Tom King (basketball) explained

Tom King
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:165
Birth Date:9 March 1924
Birth Place:Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
High School:East Lansing
(East Lansing, Michigan)
College:Michigan (1943–1944)
Career Start:1946
Career End:1947
Career Position:Guard
Career Number:11
Years1:1946–1947
Team1:Detroit Falcons

Thomas Van Dyke King (March 9, 1924  - November 12, 2015) was an American professional basketball player. He played a season for the Detroit Falcons of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the league that would later become the modern NBA.

After a college career at the University of Michigan, King signed with the Falcons in 1946. King (who would later prove successful in business) negotiated roles as publicity director, business manager and travelling secretary for the team. This combination of duties netted him an annual salary of $16,500, making him the highest paid player in the league, despite averaging only 5.1 points per game on the season.[1]

King was married to Canadian figure skater and Olympic gold medallist, Barbara Ann Scott.

BAA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played
 FG% Field-goal percentage
 FT% Free-throw percentage
 APG Assists per game
 PPG Points per game

Regular season

YearTeamGPFG%FT%APGPPG
1946–47Detroit58 .237 .631 .6 5.1
Career58 .237 .631 .6 5.1

Notes and References

  1. Book: Surdam, David G. . The Rise of the National Basketball Association, page 66 . 2012 . . 9780252094248 .