Dan Roundfield

Lore & Background

Roundfield earned a reputation as a strong rebounder and tenacious defender, earning five NBA All-Defensive team selections and three All-Star appearances. His nickname was Dr. Rounds.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with the nervous energy of the January night. Roundfield catches the inbound pass near half-court, his eyes scanning the defense. With seconds ticking down on the clock, he drives into the lane, absorbing contact from a defender twice his size mid-air. He lays it off one-handed just as the buzzer sounds, sealing the victory in a season where every win counted toward playoff contention.

Reader's Guide

Roundfield was selected in the second round of the 1975 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers but opted to play for the Indiana Pacers in the last ABA season. He was signed by the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent before the 1978–79 season. On November 21, 1978, he scored a career-best 38 points. He was traded to the Detroit Pistons on June 18, 1984, and later to the Washington Bullets. After a season with Auxilium Torino in Italy, he retired in 1988.

Did You Know?

• Roundfield was the 1975 MAC Player of the Year at Central Michigan University.
• He scored a career playoff high of 31 points in a 1982 playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
• Roundfield died in Aruba in August 2012 after drowning while helping his wife to safety.