Oscar Robertson Legacy

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Lore & Background

Robertson was born into poverty in Charlotte, Tennessee, and grew up in a segregated housing project in Indianapolis. He attended all-black Crispus Attucks High School, winning two state championships and a perfect 31–0 senior season. At the University of Cincinnati, he averaged 33.8 points per game, led the Bearcats to two Final Fours, and set numerous NCAA records. He co-captained the 1960 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal. His professional career with the Cincinnati Royals included his historic triple-double season in 1961–62. He was also president of the National Basketball Players Association and a key figure in the landmark antitrust suit Robertson v. National Basketball Ass'n of 1970.

In Their Own Story

On February 10, 1962, Robertson recorded 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 16 assists in a 134–118 win over the Hawks. In his NBA debut, he posted 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 140–123 win over the Lakers. On November 15, 1960, he recorded a then-career-high 44 points with 15 rebounds and 11 assists in a 124–115 win over the Philadelphia Warriors. The Royals advanced to the Eastern Division Finals in the 1962–63 season, falling in a seven-game series to the Boston Celtics led by Bill Russell. Robertson was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1961 and won the All-Star Game MVP in 1961 and again in 1964.

Reader's Guide

Robertson's rookie season with the Royals saw him average 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists, earning Rookie of the Year and All-Star Game MVP. In 1961–62, he averaged a triple-double (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 11.4 assists) and set a then-record 41 triple-doubles. The Royals finished with a 33–46 record in the Western Division that season. In 1963–64, the Royals achieved a 55–25 record, placing second in the Eastern Division. Robertson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980 (individual) and 2010 (as part of the 1960 Olympic team), and was named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team, the 50 Greatest Players, and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Did You Know?

• Robertson is one of only three players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, along with Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokić.
• He was the first player to record 41 triple-doubles in a single season, a record that stood until Russell Westbrook broke it in 2016–17.
• Robertson was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009.
• The USBWA renamed its College Player of the Year Award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 1998.
• He was ranked the 36th best American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN.