Clyde Lovellette

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lovellette was born on September 7, 1929, in Petersburg, Indiana, moving to Terre Haute as a child. He attended Garfield High School in Terre Haute, where he was a two-time All-State performer. As a high school junior, his undefeated Garfield team lost in the Indiana state championship finals. He originally committed to Indiana University but was recruited by Kansas coach Forrest 'Phog' Allen and attended Kansas, where he became a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and obtained his bachelor's degree in 1952. He led the 1951-52 Jayhawks to the NCAA title, capturing Most Valuable Player honors. He also played for the Bartlesville Phillips 66ers in the AAU and won a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1952 but did not begin playing in the NBA until the 1953–54 season, joining a team that included future Hall of Famers George Mikan, Vern Mikkelson, Slater Martin, and Jim Pollard. The 1953-54 Lakers won their third consecutive NBA title. Lovellette became the Lakers' starting center in 1954–55.

In Their Own Story

In his senior year of 1951–52, Lovellette led all United States college players in scoring and set an NCAA tournament record with 141 total points. His performance against Saint Louis on March 22, 1952, saw him score 44 points, breaking the previous record of 31. In the championship game against St. John's, he recorded 33 points and 17 rebounds in an 80–63 victory. This dominance continued into his professional career with the Minneapolis Lakers. His versatility allowed him to play small forward, power forward, or center, forcing opposing big men out of position.

Reader's Guide

Lovellette was the first player to win NCAA, Olympic, AAU, and NBA championships. He led all U.S. men's college basketball players in scoring his senior year with 28.4 points per game and was named Helms College Player of the Year. He was a two-time first-team consensus All-American. He scored a then-NCAA-record 141 points in the 1952 NCAA tournament (35.2 points per game) and became the first player to score 40 or more points in an NCAA tournament game. In the 1952 Olympic gold medal game, the U.S. defeated the Soviet Union 36–25; Lovellette scored a game-high nine points. In the NBA, he averaged 18.7 points and 11.5 rebounds per game as the Lakers' starting center in 1954–55.

Did You Know?

• Lovellette was the first player to win NCAA, Olympic, AAU, and NBA championships.
• He scored a then-NCAA-record 141 points in the 1952 NCAA tournament.
• He was the first player to score 40 or more points in an NCAA tournament game.
• In the 1952 Olympic gold medal game, Lovellette scored a game-high nine points in a 36–25 victory over the Soviet Union.