Mel Counts

The Celtics won the NBA Championship in 1965 and 1966 with Counts on the team as Bill Russell's backup, but he was traded for the 1967 season to the Baltimore Bullets.The next three seasons Counts' Lakers made it to the NBA Finals, where they would play in and ultimately lose three years in a row.The Lakers cut the deficit to one point on a shot by Counts, with coach Butch van Breda Kolff refusing to reinsert Chamberlain into the game in the final minutes even though Wilt said his knee felt good enough to play.His grandsons Brent Jr. played at St. Martin's University and Patrick at Chemeketa Community College and California Maritime Academy.His other grandson, Jack, is playing basketball at Blanchet Catholic School in Salem, Oregon, as an incoming 9th grader.
Coos Bay, OregonMarshfieldOregon StateNBA draftBoston CelticsCenterpower forward1966–1967Baltimore BulletsLos Angeles LakersPhoenix SunsPhiladelphia 76ersNew Orleans JazzNBA championAll-AmericanPointsReboundsAssistsBasketball ReferencebasketballOlympic Games1964 TokyoTeam competitionNational Basketball Association1964 Summer OlympicsOregon State University1964 NBA draftNBA ChampionshipBill RussellNBA Finals1969 NBA FinalsButch van Breda KolffGail GoodrichUniversity of the PacificChael SonnenField goal3-point field goalFree throwStealsBlocks1964–65Boston1965–661966–67BaltimoreL.A. Lakers1967–681968–691969–701970–71Phoenix1971–721972–73Philadelphia1973–741974–75New Orleans1975–76United States basketball squad1964 Summer Olympics – Gold medalBarnesBradleyCaldwellDaviesHazzardJacksonMcCaffreyMullinsWilson1964 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-AmericansGary BraddsBill BradleyWalt HazzardCotton NashDave StallworthRon BonhamFred HetzelJeff MullinsCazzie RussellTerritorial pickGeorge WilsonJim BarnesJoe CaldwellLuke JacksonBarry KramerWillis ReedLes HunterPaul SilasIra HargeHoward KomivesBud KoperBill Chmielewski1964–65 NBA championsRussellNaullsHeinsohnSandersHavlicekThompsonSiegfriedBonhamS. JonesK. JonesAuerbachRegular seasonPlayoffs1965–66 NBA championsSauldsberryNelson