Oscar Robertson
The Big O: Olympic gold medalist, co-captain of the 1960 U.S. team, and leading scorer in a dominant gold-medal run.
via Wikipedia: Oscar Robertson · see source
Oscar Robertson co-captained the 1960 U.S. Olympic basketball team alongside Jerry West at the 1960 Summer Olympics. The team, described as the greatest assemblage of basketball talent ever at that point, steamrolled the competition to win the gold medal. Robertson was a starting forward along with Purdue's Terry Dischinger, but played point guard as well. He was the leading scorer of the team, as the U.S. team won its nine games by an average margin of 42.4 points. Ten of the twelve college players on the American squad later played in the NBA, including Robertson as well as future Basketball Hall-of-Famers West, Jerry Lucas, and Walt Bellamy.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 24 November 1938
- Birthplace
- Charlotte, Tennessee, U.S.
- High school
- Crispus Attucks (Indianapolis, Indiana)
- College
- Cincinnati (1957–1960)
- Draft pick
- territorial pick
- Drafted by
- Cincinnati Royals
- Career number
- 14, 1
- Career position
- Point guard
Lore & Background
After college, Robertson and Jerry West co-captained the 1960 U.S. basketball team at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Robertson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 as a member of the 1960 United States men's Olympic basketball team.
Reader's Guide
The 1960 U.S. Olympic team featured Robertson as co-captain and leading scorer. He played both forward and point guard, showcasing the versatility that defined his career. The team's nine-game run included an average victory margin of 42.4 points. Robertson's Olympic gold medal was one of many career highlights: he was a 12-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA Team member, 1964 NBA MVP, and the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season (1962). He later won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970–71. Robertson was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 Olympic team in 2010.
More in Legendary Athletes
Elsewhere in The Olympics
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