Willie Murrell
American basketball player (1941–2018) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Willie Vernon Murrell (September 13, 1941 – December 6, 2018) was an American professional basketball player.
Personal information | |
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Born | (1941-09-13)September 13, 1941 Taft, Oklahoma |
Died | December 6, 2018(2018-12-06) (aged 77) Denver, Colorado |
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Moton (Taft, Oklahoma) |
College |
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NBA draft | 1964: 4th round, 31st overall pick |
Selected by the St. Louis Hawks | |
Playing career | 1964–1970 |
Position | Small forward |
Number | 44 |
Career history | |
1965–1967 | Scranton Miners |
1967–1968 | Denver Rockets |
1968–1970 | Miami Floridians |
1970 | Kentucky Colonels |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career ABA statistics | |
Points | 2,988 (13.1 ppg) |
Rebounds | 1,655 (7.3 rpg) |
Assists | 233 (1.0 apg) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Murrell was born in Taft, Oklahoma.[1] A 6'6" forward, he played at Kansas State University from 1962 to 1964. He averaged 20.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game during his time at Kansas State and was a 1964 All-American AP Honorable Mention.[2] In 1964, he led Kansas State to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The team was eliminated by UCLA, despite a 29-point, 13-rebound effort from Murrell.[3] In 2009, Murrell's No. 44 jersey was retired by Kansas State.[3]
After college, Murrell played three seasons in the American Basketball Association as a member of the Denver Rockets, Miami Floridians, and Kentucky Colonels. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds in 228 ABA games.[4]
Murrell died on December 6, 2018, at age 77 in Denver, Colorado.[5][6]