Billy Paultz
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | River Dell (Oradell, New Jersey ) | July 30, 1948
College |
|
New York Nets | |
1975–1980 | San Antonio Spurs |
1980–1983 | Houston Rockets |
1983 | San Antonio Spurs |
1983–1984 | Atlanta Hawks |
1984–1985 | Utah Jazz |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career NBA statistics | |
Points | 13,099 (11.7 ppg) |
Rebounds | 8,959 (8.0 rpg) |
Blocks | 1,457 (1.5 bpg) |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
William Edward Paultz (born July 30, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and in the now defunct American Basketball Association (ABA). Nicknamed "the Whopper",[1] He was a 4-time ABA All-Star and led the ABA in blocks in 1976.
Early life and collegiate career
Born in
New York Nets in exchange for a draft choice and cash.[4]
Professional basketball
As a rookie, Paultz made his first postseason appearance in the
Indiana Pacers won in six games), and was a key player in their 1973–74 ABA championship season. He was then traded to the San Antonio Spurs
where he made four consecutive appearances in the playoffs from 1976 to 1979.
Although Paultz moved with a bulky stiffness, he was a very heady player.
During the middle of the
1979-1980 season, San Antonio traded Paultz to the Houston Rockets, and due to the trade, he managed to play 84 games during an 82-game NBA season. The next year, Paultz teamed with Moses Malone to make the 1981 NBA Finals. In Game 1 of the series, Paulitz scored 14 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, during a 98-95 loss to the Celtics (who would win the series four games to two).[9] During the 1982–83 season without Malone, and with the Rockets in last place, he was placed on waivers and picked up by the playoff-bound Spurs. In 1984, he was a late season pickup by the playoff bound Atlanta Hawks. He finished his career with the Utah Jazz
in 1985.
A four-time ABA
All-Star, Paultz led the ABA in blocked shots during the 1975–76 season with an average of 3.0 blocks per game and a league-leading total of 253 blocked shots.[10]
About his play, Paultz stated, "I have realized that I'm not an overpowering type center. I don't really know what my category is. I have always been the type of player that can do a little bit of everything."
References
- Orange Coast Magazine. 11 (3): 138. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ^ Billy Paultz player profile, Basketball Reference. Accessed December 5, 2006.
- The Record, January 27, 2004. "I go back to when Billy Paultz of River Edge was a rookie. I was surprised in the 1970–71 season when I saw that the 6-foot-11 Whopper didn't even jump center – the much shorter Sonny Dove did."
- ^ RememberTheABA.com Virginia Squires detailed year by year notes page Archived May 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 1970-71 New York Nets
- ^ Chaparrals vs Nets, December 17, 1971 | Basketball-Reference.com
- ^ "NETS BEAT CHAPS AS PAULTZ STARS". December 18, 1971. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Buck Williams has the most rebounds for the New Jersey Nets in a game, with 27 boards against the Warriors on February 1, 1987. StatMuse". statmuse. statmuse. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ 1981 NBA Finals Game 1: Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics
- ^ Billy Paultz Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com, Basketball Reference. Accessed January 8, 2024.