 361 | 28 | 12.9 | 111 | 139 | [4] |
1940–41 † | Ben Stephens | G/F | Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 265 | 24 | 11.0 | 98 | 69 | [5] |
1941–42 † | Chuck Chuckovits | G/F | Toledo Jim White Chevrolets | 406 | 22 | 18.5 | 143 | 120 | [6] |
1942–43 † | Bobby McDermott * | G | Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons | 316 | 23 | 13.7 | 132 | 52 | [7] |
1943–44 | Mel Riebe | G/F | Cleveland Chase Brassmen | 323 | 18 | 17.9 | 113 | 97 | [8] |
1944–45 | Mel Riebe (2) | G/F | Cleveland Allmen Transfers | 607 | 30 | 20.2 | 223 | 161 | [8] |
1945–46 | Bob Carpenter | F/C | Oshkosh All-Stars | 473 | 34 | 13.9 | 186 | 101 | [9] |
1946–47 | Al Cervi * | G/F | Rochester Royals | 632 | 44 | 14.4 | 228 | 176 | [10] |
1947–48 † | George Mikan * | C | Minneapolis Lakers | 1,195 | 56 | 21.3 | 406 | 383 | [11] |
1948–49 † | Don Otten | C | Tri-Cities Blackhawks | 899 | 64 | 14.0 | 301 | 297 | [12] |
The National Basketball League (NBL) was a professional basketball league in the United States, established in 1937. After the 1948–49 season, its twelfth, it merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). Five current NBA teams trace their history back to the NBL: the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Sacramento Kings.
George Lawrence Mikan Jr., nicknamed "Mr. Basketball", was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Invariably playing with thick, round spectacles, the 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), 245 lb (111 kg) Mikan was one of the pioneers of professional basketball. Through his size and play, he redefined basketball as a game dominated in his day by "big men". His prolific rebounding, shot blocking, and ability to shoot over smaller defenders with his ambidextrous hook shot all helped to change the game. He also utilized the underhanded free-throw shooting technique long before Rick Barry made it his signature shot.
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Howard Henry Schultz, nicknamed "Stretch" and "Steeple", was an American baseball and basketball player from St. Paul, Minnesota. Schultz won an NBA title with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1952. Schultz played in both Major League Baseball and in the National Basketball Association, one of thirteen athletes to do so.
Leroy Harry Edwards, nicknamed "Cowboy" and "Lefty", was one of the greatest basketball players of his era. He was an NCAA All-American at the University of Kentucky and also one of the most lauded professional players in the United States' National Basketball League's history.
Charles H. Chuckovitz was an American professional basketball player in the 1930s and 1940s.
Donald E. Boven was an American basketball player, coach, and university instructor. He was a World War II veteran who was a standout athlete at Western Michigan University. After playing professional basketball, he served as an instructor at the University for more than 30 years. In the 1980s, Boven retired from his teaching duties but remained active in sporting circles and became involved in voluntary public service in his Michigan township.
Edward Charles Dancker was an American professional basketball player.
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Events from the year 1981 in Michigan.
The All-National Basketball League Team was an annual National Basketball League (NBL) honor bestowed upon the best players in the United States league following the NBL season. The team was selected every season of the league's existence, from 1937–38 through 1948–49.
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The National Basketball League Coach of the Year Award was an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given to the top head coach of the regular season in each of the twelve years the league existed. The Coach of the Year was selected by sports writers, broadcasters, coaches, and managers.
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