Willie Wise
 Wise being guarded by New York Nets player Julius Erving. | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 3, 1947 San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Balboa (San Francisco, California) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1969 / Round: 5 / Pick: 64th overall |
| Selected by the San Francisco Warriors | |
| Playing career | 1969–1977 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 42 |
| Career history | |
| 1969–1974 | Los Angeles / Utah Stars |
| 1974–1976 | Virginia Squires (ABA) |
| 1976–1977 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1977 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career ABA and NBA statistics | |
| Points | 9,727 (17.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,578 (8.3 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,594 (2.9 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Willie M. Wise (born March 3, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player.
A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's (ABA) Los Angeles (later Utah) Stars in 1969. He would prove to be one of the best all-around players in the league, as he was both a proficient scorer (19.2 points per game during his ABA career) and a highly esteemed defender. Indeed, while playing for the Stars, who won the 1971 ABA Championship, Sports Illustrated described him as "the best two-way performer in pro basketball".[1] Wise later played with the Virginia Squires.
After the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, Wise played one full season and part of a second in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Denver Nuggets and Seattle SuperSonics.
On 7 February 2009, Drake University retired Wise's #42 jersey that he wore for the Bulldogs.[2]