Nick Weatherspoon

Nick Levoter Weatherspoon (July 20, 1950 – October 17, 2008) was an American professional basketball player.

Nick Weatherspoon

Personal information
Born	(1950-07-20)July 20, 1950 Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	October 17, 2008(2008-10-17) (aged 58) Canton, Ohio, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school	Canton McKinley (Canton, Ohio)
College	Illinois (1970–1973)
NBA draft	1973: 1st round, 13th overall pick
Selected by the Capital Bullets
Playing career	1973–1980
Position	Small forward
Number	12, 13
Career history
1973–1976	Capital / Washington Bullets
1976–1977	Seattle SuperSonics
1977–1978	Chicago Bulls
1978–1980	San Diego Clippers
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1974)
Career NBA statistics
Points	4,086 (9.0 ppg)
Rebounds	2,232 (4.9 rpg)
Assists	418 (0.9 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Career

Weatherspoon, nicknamed "Spoon", scored 1,431 points at Canton McKinley High School, holding the Bulldog scoring record for 37 years until Raymar Morgan broke it during the 2005–06 season. He was an All-American at the University of Illinois before being selected by the Capital Bullets with the 13th pick of the 1973 NBA draft. Named to the 1974 NBA All-Rookie Team, Weatherspoon spent a total of seven seasons in the NBA with the Bullets, the Seattle SuperSonics, the Chicago Bulls, and the San Diego Clippers.

Weatherspoon was elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team" in 2004. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and was initiated in the Fraternity through Tau Chapter in 1971.

Honors

Basketball

• 1972 – Team MVP
• 1972 – Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
• 1973 – Team Captain
• 1973 – Team MVP
• 1973 – 1st Team All-Big Ten
• 1973 – Honorable Mention All American
• 2004 – Elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team".
• 2008 – Honored as one of the thirty-three honored jerseys which hang in the State Farm Center to show regard for being the most decorated basketball players in the University of Illinois' history.

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1973–74	Capital	65	—	18.7	.412	—	.691	6.1	.6	.7	.2	7.6
1974–75	Washington	82	—	16.4	.456	—	.746	4.2	.6	.8	.3	7.5
1975–76	Washington	64	—	16.9	.476	—	.701	4.3	.9	.7	.3	8.3
1976–77	Washington	11	—	13.8	.355	—	.625	2.2	.2	.3	.5	5.4
1976–77	Seattle	51	—	29.5	.461	—	.632	7.9	1.0	1.0	.5	12.8
1977–78	Chicago	41	—	14.9	.443	—	.881	3.0	.8	.5	.2	5.1
1978–79	San Diego	82	—	32.2	.480	—	.739	5.5	1.6	1.0	.5	13.8
1979–80	San Diego	57	—	19.7	.434	—	.692	3.6	.9	.6	.3	6.9
Career		453	—	21.4	.455	—	.713	4.9	.9	.8	.3	9.0

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1974	Capital	7	—	12.4	.474	—	.400	3.9	.0	.3	.3	2.9
1975	Washington	17	—	23.8	.515	—	.814	4.8	.9	.8	.1	10.3
1976	Washington	7	—	32.0	.450	—	.560	6.0	1.4	.3	.6	12.3
Career		31	—	23.1	.489	—	.699	4.8	.8	.6	.3	9.1

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1970–71	Illinois	23	—	—	.452	—	.718	10.7	—	—	—	16.6
1971–72	Illinois	24	24	—	.419	—	.746	11.0	—	—	—	20.8
1972–73	Illinois	24	23	36.7	.457	—	.711	12.3	—	—	—	25.0
Career		71	47	36.7	.443	—	.725	11.4	—	—	—	20.9

External links

• Career statistics from NBA.com and Basketball Reference
• College stats at Sports-Reference.com