Hal Greer
American basketball player (1936–2018)
title: "Hal Greer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1936-births", "2018-deaths", "american-men's-basketball-coaches", "american-men's-basketball-players", "basketball-coaches-from-west-virginia", "basketball-players-from-west-virginia", "continental-basketball-association-coaches", "marshall-thundering-herd-baseball-players", "marshall-thundering-herd-men's-basketball-players", "naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-inductees", "nba-all-stars", "nba-players-with-retired-numbers", "national-collegiate-basketball-hall-of-fame-inductees", "philadelphia-76ers-players", "shooting-guards", "small-forwards", "sportspeople-from-huntington,-west-virginia", "syracuse-nationals-draft-picks", "syracuse-nationals-players", "20th-century-african-american-sportsmen", "20th-century-american-sportsmen", "21st-century-african-american-sportsmen", "21st-century-american-sportsmen"] description: "American basketball player (1936–2018)" topic_path: "science/astronomy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Greer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American basketball player (1936–2018) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox basketball biography"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Hal Greer |
| image | Hal Greer 1969.jpeg |
| caption | Greer with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1969 |
| height_ft | 6 |
| height_in | 2 |
| weight_lb | 175 |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Huntington, West Virginia, U.S. |
| death_date | |
| death_place | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| high_school | Douglass (Huntington, West Virginia) |
| college | Marshall (1955–1958) |
| draft_round | 2 |
| draft_pick | 13 |
| draft_year | 1958 |
| draft_team | Syracuse Nationals |
| career_start | 1958 |
| career_end | 1973 |
| career_position | Shooting guard / point guard |
| career_number | 15 |
| years1 | – |
| team1 | Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers |
| cyears1 | 1974 |
| cteam1 | Cherry Hill Rookies |
| cyears2 | 1980–1981 |
| cteam2 | Philadelphia Kings |
| stat1label | Points |
| stat1value | 21,586 (19.2 ppg) |
| stat2label | Rebounds |
| stat2value | 5,665 (5.0 rpg) |
| stat3label | Assists |
| stat3value | 4,540 (4.0 apg) |
| HOF_player | hal-greer |
| CBBASKHOF_year | 2006 |
| :: |
| name = Hal Greer | image = Hal Greer 1969.jpeg | width = | caption = Greer with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1969 | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 175 | birth_date = | birth_place = Huntington, West Virginia, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | high_school = Douglass (Huntington, West Virginia) | college = Marshall (1955–1958) | draft_round = 2 | draft_pick = 13 | draft_year = 1958 | draft_team = Syracuse Nationals | career_start = 1958 | career_end = 1973 | career_position = Shooting guard / point guard | career_number = 15 | years1 = – | team1 = Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers | cyears1 = 1974 | cteam1 = Cherry Hill Rookies | cyears2 = 1980–1981 | cteam2 = Philadelphia Kings | highlights =
- NBA champion (1967)
- 10× NBA All-Star (–)
- NBA All-Star Game MVP ()
- 7× All-NBA Second Team (1963–1969)
- No. 15 retired by Philadelphia 76ers
- NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)
- First-team All-MAC (1958)
- No. 16 retired by Marshall Thundering Herd
- Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame | stat1label = Points | stat1value = 21,586 (19.2 ppg) | stat2label = Rebounds | stat2value = 5,665 (5.0 rpg) | stat3label = Assists | stat3value = 4,540 (4.0 apg) | HOF_player = hal-greer | CBBASKHOF_year = 2006 Harold Everett Greer ( ; June 26, 1936 – April 14, 2018) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played for the Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1958 through 1973. A guard, Greer was a 10-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Second Team seven times. He was named to the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and his uniform number was among Philadelphia 76ers retired numbers. Greer is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Early life and education
Born in Huntington, West Virginia, Greer attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School in Huntington. Douglass was an all-black school. He played as a guard for Douglass' men's basketball team.
Hal's attendance at Marshall University (College at the time) did not cause great uproar from the community, but more rumblings and a general uneasiness. The local newspapers gave Hal and his family casual treatment in deference to him and his family. At the first basketball practice in October 1954, all eyes were on Hal who showed out. Coach Cam Henderson reportedly told sportswriters in attendance that, "Before that young man is through here he'll become one of the greatest players in Marshall history and one of the greatest in the country."
With the Thundering Herd, Greer scored 1,377 points with a .545 field goal percentage, setting a Marshall record. In 1956, Marshall won the Mid-American Conference championship, In 1958, his senior year, Greer averaged 23.6 points per game. Greer also played for the school's baseball team in his sophomore year as a first baseman.
Professional career
Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (1958–1973)
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Hal_Greer.jpeg" caption="Greer scored 21,586 points during his 15-season career with the [[Philadelphia 76ers]]."] ::
The Syracuse Nationals selected Greer with the 13th selection in the 1958 NBA draft. Greer played for Syracuse for five seasons, raising his scoring average to 22.8 points a game in 1961. He was selected for the NBA All-Star team that year.
