Billy Knight
ABA and NBA All-Star who starred for the Indiana Pacers and later became an NBA executive.
Billy Knight is an American former professional basketball player and executive. He played college basketball for the Pittsburgh Panthers, who retired his No. 34 jersey. Knight was a consensus second-team All-American in 1974. He played in the ABA and NBA for the Indiana Pacers, Buffalo Braves, Boston Celtics, Kansas City Kings, and San Antonio Spurs, and finished his playing career with a season in France. He later worked as an executive for the Pacers, Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies, and Atlanta Hawks.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Small Forward; Power Forward
- Affiliation
- Indiana Pacers
- Buffalo Braves
- Boston Celtics
- Kansas City Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Draft status
- Undrafted (entered ABA with Indiana Pacers, 1974)
- Jersey number
- N/A (never played for Charlotte Hornets)
- Tenure
- 1974–1985 (ABA/NBA)
- Status
- Retired (no connection to Charlotte Hornets)
Lore & Background
Knight was born and raised in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and attended Braddock High School, where he was a member of the 1970 Section High School Basketball Champions Braddock Tigers. At the University of Pittsburgh, he starred as a 6'6" guard/forward. Along with Mickey Martin and Kirk Bruce, Knight led the Panthers to the East Regional Finals in the 1974 NCAA Tournament, where they lost to eventual NCAA Champion North Carolina State. Knight's performance during the 1973–1974 season, in which Pitt went 25–4 and won a school record 22 games in a row, earned him second-team All-American status. He is considered one of Pitt's best players ever and was voted to Pitt's all-time starting five. His number 34 jersey was retired by the University of Pittsburgh on February 20, 1989.
Reader's Guide
Knight spent 11 seasons from 1974 to 1985 in the ABA and NBA. He scored 13,901 points in his ABA/NBA career and appeared in two All-Star games as well as one ABA all-star game. His best years were with the Indiana Pacers. He was voted first-team ABA All-Star for the 1975–1976 season after averaging 28.1 ppg. The following year he maintained All-Star status in the NBA after averaging 26.6 ppg. He played for the Buffalo Braves in 1978, averaging 23 points and 7 rebounds, making his third and final career all-star team. He was traded to the Boston Celtics, where his scoring dropped to 13.9 ppg. He was traded back to the Pacers for rookie Rick Robey. On November 11, 1980, Knight scored a career-high 52 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. He ended his career with the San Antonio Spurs, playing alongside George Gervin and Artis Gilmore for 52 games. Knight is the Indiana Pacers' third all-time leading scorer. His 1976 statline of 28.1 points per game remains the highest points average by a Pacer in a single season. He is one of twenty-three players in NBA/ABA history to average 28 points and 10 rebounds in a season. Among these players, Knight remains the only one out of the eligible names to put up such a statline and not be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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