Alan Sawyer
Alan Leigh Sawyer (January 1, 1928 – June 30, 2012[1]) was an American professional basketball player for the Washington Capitols of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins from 1945 to 1950.[2] He missed the end of the 1948–49 season after an appendectomy.[3] Sawyer helped lead the 1949–50 team to their first Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) championship.[2] He was named to the first team of the All-Southern Division PCC team in 1949,[3] and voted to the second team in 1950.[4] He was selected in the third round of the 1950 NBA draft by the Capitols.[5]
 Sawyer, circa 1950 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1928 Long Beach, California |
| Died | June 30, 2012 (aged 84) Sequim, Washington |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | San Pedro (San Pedro, California) |
| College | UCLA (1945–1946, 1948–1950) |
| NBA draft | 1950: 3rd round |
| Selected by the Washington Capitols | |
| Playing career | 1950–1951 |
| Position | Forward |
| Number | 29, 17 |
| Career history | |
| 1950–1951 | Washington Capitols |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
After the Capitols were disbanded mid-season in 1951, its players were allocated to other teams, and Sawyer was drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.[6] However, he decided to return to the University of California, Los Angeles, to complete his degree.[7]
Sawyer later became a math teacher and coached basketball at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California.[1][2]
NBA career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950–51 | Washington | 33 | .370 | .860 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 6.6 |
| Career | 33 | .370 | .860 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 6.6 | |
References
- "Alan Leigh Sawyer Obituary". The Peninsula Daily News. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- "SPHS great went on to star with early Wooden teams". News-Pilot. San Pedro, California. October 15, 1994. p. A6. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Two Bruins Land on All-Star Club". Los Angeles Times. March 17, 1949. Part IV, p. 3. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Hoop Coaches Select All-Star Northern, Southern Quintets". Herald and News. Klamath Falls, Oregon. March 9, 1950. p. 10. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- Finney, Ryan (2010). "2010–11 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). UCLA Athletic Department. pp. 107–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2011.
- Hayden, Fred (January 9, 1951). "NBA to lose Caps, Face Garden Loss". The Ithaca Journal. AP. p. 11. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Tribe Gets 91–85 Win in Brief Home Stay Saturday". Moline Daily Dispatch. January 22, 1951. p. 17. Retrieved February 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.