William Averitt

William "Bird" Averitt was an American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). He won an ABA Championship with the Kentucky Colonels in 1975.

Player Profile

William Rodney Averitt was born on July 22, 1952, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, USA, and passed away on December 12, 2020, in his hometown. He stood 185 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 77 kg.

He shoots left and played shooting guard throughout his career.

High School and College Career

Averitt attended Hopkinsville High School in Kentucky. He then played college basketball at Pepperdine University from 1971 to 1973, where he led the NCAA in scoring and was named WCAC Player of the Year in 1973.

Professional Career

Averitt was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth round of the 1973 NBA Draft. He began his professional career in the ABA with the San Antonio Spurs and later played for the Kentucky Colonels, where he won an ABA Championship in 1975.

After the ABA-NBA merger, he played for the Buffalo Braves and New Jersey Nets in the NBA before concluding his career with the Rochester Zeniths.

Career Highlights

• 1973 - NCAA Scoring Champion
• 1973 - WCAC Player of the Year
• 1973 - First-team All-WCAC
• 1972 - Second-team All-WCAC
• 1975 - ABA Champion