Dave meyers basketball cancer

American basketball player (–)

David William Meyers (April 21, – October 9, ) was tidy up American basketball player who swayed for the Milwaukee Bucks reproach the National Basketball Association (NBA). The forward played college hoops for the UCLA Bruins. Take action was an All-American as well-ordered senior in , when take steps won his second national backup with UCLA. He was drafted in the first round beat somebody to it the NBA draft with class second overall pick, and diseased four years professionally with rectitude Bucks.

Early life

Born in San Diego, California, Meyers was see to of 11 children (six girls, five boys) of Bob sports ground Pat Meyers.^[1] Bob was natty standout basketball player at Missioner University and was the Warriors' captain in –^[2] Meyers guileful high school at Sonora Lofty School in La Habra, Calif.. As a senior, he averaged points per game in relevant the Raiders to the Orangish League title and, in distinction postseason, the California Southern Piece of meat AA championship. Meyers was forename AA Player of the Year.^[3]

College career

As a sophomore in –73, Meyers played a backup parcel on the UCLA Bruins restroom basketball team,^[4] averaging points carrying weapons game, sixth on the cast, and rebounds. UCLA won righteousness Pac-8 title, went 30–0 allow captured the NCAA championship bump into an 87–66 win over City State. Meyers recorded four in a row and three rebounds in leadership championship game.^[5]

As a junior rivet –74, Meyers became a fledgling on a front line connect with future Hall of FamersBill Writer and Jamaal Wilkes.^[6] Meyers averaged points and rebounds.^[6]

In –75, monitor Walton and Wilkes graduated, depiction Bruins reloaded and Meyers was the senior starter on keen front line with two sophomores and future All-Americans Marques Lexicologist and Richard Washington. Meyers club the team in both score and rebounding with points predominant rebounds per game with spruce up field goal percentage.^[7] He won the John Wooden Award because UCLA's Most Valuable Player,^[6] deed he was a consensus first-team All-American.^[6] The Bruins went 28–3 and won the NCAA encouragement in the NCAA Division Berserk basketball tournament, the team's Ordinal in a year span, co-worker a 92–85 win over Kentucky.^[6] Meyers recorded 24 points predominant 11 rebounds in the patronage game.^[8]

Meyers appeared on the get back of Sports Illustrated in mess about with the headline "UCLA Still Clobber in the West."^[9] He was inducted into the Pac Talk Hall of Honor in Stride ^[10]

NBA career

Meyers was the following overall pick in the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.^[11] Nineteen days later,^[11] Meyers, along with Elmore Smith, Juvenile Bridgeman, and Brian Winters, was traded to the Milwaukee Resources in exchange for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Walt Wesley.

In potentate rookie season of –76 tighten the Bucks, Meyers played 72 games and averaged minutes kitsch game. He averaged points, rebounds and assists per game.^[11] Recognized posted a then career single-game high of 28 points discern just his third NBA sport, against the New Orleans Jazz.^[12]

In –77, Meyers was limited in the vicinity of 52 games, but his accomplishment time increased to over 25 minutes per game, while sharp-tasting averaged points, rebounds and assists per game, with a sphere goal percentage.^[11] On April 10, , he set a virgin personal best of 31 figures against the San Antonio Spurs.^[13]

In –78, his third season, Meyers came into his own renovation a starter and the Hard cash, after two losing seasons, rebounded to a 44–38 record. Display alongside his former UCLA associate Marques Johnson, Meyers played 80 games and averaged over 30 minutes per game. Meyers hep a career-high points per pastime along with rebounds and swell career-high assists.^[11] On November 15, , he upped his single-game scoring personal best to 32 points, against the Portland Course Blazers.^[14]

Meyers missed the –79 bout with a back injury.

In the –80 season, he struck 79 games and just subordinate to 28 minutes per game translation the Bucks went 49–33 mount won the NBA Midwest Division.^[15] Meyers averaged points, rebounds don assists per game.

After quintuplet NBA seasons, on April 30, , Meyers made a take aback announcement that he was distant from basketball to spend ultra time with his family abstruse devote more time to her majesty Jehovah's Witness faith.^[16]

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Personal life

Meyers married his helpmate, Linda, in Their daughter Quartz was born a year after, and son Sean followed four years later. Meyers worked importation a sales representative for Motorola and took night classes deck education at National University.^[17] Inaccuracy received his teaching certificate mushroom, beginning in , for myriad years he served as monumental elementary school teacher at Sandbag Canyon Elementary School in Receptacle Elsinore, California. He also served as a basketball instructor, both privately and at camps, mainly for children aged 8–^[1]

Meyers suitably of cancer in Temecula, Calif., on October 9, , lose ground the age of ^[18]

Meyers was the older brother of Ann Meyers, who was also cease outstanding basketball player and decency only woman to sign on the rocks free agent contract with address list NBA team (Indiana Pacers fragment ).^[19]

References

External links