Roger Strickland (basketball)

Roger W. Strickland (September 4, 1940 – February 2, 2011), nicknamed "The Rifle", was an American basketball forward. He played college basketball for Jacksonville University and professional basketball for the Baltimore Bullets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Roger Strickland
Personal information
Born(1940-09-04)September 4, 1940
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
DiedFebruary 2, 2011(2011-02-02) (aged 70)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolBishop Kenny (Jacksonville, Florida)
CollegeJacksonville (1960–1963)
NBA draft1963: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Playing career1963–1964
PositionForward
Number16
Career history
1963–1964Baltimore Bullets
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

Early years

Strickland was born in 1940 in Jacksonville, Florida.[1] He attended Bishop Kenny High School where he was a standout baseball and basketball player.

College career

After attending Notre Dame for a year, Strickland transferred to Jacksonville University where he continued to excel in baseball and basketball.[2] He was selected by the Associated Press (AP) to the 1962 and 1963 college basketball Little All-America teams.[3][4] He averaged 27 points per game at Jacksonville.[5] He was also selected in 1962 and 1963 to the UPI's small college All-America basketball team.[6][7]

Strickland also played baseball as a pitcher and outfielder at Jacksonville. In 1963 he was named the most valuable baseball player in the Florida Intercollegiate Conference.[8] He was also selected as a second-team outfielder on the NAIA's 1963 All-America baseball team.[9]

Professional basketball

Strickland was taken with the eighth overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1963 NBA draft; previously, in 1962, he was also drafted by the Boston Celtics.[1] He signed with the Lakers in June 1963.[10][5]

On September 25, 1963, the Lakers requested waivers on Strickland.[11] On October 1, 1963, he was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Bullets.[12] He appeared in one game for the Bullets where he scored two points going 1-3 from the field.[13]

Later years

Strickland continued to play amateur basketball and was a member of the 1969 Samoa Lounge Headhunters club that competed for the national A.A.U. championship.[14] He also became an executive with Southern Bell.[15][16]

Strickland died in 2011 at age 70.[1]

References

  1. "Roger Strickland". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. "Roger W. Strickland Obituary". Legacy.com.
  3. "Little All-America Cage Squad Is Headed by Roger Strickland". Chattanooga Daily Times. March 9, 1962. p. 23 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Jacksonville's Roger Strickland Heads Little All-America Team: Scores Rare Repeat Honor". Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press. March 8, 1963. p. 24 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Lakers Land Draft Choice Celts Sought". The Tidings. Los Angeles. June 21, 1963. p. 18 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Roger Strickland, Beaty Share Honors on UPI Team". The Pensacola News. March 15, 1962. p. 17 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Hugh Jackson Named 'Small' All-American". Pensacola News Journal. March 14, 1963. p. 5 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Strickland Adds Baseball Laurels At Jacksonville". St. Lucie News Tribune. June 9, 1963. p. 15 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Rog Strickland All-America". The Miami News. July 29, 1963. p. 20 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Roger Strickland Signed by Lakers". Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press. June 19, 1963. p. 4B via Newspapers.com.
  11. Don Hardin (September 25, 1963). "Lakers Obtain Reed, Cut Horn, 2 Others". The Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. 65 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Bullets Get Strickland". The Baltimore Sun. October 2, 1963. p. 51 via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Roger Strickland NBA Statistics".
  14. "'Headhunters' Stalking A.A.U. Crown". The Orlando Sentinel. March 25, 1969. p. 18 via Newspapers.com.
  15. Skip Bayless (April 29, 1975). "Lombardi's Words Direct His Life (part 1)". The Miami Herald. pp. 1B, 2B via Newspapers.com.
  16. Skip Bayless (April 29, 1975). "Lombardi's Words Direct His Life (part 2)". The Miami Herald. pp. 1B, 2B via Newspapers.com.
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