| Frank Brian | |
| Nickname: | Flash |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 1 |
| Weight Lb: | 180 |
| Birth Date: | 1 May 1923 |
| Birth Place: | Zachary, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Zachary, Louisiana, U.S. |
| High School: | Zachary (Zachary, Louisiana) |
| College: | LSU (1942–1943, 1945–1947) |
| Career Start: | 1947 |
| Career End: | 1956 |
| Career Number: | 8, 13, 7 |
| Career Position: | Point guard / shooting guard |
| Years1: | 1947– |
| Team1: | Anderson Packers |
| Team2: | Tri-Cities Blackhawks |
| Years3: | – |
| Team3: | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| Highlights: |
|
| Stats League: | NBA |
| Stat1label: | Points |
| Stat1value: | 5,379 |
| Stat2label: | Rebounds |
| Stat2value: | 903 |
| Stat3label: | Assists |
| Stat3value: | 1,138 |
| Bbr: | brianfr01 |
Frank Sands Brian (May 1, 1923 – May 14, 2017) was an American professional basketball player.
A 6’1" guard from Louisiana State University, Brian signed with the Anderson Packers of the National Basketball League in 1947. In 1949 the NBL and BAA merged to form the NBA. He scored 2,442 points in three seasons with the Packers, then joined the Chicago Stags of the NBA when the Packers franchise folded following the 1949–1950 season. The Stags quickly traded Brian to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, whom Brian represented as an NBA All-Star in 1951.
Brian also earned All-NBA Second Teams honors in 1951 after averaging 16.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds. Frank Led Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now "Atlanta Hawks") in scoring in 1951.Frank was 5th in the League with his 1,144 points for the Blackhawks during 1951–1952 season. In May 1951, the Blackhawks traded Brian to the Fort Wayne Pistons for Howie Schultz and Dick Mehen. Frank led Ft. Wayne Pistons (now "Detroit Pistons") in scoring in 1952 & 1953, ranking 6th in the league with 1,051 points during the 1951–52 season. Brian had five productive seasons with the Pistons, who went to the NBA Championships in 1955 and 1956, and he retired in 1956 with 6,663 combined NBL/NBA career points.
Brian died on May 14, 2017, in Zachary, Louisiana, aged 94.[1] [2]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949–50 | Anderson | 64 | – | .318 | .824 | – | 3.0 | 17.8 | |
| 1950–51 | Tri-Cities | 68 | – | .322 | .823 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 16.8 | |
| 1951–52 | Fort Wayne | 66 | 40.5 | .352 | .848 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 15.9 | |
| 1952–53 | Fort Wayne | 68 | 28.1 | .351 | .795 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 10.7 | |
| 1953–54 | Fort Wayne | 64 | 15.2 | .375 | .753 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 6.3 | |
| 1954–55 | Fort Wayne | 71 | 19.5 | .380 | .851 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 9.7 | |
| 1955–56 | Fort Wayne | 37 | 18.4 | .297 | .818 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 6.2 | |
| Career | 438 | 24.9 | .340 | .821 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 12.3 | ||
| All-Star | 2 | – | .375 | .818 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 13.5 | ||
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Anderson | 8 | – | .271 | .896 | – | 2.4 | 11.9 | |
| 1952 | Fort Wayne | 2 | 40.5 | .250 | .833 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 8.5 | |
| 1953 | Fort Wayne | 8 | 18.3 | .310 | .760 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.6 | |
| 1954 | Fort Wayne | 4 | 26.5 | .417 | .688 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 10.3 | |
| 1955 | Fort Wayne | 11 | 24.5 | .400 | .816 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 11.5 | |
| 1956 | Fort Wayne | 10 | 16.6 | .382 | .810 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 6.9 | |
| Career | 43 | 21.9 | .347 | .818 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 9.2 | ||