Hal Greer

Hal Greer was a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He was a one-time NBA Champion, winning in 1967 while with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also named an NBA All-Star 10 times in his career.

Player Profile and Personal Life

Harold Everett Greer was born on June 26, 1936, in Huntington, West Virginia in the United States of America. He stood 188 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 79 kg.

Greer went by the nicknames High Gear Greer and Bulldog. He was right-handed and he played shooting guard and point guard.

He was married to his wife Mayme. They had two daughters together. He died on April 14, 2018, aged 81 after a brief illness.

High School and College Career

He attended Douglass High School and was the first African-American to get a scholarship at Marshall University. There he averaged 19.4 ppg in his 3 varsity seasons and became an all-conference selection in 1957 and 1958, and an All-America pick in 1958.

Professional Career

In 1958, he was drafted by the then-Syracuse Nationals and upped his performance with a high jump shot, quickness around the basket, and firm defense. Also, his field-goal percentage was the fourth-highest in the NBA that year.

Greer continued to perform consistently throughout his career with the Nationals before they moved to Philadelphia for the 1963-64 season.

Greer had a lion’s share in the team’s success which was eventually called the greatest team of all time during the 1966-67 season and included Will Chamberlain, Chet Walker, Billy Cunningham, Wally Jones, and Lucious Jackson.

In 1973, Greer retired his amazing 15-year NBA career with over 1122 games, more than any other player in NBA history. He has a total of 21,586 career points to his credit, which is ranked among the all-time top 10, and also his totals for minutes played, field goals attempted, and field goals made.

In that time, he helped lead the 76ers to the 1967 NBA Championships. On the individual level, he was also named an NBA All-Star 10 times and he was named the 1968 NBA All-Star Game MVP.

He was also a 7-time All NBA Second team and part of the NBA 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

His number 16 jersey was retired by Marshall University and also his number 15 jersey was retired by the Philadelphia 76ers. Also was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Career Highlights

• 1967 - NBA champion
• 1961–1970 - NBA All-Star
• 1968 - NBA All-Star Game MVP
• 1963–1969 - All-NBA Second Team

• No. 15 retired by Philadelphia 76ers
• NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)

• 1958 - First-team All-MAC

• No. 16 retired by Marshall Thundering Herd

Career Statistics

• Points - 21,586 (19.2 ppg)
• Rebounds - 5,665 (5.0 rpg)
• Assists - 4,540 (4.0 apg)

• Basketball Hall of Fame as player, 1982
• College Basketball Hall of Fame, 2006