Mel Nowell

Last updated

Mel Nowell
Personal information
Born (1939-12-27) December 27, 1939 (age 84)
Columbus, Ohio
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school East (Columbus, Ohio)
College Ohio State (1959–1962)
NBA draft 1962: 12th round, 90th overall pick
Selected by the Chicago Zephyrs
Playing career1962–1968
Position Point guard / shooting guard
Number20, 27
Career history
1962–1963 Chicago Zephyrs
1963–1964 Wilkes-Barre Barons
1966–1967Columbus Comets
1967–1968 New Jersey Americans
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA and ABA statistics
Points 963 (8.4 ppg)
Rebounds 260 (2.3 rpg)
Assists 239 (2.1 apg)
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Melvyn P. "Mel" Nowell (born December 27, 1939) is an American former basketball player.

Contents

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Nowell played for the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team that won the 1960 NCAA championship. He played with three Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame Coach Fred Taylor. He later played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Zephyrs and in the American Basketball Association (ABA).

A 6'1 guard, Nowell was a high school star at Columbus East 1957–1958. His outside shooting and one-on-one skills were enough to rate him the #2 player in Ohio after Jerry Lucas. Fielding numerous scholarship offers, Nowell decided to follow Lucas to Ohio State in a historic recruiting class that later also included John Havlicek and Bobby Knight. Starting with fellow sophomores Lucas and Havlicek, Nowell's shooting was a key element in Ohio State's run to the 1960 NCAA title. He was named to the 1960 All-Tournament Team.

Ohio State's 1960–61 team went undefeated until the NCAA Final. Ohio State's 1961–62 also reached the NCAA Final.

Nowell did participate in the 1960 US Olympic Trials but was never seriously considered for a spot on the team. Only three blacks were named to that team, and more attention was paid to Nowell's white Ohio State teammates, a factor he considered in his remaining basketball career.

Nowell's shooting ability was such that he could have been a big scorer at another school, a fact that could have led to a bigger pro career. Instead, he played with or for four future Hall of Famers, went to three straight NCAA Finals, winning one in 1960. All three years, the Ohio State Buckeyes were undefeated at home at St. John Arena.

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

NBA/ABA

Source [1]

Regular season

YearTeamGPMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGPPG
1962–63 Chicago 3915.1.388.7271.72.25.9
1967–68 New Jersey (ABA)7620.5.402.281.8262.52.09.6
Career11518.6.398.281.8032.32.18.4

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References

  1. "Mel Nowell NBA and ABA stats". Basketball Reference . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2024.