Len Chappell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Len Chappell
Chappell as a junior at Wake Forest.
Personal information
Born(1941-01-31)January 31, 1941
Portage, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJuly 12, 2018(2018-07-12) (aged 77)
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolPortage (Portage, Pennsylvania)
CollegeWake Forest (1959–1962)
NBA draft1962: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Selected by the Syracuse Nationals
Playing career1962–1972
PositionPower forward / center
Number23, 24, 17, 19, 50, 25, 40
Career history
19621963Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers
19631966New York Knicks
1966Chicago Bulls
19661967Cincinnati Royals
1967–1968Detroit Pistons
19681970Milwaukee Bucks
1970Cleveland Cavaliers
1970–1971Atlanta Hawks
1971–1972Dallas Chaparrals
Career highlights and awards
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Leonard R. Chappell (January 31, 1941 – July 12, 2018) was an American basketball player.[1] He played for 10 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the American Basketball Association (ABA) and was selected to one NBA All-Star Game.

Biography[edit]

College career[edit]

A 6'8" power forward/center, Chappell was a star at Wake Forest University, where he was a teammate of future broadcaster Billy Packer He helped lead the Demon Deacons to a third-place finish in the 1962 NCAA tournament and was named ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 1961 and 1962. In 1962, he became Wake Forest's first consensus All-American[2] He was the ACC tournament's all-time leading scorer until Duke University's J. J. Redick surpassed him in 2006. Chappell was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team in 2002, honoring him as one of the 50 greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

Professional career[edit]

After college, the Syracuse Nationals selected him with the fourth pick in the 1962 NBA draft. He played one season with the Nationals. The following year the team moved to Philadelphia and was renamed the 76ers. After one game in Philadelphia, the New York Knicks purchased his contract. After moving to New York, he had his best season with 17 points and nine rebounds per game, earning his only All-Star selection.[2]

He left New York in 1966 and played for the Chicago Bulls, Cincinnati Royals, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Atlanta Hawks. While on the Bucks during their inaugural season, on December 19, 1968, he scored a career-best 35 points during a 113–111 loss to the Chicago Bulls.[3][4] He also played one season (1971–1972) with the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association.

Death[edit]

Chappell suffered a brain hemorrhage after a fall in April 2018 and later suffered a stroke and pneumonia. He died July 12, 2018, in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.[2]

NBA & ABA career statistics[edit]

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

Regular season[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1962–63 Syracuse 80 - 15.5 .465 - .622 5.8 0.7 - - 8.9
1963–64 Philadelphia 1 - 16.0 .000 - .500 4.0 0.0 - - 1.0
1963–64 New York 78 - 31.9 .449 - .716 9.8 1.1 - - 17.3
1964–65 New York 43 - 15.2 .395 - .680 3.3 0.3 - - 8.3
1965–66 New York 46 - 11.8 .420 - .590 2.8 0.6 - - 5.3
1966–67 Chicago 19 - 9.4 .449 - .667 2.0 0.6 - - 4.9
1966–67 Cincinnati 54 - 9.8 .411 - .650 2.8 0.4 - - 4.1
1967–68 Cincinnati 10 - 6.5 .500 - .800 1.5 0.5 - - 3.8
1967–68 Detroit 57 - 17.5 .514 - .707 6.1 0.8 - - 10.0
1968–69 Milwaukee 80 - 27.6 .454 - .737 8.0 1.2 - - 14.6
1969–70 Milwaukee 75 - 15.1 .465 - .640 3.7 0.7 - - 8.3
1970–71 Cleveland 6 - 14.3 .395 - .786 3.0 0.2 - - 6.8
1970–71 Atlanta 42 - 10.7 .441 - .811 3.2 0.4 - - 4.8
1971–72 Dallas 79 - 17.8 .452 - .746 4.0 0.9 - - 7.7
Career 670 - 17.9 .452 - .697 5.1 0.8 - - 9.3

Playoffs[edit]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1962–63 Syracuse 4 - 13.3 .190 - .813 4.5 0.8 - - 5.3
1966–67 Cincinnati 4 - 16.5 .370 - .500 3.3 2.3 - - 5.5
1967–68 Detroit 5 - 4.2 .286 - .500 2.4 0.0 - - 1.4
1969–70 Milwaukee 9 - 14.8 .560 - .684 2.9 0.6 - - 7.7
1971–72 Dallas 4 - 22.3 .500 - .625 4.5 0.8 - - 7.3
Career 26 - 13.9 .434 - .679 3.3 0.8 - - 5.7

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Len Chappell, legendary Wake Forest University basketball player, dies at 77". July 13, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Goldstein, Richard (July 15, 2018), "Len Chappell, 77, College All-American and N.B.A. All-Star, Dies", The New York Times
  3. ^ The Daily Banner,Greencastle, Putnam County, 19 December 1968
  4. ^ Len Chappell Game Highs

External links[edit]