Gary Keller (basketball) explained

Gary Keller
Height Ft:6
Height In:9
Weight Lb:220
Birth Date:June 13, 1944
Birth Place:Elizabeth, New Jersey
Nationality:American
High School:Dixie M. Hollins
(St. Petersburg, Florida)
College:Florida (1964–1967)
Draft Year:1967
Draft Round:6
Draft Pick:59
Draft Team:Los Angeles Lakers
Career Start:1967
Career End:1969
Career Number:51, 42
Career Position:Center / power forward
Years1:1967–1969
Team1:Minnesota Muskies / Miami Floridians
Highlights:
Bbr:kellega01

Gary J. Keller (born June 13, 1944) is an American former college and professional basketball player who was a center and power forward in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for two seasons during the late 1960s. Keller played college basketball for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Minnesota Muskies and the Miami Floridians of the ABA.

Early years

Keller was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1944.[1] He grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he attended Dixie M. Hollins High School.[2] He played high school basketball for the Dixie Hollins Rebels, winning back-to-back Florida state championships in 1961 and 1962.[2] He was a McDonald's fourth-team high school All-American selection as a senior.[2]

College career

Keller accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and played for coach Norm Sloan and coach Tommy Bartlett's Florida Gators men's basketball teams from 1964 to 1967. The Gators finished 21–4 in 1967—their best-ever win-loss record up to that time.[2] Keller was an Academic All-American, and graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1967. He was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great,"[3] and was recognized as an SEC Basketball Legend in 2003.

Professional career

After his college career, Keller was drafted in the sixth round of the 1967 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers,[1] and by the Denver Nuggets in the 1967 ABA Draft.[2] After the Nuggets traded him to the Minnesota Muskies, he chose to play for the Minnesota ABA franchise instead of the NBA.[2] Keller averaged 6.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game during his two ABA seasons.[1]

Life after basketball

Keller is married, and he and his wife Barbara live in St. Petersburg, Florida.[2] They have a son and a daughter.[2]

Career statistics

ABA

Source[4]

Regular season

YearTeamGPMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGPPG
Minnesota69 17.6 .381 .000 .650 5.6 .6 7.3
Miami53 9.5 .406 .000 .600 3.2 .2 4.3
Career122 14.0 .388 .000 .632 4.5 .4 6.0

Playoffs

YearTeamGPMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGPPG
1968Minnesota10 14.2 .373  - .565 5.0 .8 6.3
1969Miami6 9.5 .571  - .600 3.8 .5 5.0
Career16 12.4 .420  - .576 4.6 .7 5.8

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Basketball-Reference, Gary Keller. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  2. Bob Chick, " Tampa Bay's All-Century Team: No. 86 Gary Keller," The Tampa Tribune (October 4, 1999). Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  3. F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  4. Web site: Gary Keller ABA stats. Basketball Reference. Sports Reference, LLC. 3 October 2023.