Mike LaRoche (May 24, 1946 – July 30, 2020) was an American professional basketball player in the American Basketball Association, rostered briefly in the 1968–69 season with the then-Los Angeles Stars.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 24, 1946 Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States |
| Died | July 30, 2020 Granite Bay, California, United States |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Fillmore High School |
| College | Cal Poly |
| ABA draft | 1968: Additional round |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Stars (ABA) | |
| Playing career | 1968–1968 |
| Position | Shooting Guard |
| Number | 14 |
| Career history | |
| 1968–1969 | Los Angeles Stars |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| 3x All-CCAA (1966–68) | |
Early life
editLaRoche attended Fillmore High School, and in 2010 was inducted into the school's inaugural Hall of Fame.[1]
College career
editPlaying for Cal Poly, LaRoche was the CCAA's leading scorer in 1966–67, and earned all-conference status three consecutive times.
| GP | Total Rebounds | Reb. Avg. | Total Points | Scoring Avg. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965–66 | 24 | 127 | 5.3 | 445 | 18.5 |
| 1966–67 | 23 | 200 | 8.7 | 550 | 23.9 |
| 1967–68 | 23 | 178 | 7.7 | 505 | 21.9 |
| Career | 70 | 505 | 7.2 | 1,500 | 21.4 |
Professional basketball
editLos Angeles selected LaRoche with a pick in the additional rounds of the 1968 ABA Draft.[2] Standing 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, LaRoche signed with the Stars in June 1968, for $12,000 with a signing bonus of $3,000, after scoring eight points each in two summer intrasquad games at the L.A. Sports Arena. Of the signing, L.A. coach Bill Sharman commented: "LaRoche showed us a lot during our rookie summer camp. He is a fine shooter, very aggressive and an excellent defensive player."[3]
He was assigned uniform number 14, and netted 14, 26 and then 10 points in a trio of the club's preseason scrimmages.[4]
While then rostered for the Stars' first two regular-season games,[5] LaRoche did not see any floor time during either of the two games, and thereafter was released.
After basketball, he went on to a lengthy law career.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Fillmore High will honor legendary players, coaches and teams at its first Sports Hall of Fame induction". VC Star. September 13, 2010.
- ^ Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. p. 123. ISBN 9780810890695.
- ^ "Stars sign LaRoche". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. June 27, 1968. p. 10.
- ^ "LaRoche's Stars to collide with Rick Barry's Oaks". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. October 8, 1968. p. 6.
- ^ Lambdin, Brian Jon (February 25, 2005). "Searching for anything, finding the Hall". Mustang Daily. pp. 7–8.
- ^ "William Michael LaRoche 5/24/1946 – 7/30/2020". The Auburn Journal (CA). August 14, 2020.