Willie McGee: The Greatest Basketball Player You’ve Never Heard Of

Willie McGee was one of the greatest basketball players you’ve never heard of. A 6’9″ forward from tiny Bradley University McGee was a two-time NCAA Division I scoring champion and a three-time All-American. He was also the first African-American player to be named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.

Who is Willie McGee?

Willie McGee was one of the greatest basketball players you’ve never heard of. A 6’9″ forward from Chicago, McGee was a four-time All-Star and two-Ime Nba champion. He was also one of the first African American players to ever play in the NBA.

Born in Chicago in 1931, McGee was a Standout Player at DuSable High School He then went on to play college basketball at Bradley University, where he was a two-time All-American. In 1953, McGee was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers with the 11th overall pick in the NBA draft

McGee would go on to have a stellar 13-year career in the NBA. He was a four-time All-Star and two-time NBA Champion winning titles with the Warriors in 1956 and 1957. He also played for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. In his career, McGee averaged 16.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game

Sadly, McGee passed away in October of 2007 at the age of 76. But his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players you’ve never heard of lives on.

Why is he the greatest basketball player you’ve never heard of?

Willie McGee was born and raised in the Checkerboard Court housing projects in Mobile, Alabama. He played basketball for Murphy high school where he was teammates with Future Hall of Famer Charles Barkley Despite being only 6’3″, McGee was one of the best players in the state, and he led Murphy to the State Championships his senior year.

Barkley once said of McGee, “Willie was the best player I ever played with or against. He could do it all. He could shoot, he could pass, he could rebound.”

Despite his talent, McGee was not recruited by any Division I colleges. He ended up going to a small junior college in Mississippi before transferring to Alcorn State University

At Alcorn State McGee became one of the best players in NCAA Division I basketball. He was a two-time All-American and led the Braves to the NCAA tournament four times. In his senior year, McGee won the John Wooden Award as the nation’s top collegiate player.

Despite his collegiate success, McGee was not selected until the third round of the 1983 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets He bounced around the league for a few years before finding a home with the Golden State Warriors where he became an All-Star in 1989.

McGee had a successful 12-year NBA Career averaging 14 points and 5 rebounds per game He retired in 1995 and is now considered one of the greatest players you’ve never heard of.

His early years and basketball career

Willie McGee was born in Tyler, Texas, on December 16, 1957, the youngest of Annie Bell and Willie Brown McGee’s eight children. He was raised in a religious household and played basketball at his evangelical church. When he was eight years old, his father died of a heart attack, and McGee became withdrawn. His mother moved the family to Oakland, California, in 1967 to find work. McGee found solace in basketball, spending hours shooting hoops at the local playgrounds. When he enrolled at McClymonds high school he quickly became one of the best players in the Bay Area

In 1975, McGee led McClymonds to the state championship game, where they lost to Newark Memorial High School The following year, he was named California’s Mr. Basketball after averaging 28 points and 15 rebounds per game. He accepted a scholarship to play college basketball at the University of San Francisco (USF), where he teamed up with fellow future NBA players Bill Cartwright and Kiki Vandeweghe. In his junior year (1978–79), McGee led the Dons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years.

His impact on the game

Willie McGee was one of the most gifted basketball players of his generation. A 6’9″ forward from Macklin, Saskatchewan, McGee was a prodigious scorer and rebounder who could also handle the ball and pass like a guard. He was so good, in fact, that some believe he would have been one of the game’s all-time greats had he not been forced to play in virtual obscurity for most of his career.

From 1957 to 1974, McGee starred for small-town teams in the Canadian Midwest as well as for various barnstorming squads. He was finally discovered by the NBA’s Chicago Bulls in 1974, but by then he was already 28 years old and past his prime. He played sparingly for the Bulls during their 1974-75 championship season, and then spent two more seasons with Chicago before being traded to the Golden State Warriors After a brief stint with Golden State McGee’s NBA career came to an end.

Despite never having played in the NBA’s All-Star game or won any major awards, McGee is widely considered to be one of the best players of his era. His impact on the game is evident in the many ways that he influenced subsequent generations of players. For example, his style of play paved the way for today’s versatile “point forwards.” In addition, his commitment to fitness and conditioning inspired many future stars, including Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant to adopt similar routines.

His later years and retirement

Willie McGee’s basketball career spanned four decades and several continents. But it was his NBA years, in particular his championship season with the Golden State Warriors that secured his place among the game’s immortals.

Now retired, McGee still makes occasional public appearances and charity events. He has also been working on his memoirs, which he plans to release in the near future.