In 1963, the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers. There, Greer teamed with Wilt Chamberlain on the 1966–67 team that won the NBA championship. In the 76ers' 15 playoff games that season, Greer averaged a team-best 27.7 points. Greer had an unusual but highly effective free throw technique, shooting a jump shot from the charity stripe. He is usually considered the third-best guard of the 1960s, behind Oscar Robertson and fellow West Virginia native Jerry West.
Greer played in 10 NBA All-Star Games and was the MVP of the 1968 game when he went 8-for-8 from the field and scored 21 points, a record-breaking 19 in one quarter. He also was chosen to the All-NBA Second Team seven times, and scored 21,586 points during his NBA career. When he retired after the 1972–73 season, he ranked as the all-time leader in games played and was in the top ten in both points scored and field goals made. As of his death, Greer is the franchise record holder for points scored, field goals, field goal attempts, games played, and minutes played.
Post-playing career
In the offseason of 1973, Greer was not signed by the 76ers nor any other team despite not wishing to retire. He spent his subsequent spare time playing golf. On January 4, 1974, Greer was announced as head coach and joined the team with a 1–8 record. Greer was replaced as head coach by Pete Monska before the 1974–75 season.
In 1980, Greer was part of a group that purchased the Philadelphia Arena in West Philadelphia in an effort to revitalize the wider community. The group renamed the Arena in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and relocated Lancaster's Continental Basketball League team to the arena which they named the Philadelphia Kings. Greer served as the Kings' coach and general manager. He led the team to a 17–23 record during the 1980–81 season. Greer also coached the basketball team for Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
Legacy
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Marshall_University_Basketball_Hal_Greer_Statue_2022.jpg" caption="A statue of Hal Greer on the campus of [[Marshall University]] in 2022"] ::
Greer's hometown has honored his success by holding "Hal Greer Day" in 1966, and by renaming 16th Street, which carries West Virginia Route 10 as the main artery between the campus/downtown area and Interstate 64, as "Hal Greer Boulevard" in 1978.
In 1976, the Philadelphia 76ers retired Greer's uniform number, No. 15; he was the first 76ers' player in franchise history to have his jersey number retired. Marshall University inducted Greer into its Athletics Hall of Fame for his career in basketball and baseball in 1985.
In 1982, Greer was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Slater Martin, Frank Ramsey, Willis Reed, coach Clarence Gaines, and contributor Alva Duer. Greer is recognized as one of the first African-American athletes enshrined in a major sports hall of fame from West Virginia. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
In 2021, Greer was honored at Marshall University with the dedication of a bronze statue created in his likeness and an unveiling ceremony with many of his family members in attendance. The statue is located adjacent to the Cam Henderson Center, the home of Marshall basketball, and was placed on a marble base surrounded by four benches and newly planted trees. Two weeks later, he was announced as part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. To commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Greer as the 70th greatest player in NBA history.
Accolades
- Averaged 22 ppg to lead 76ers to NBA Championship (1967)
- Played in 10 consecutive NBA All-Star Games (1961–70)
- NBA All-Star Game MVP (1968)
- Set record for most points scored in a quarter (19) during an All-Star Game (1968)
- Seven-time All-NBA Second Team (1963–69)
- Scored 21,586 career points (40th all-time), including 50 in one game vs. Boston Celtics
- Scored 1,876 points in 92 playoff games and 120 points in 10 All-Star Games
- His jerseys were retired by Marshall University (#16) and the Philadelphia 76ers (#15)
Personal life
Greer and his wife, Mayme, had a son and two daughters. Greer died on April 14, 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona, following a brief illness. The 76ers announced his death on April 16. They honored Greer prior to Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
::data[format=table]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958–59 | Syracuse | 68 | 23.9 | .454 | .778 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 11.1 |
| 1959–60 | Syracuse | 70 | 28.3 | .476 | .783 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 13.2 |
| 1960–61 | Syracuse | 79 | 35.0 | .451 | .774 | 5.8 | 3.8 | 19.6 |
| 1961–62 | Syracuse | 71 | 38.1 | .447 | .819 | 7.4 | 4.4 | 22.8 |
| 1962–63 | Syracuse | 80 | 32.9 | .464 | .834 | 5.7 | 3.4 | 19.5 |
| 1963–64 | Philadelphia | 80 | 39.5 | .444 | .829 | 6.1 | 4.7 | 23.3 |
| 1964–65 | Philadelphia | 70 | 37.1 | .433 | .811 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 20.2 |
