Leonard Phillip Hatzenbeller Jr. (born May 6, 1959) is an American former basketball center. In college, he competed for Drexel. He was both an honorable mention All-American and the East Coast Conference Player of the Year in 1981.

Len Hatzenbeller
Hatzenbeller as a freshman at Drexel in 1977–78
Personal information
Born (1959-05-06) May 6, 1959 (age 65)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeDrexel (1977–1981)
NBA draft1981: 8th round, 174th overall pick
Selected by the Indiana Pacers
PositionCenter
Number41
Career highlights and awards

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hatzenbeller attended Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia before transferring to William Tennent High School in Warminster.[1] As a senior he averaged approximately 21 points and 15 rebounds per game.[1] Hatzenbeller received a scholarship to play for nearby Drexel University, where from 1977 to 1981 he set eight then-school records, including the single season marks for scoring average (21.4), points (589) and field goals (214).[2] He was honored as a first-team all-East Coast Conference (ECC) player as a senior along with the All-American and conference player of the year honors.[3][4][5]

After graduation, Hatzenbeller was selected in the 1981 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers (8th round, 174th overall)[6] but never played in the league.[7] In 1981–82 he competed for a professional team in Uppsala, Sweden before returning to the United States.[8] In December 1982 he was one of the final cuts of the Continental Basketball Association's Rochester Zeniths.[9]

In 1988, Hatzenbeller was inducted into Drexel's athletics hall of fame.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "... Also in the spotlight". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. January 30, 1977. p. 54. Retrieved February 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Drexel Hall of Fame – Leonard Hatzenbeller". DrexelDragons.com. Learfield. 2019. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "Drexel Men's Basketball History and Records". DrexelDragons.com. Learfield. 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  4. ^ "Len Hatzenbeller". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  5. ^ "ECC All-Stars". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. March 9, 1981. p. 60. Retrieved February 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Indiana Pacers Select Hill Toppers' Hatzenbeller". The Ephrata Review. Ephrata, Pennsylvania. July 23, 1981. p. 12. Retrieved February 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Len Hatzenbeller". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  8. ^ Shister, Gail (October 6, 1981). "Morris drops from clinic staff; Sixers interested in hiring him?". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 39. Retrieved February 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Z's cut Sesler, Hatzenbeller; One above limit for opener". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. December 2, 1982. p. 39. Retrieved February 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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