His legacy

Willie McGee was one of the best Basketball Players of his generation, but you’ve probably never heard of him. He was overshadowed by bigger names like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird but his legacy is no less important.

McGee was a 6’7″ forward who played for the Saint Louis Hawks from 1984 to 1989. He was a two-time All-Star and led the league in scoring in 1987-88 with an average of 26.8 points per game He was also a gifted passer and rebounder, averaging nearly five assists and nine rebounds per game in his career.

But despite his impressive individual accomplishments, McGee will always be remembered for being part of one of the most legendary teams in NBA history the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s. Led by superstars Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the Lakers dominated the league with their up-tempo style of play. McGee was traded to LA in 1988 and played a key role off the bench for the team’s back-to-back championship runs in 1988 and 1989.

After he retired from basketball, McGee pursued a career in coaching. He currently serves as an Assistant Coach for his alma mater, Saint Louis University

Willie McGee may not be a household name, but he’s one of the Greatest Basketball Players you’ve Never Heard of.

What others are saying about Willie McGee

Willie McGee was one of the best basketball players you’ve never heard of. A 6’9″ forward from Flint, Michigan, McGee was a five-time All-Star and a three-time NBA champion He was also one of the most graceful players in the game, with a smooth style that earned him the nickname “Will o’ the Wisp.”

Despite his accomplishments, McGee remains largely unknown outside of basketball circles. Part of the reason for this is that he played in an era when there were few African American players in the NBA. Another reason is that McGee’s career was cut short by injury.

Still, those who saw McGee play swear by his greatness. Former Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan once called him “the most underrated player of all time.” San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has said that McGee was “one of the best [players] I’ve ever seen.”

Why he’s been forgotten

Willie McGee was one of the greatest basketball players of his generation. A 6’7″ small forward from Chicago, McGee was a star at the University of Louisville before being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1982 NBA Draft He went on to have a successful 12-year career in the NBA, making two All-Star teams and winning a championship with the Warriors in 1975.

But despite his many accomplishments, McGee has been largely forgotten by basketball fans today. There are a number of reasons for this. First, McGee played in an era when there were few black players in the NBA. Second, he played for several different teams during his career, making it difficult for fans to identify with him. And finally, his accomplishments have been overshadowed by those of more famous players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

As a result of all these factors, McGee’s name is not as well-known as it should be. But for those who remember him, he is still considered one of the greatest players ever to play the game

His importance to the game today

Willie McGee was one of the most talented and versatile basketball players of his generation. A 6’7″ forward who could play both inside and out, McGee was a gifted scorer and rebounder with a smooth shooting touch and the ability to create his own shot. He was also an excellent passer and an outstanding defender, capable of guarding multiple positions.

Despite his many talents, McGee never received the recognition he deserved during his playing career. He was never selected to an All-Star team or named to an All-NBA team and he never won a major individual award. In part due to his lack of individual accolades, McGee is often overlooked when discussing the greatest players of his generation.

This is a shame, because McGee was not only one of the best players of his era, but he is also one of the most important players in Basketball History He was one of the first players to successfully challenge the NBA’s height requirements, paving the way for shorter players like Allen Iverson and Steve Nash to have successful careers in the league. He was also one of the first African-American players to achieve stardom in Europe, helping to break down racial barriers in Professional Basketball

Willie McGee may not have received the individual recognition he deserved during his playing career, but his importance to the game cannot be overstated. He is a true pioneer of basketball, and his legacy will continue to inspire players for generations to come.

His place in history

With the recent passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant there has been a lot of talk about who the greatest player of all time is. While there are many greats, one player who often gets overlooked is Willie McGee.

Willie McGee was born in 1932 in rural Mississippi. He was one of thirteen children and his family was very poor. McGee started playing basketball in high school but because he was so small, he was not recruited by any colleges. He ended up going to a small Junior College but after two years he still had not attracted any attention from bigger schools.

In 1952, McGee finally got his big break when he was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters He quickly became one of their star players and traveled with them for several years. In 1958, McGee returned to the United States to play for the Philadelphia Warriors who were then part of the NBA. He quickly became one of the league’s best players, averaging 26 points per game in his first season.

During his time with the Warriors, McGee won two NBA championships and was named an All-Star four times. He is also remembered for his time with the Detroit Pistons where he played alongside another legend, Bob Lanier. McGee retired from basketball in 1977 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

While he may not be as well-known as some other greats, there is no doubt that Willie McGee is one of the greatest basketball players of all time.