Rick Wilson (basketball)

Rick WilsonPersonal information

Born|  (1956-02-07) February 7, 1956 (age 68)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Listed height| 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight| 200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school| Atherton (Louisville, Kentucky)
College| Louisville (1974–1978)
NBA draft| 1978: 2nd round, 25th overall pick
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Position| Shooting guard
Number| 42
Career history
1978–1980| Atlanta Hawks
1979–1980| Utica Olympics
1980–1981| Atlantic City Hi-Rollers
Career highlights and awards

* Metro Conference co-Player of the Year (1978)
* First-team All-Metro Conference (1978)

Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Richard Wilson (born February 7, 1956) is a retired American basketball player. He played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1978 to 1980.

## College career[edit]

Wilson graduated from Atherton High School in Louisville, Kentucky. He played collegiately for the University of Louisville from 1974 to 1978. As a freshman, Wilson was a reserve on the Cardinals' 1975 Final Four team. Wilson then entered the starting lineup for the rest of his Louisville career. As a sophomore, he averaged 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game and led the Cardinals to the 1976 National Invitation Tournament. As a junior, Wilson teamed with senior backcourt mate Phil Bond and led the Cardinals back to the 1977 NCAA tournament, where they lost to UCLA.

In his senior year, the 1977–78 season, Wilson averaged 17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists as he led the Cardinals to a Metro Conference championship and was named MVP of the 1978 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament. Wilson was named Metro Conference player of the year that season.[1]

## Professional career[edit]

Following his senior season, Wilson was drafted in the second round of the 1978 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks (25th pick overall). He played in 81 games as a rookie in 1978–79, averaging 3.0 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in a reserve role. The next season, Wilson played in 5 games before being released by the Hawks.[2] He finished the season with the Utica Olympics of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). The next season, Wilson played with the Atlantic City Hi-Rollers.[3]

## Life after basketball[edit]

Wilson became a regular contributor in professional softball, playing the outfield for the Kentucky Bourbons of the United Professional Softball League from 1981 to 1982, helping Kentucky to a World Series title in 1981 in a 5–3 series victory over the New England Pilgrims.[4][5][6][7][8] Wilson left the Bourbons early in the 1982 season.[9]

Wilson went to work for the Jefferson County, Kentucky sheriff's department, but resigned in 1990 with a conviction for dealing cocaine. Battling an addiction, Wilson was later sentenced on a probation violation and ordered to a work-release program,[10] but was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a shooting incident.[11][12]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "2011-12 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball media guide" (PDF). University of Louisville Athletics. 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
2. ^ "Basketball-reference profile". basketball-reference.com. 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
3. ^ 1981-82 Continental Basketball Association Guide and Register
4. ^ "Clipped From The Courier-Journal". The Courier-Journal. July 5, 1981. p. 35 - via newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Clipped From The Courier-Journal". The Courier-Journal. August 1, 1981. p. 22 - via newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Clipped From The Courier-Journal". The Courier-Journal. May 17, 1982. p. 22 - via newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Clipped From The Courier-Journal". The Courier-Journal. September 13, 1981. p. 18 - via newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Clipped From Lexington Leader". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 14, 1981. p. 13 - via newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Clipped From The Courier-Journal". The Courier-Journal. June 1, 1982. p. 22 - via newspapers.com.
10. ^ "AROUND THE COLLEGES" - via www.washingtonpost.com.
11. ^ "Clipped From The Courier-Journal". The Courier-Journal. March 31, 1993. p. 6 - via newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Clipped From Messenger-Inquirer". Messenger-Inquirer. August 5, 1993. p. 10 - via newspapers.com.

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Metro Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year

* 1977: Yoder
* 1978: Davis & Wilson
* 1979: Cummings
* 1980: Griffith
* 1981: Burns & Smith
* 1982: Lee
* 1983: McCray
* 1984: Williams
* 1985: Lee
* 1986: Curry
* 1987: Crook
* 1988: Coles & Ellison
* 1989: McCloud
* 1990: Weatherspoon
* 1991: Weatherspoon
* 1992: Weatherspoon
* 1993: Rozier
* 1994: Rozier
* 1995: Lang

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1978 NBA draft

First round|

* Mychal Thompson
* Phil Ford
* Rick Robey
* Micheal Ray Richardson
* Purvis Short
* Larry Bird
* Ron Brewer
* Freeman Williams
* Reggie Theus
* Butch Lee
* James Hardy
* George Johnson
* Winford Boynes
* Roger Phegley
* Mike Mitchell
* Jack Givens
* Rod Griffin
* Dave Corzine
* Marty Byrnes
* Frankie Sanders
* Mike Evans
* Raymond Townsend

Second round|

* Terry Tyler
* Keith Herron
* Rick Wilson
* Ron Carter
* Wayne Radford
* Buster Matheney
* John Long
* Jeff Judkins
* Marvin Johnson
* John Rudd
* Harry Davis
* Greg Bunch
* Tommie Green
* Maurice Cheeks
* Terry Sykes
* Lew Massey
* James Lee
* Wayne Cooper
* Jerome Whitehead
* Keven McDonald
* Glenn Hagan
* Clemon Johnson

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