| 1965–66 | Philadelphia | 80 | 41.6 | .445 | .804 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 22.7 |
| 1966–67† | Philadelphia | 80 | 38.6 | .459 | .788 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 22.1 |
| 1967–68 | Philadelphia | 82 | 39.8 | .478 | .769 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 24.1 |
| 1968–69 | Philadelphia | 82 | 40.4 | .459 | .796 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 23.1 |
| 1969–70 | Philadelphia | 80 | 37.8 | .455 | .815 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 22.0 |
| 1970–71 | Philadelphia | 81 | 37.8 | .431 | .805 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 18.6 |
| 1971–72 | Philadelphia | 81 | 29.8 | .449 | .774 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 11.8 |
| 1972–73 | Philadelphia | 38 | 22.3 | .392 | .821 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 5.6 |
| Career | 1122 | 35.5 | .452 | .801 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 19.2 | |
| All-Star | 10 | 20.7 | .461 | .703 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 12.0 | |
| :: |
Playoffs
::data[format=table]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Syracuse | 9 | 30.8 | .419 | .813 | 5.2 | 2.2 | 11.6 |
| 1960 | Syracuse | 3 | 28.0 | .512 | .750 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 15.7 |
| 1961 | Syracuse | 8 | 29.0 | .387 | .825 | 4.1 | 2.4 | 14.4 |
| 1962 | Syracuse | 1 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| 1963 | Syracuse | 5 | 42.8 | .506 | .829 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 23.4 |
| 1964 | Philadelphia | 5 | 42.2 | .389 | .846 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 21.4 |
| 1965 | Philadelphia | 11 | 45.9 | .455 | .793 | 7.4 | 5.0 | 24.6 |
| 1966 | Philadelphia | 5 | 45.2 | .352 | .783 | 7.2 | 4.2 | 16.4 |
| 1967† | Philadelphia | 15 | 45.9 | .429 | .797 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 27.7 |
| 1968 | Philadelphia | 13 | 42.5 | .432 | .856 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 25.8 |
| 1969 | Philadelphia | 5 | 40.8 | .321 | .778 | 6.0 | 4.6 | 16.0 |
| 1970 | Philadelphia | 5 | 35.6 | .446 | .846 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 15.4 |
| 1971 | Philadelphia | 7 | 37.9 | .438 | .750 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 17.9 |
| Career | 92 | 39.6 | .425 | .812 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 20.4 | |
| :: |
References
References
- Dr. Alan B. Gould. (July 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Douglass Junior and Senior High School". State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation.
- (February 9, 2012). "Greer Still Fond of Marshall, Field House :: Marshall Thundering Herd Athletic Site :: Men's Basketball". Herdzone.Com.
- Salvatore, Ernie. (Spring 2007). "The Hall of Famer". Huntington Quarterly.
- (February 9, 2012). "Basketball legend returns home {{pipe}} Marshall Sports". herald-dispatch.com.
- (February 20, 1982). "Hal Greer, the first black player in Marshall University... – UPI Archives". Upi.com.
- (February 27, 2008). "Hal Greer broke color barrier in W.Va. sports {{pipe}} News". herald-dispatch.com.
- (June 26, 2017). "June 26, 1936: NBA Hall of Famer Hal Greer Born in Huntington {{pipe}} West Virginia Public Broadcasting". Wvpublic.org.
- (April 16, 2018). "Hall of Famer Hal Greer, the Philadelphia 76ers' all-time leading scorer, dies at 81". Los Angeles Times.
- (January 4, 1974). "Greer Is Chosen as Coach Of the Cherry Hill Rookies". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- (December 18, 1973). "Rookies Invite Ex-76er Greer To Coach, Play or Both". Philadelphia Daily News.
- (October 20, 1974). "Dishin' the Dirt". Scrantonian Tribune.
- (October 3, 1980). "Hal Greer sees need for M. L. King Arena". Philadelphia Tribune.
- "» The Short-Lived, Cocaine Funded Philadelphia Kings Philly Sports History". Phillysportshistory.com.
- "Hal Greer minor league basketball coaching records".
- (February 10, 2012). "BREAKING: Huntington native, NBA legend Greer dies at age 81 {{pipe}} News". herald-dispatch.com.
- (October 2022). "Marshall basketball legend Hal Greer dies at 81 {{pipe}} Marshall University". wvgazettemail.com.
- (November 14, 1970). "Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame". Herdzone.com.
- Rogers, Thomas. (February 21, 1982). "Reed Named to Hall of Fame – The New York Times". [[The New York Times]].
- Payne, Leah. (October 9, 2021). "Hal Greer honored with dedication of statue on Huntington campus". marshall.edu.
- "NBA's 75 Anniversary {{pipe}} NBA.com".
- Hofmann, Rich. (January 8, 2022). "NBA 75: At 70, Sixers great Hal Greer was a silent assassin with his midrange jumper".
- (December 9, 2009). "Rondo scores his 11 in fourth as Celtics pull away from Bucks". [[ESPN]].
- (April 16, 2018). "Hal Greer dead: Syracuse Nats basketball legend, 76ers NBA champion dies at 81". syracuse.com.
- "Hall of Famer, Philadelphia 76ers legend Hal Greer dies at 81". USA TODAY.
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