Wes Unseld was one of the greatest to ever play in the National Basketball Association. He was an All-Star in nine of his 13 seasons, won an NBA championship and MVP award, and made a lasting impact on NBA history. His contributions to the game were so great that he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.
Unseld began his career with the Baltimore Bullets in 1968 and quickly established himself as one of the best players in the league. He was a powerful rebounder who used his size and strength to dominate the boards and intimidate opponents. Unseld was also an excellent passer and his pinpoint outlet passes triggered fast breaks that often resulted in easy baskets for his teammates.
As a result, Unseld earned five All-Star selections from 1969-1977, five All-NBA selections, and led Baltimore to their only NBA title during the 1971-1972 season. He was also named MVP of both the regular season and NBA Finals for that year, making him just one of seven players ever to achieve this feat.
He retired following the 1980 season after 13 years with Baltimore/Washington Bullets (now Wizards). During these years, Unseld averaged 10 points per game, 14 rebounds per game, 3 assists per game, 1 steal per game, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 49% from the field. His accolades speak for themselves: four trips to the NBA Finals, five All-Star appearances, two All-Defensive selections, one MVP award, and one championship ring.
Throughout his career Wes Unseld demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities as well as dedication to his team; he is remembered not only for his on court achievements but also for his unwavering commitment to excellence during a period when basketball was still developing its professional identity.
Wes Unseld – Early Life and High School
Westley Sissel Unseld Sr. was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Charles and Cornelia Unseld as the youngest of nine children. His father had a background in prizefighting, construction work, oil drilling, and even playing baseball for the Indianapolis Clowns. He attended Seneca High School and became a star player on their team that won two Kentucky state championships in 1963 and 1964.
At this time he was recruited by over 100 colleges and universities, thus becoming the first African-American athlete to be offered an athletic scholarship to the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Integration leaders in Louisville attempted to persuade him to attend the University of Kentucky, believing it would be beneficial for both Kentucky and the Southeastern Conference. However, Wes chose to stay close to home and accepted an offer from the racially integrated University of Louisville instead.
Wes Unseld – College
Wes Unseld dominated the court during his time at Louisville, where he played center for the freshman team. He averaged 35.8 points and 23.6 rebounds in 14 games and earned letters as a sophomore, junior and senior. His remarkable stats include 1,686 points (20.6 average) and 1,551 rebounds (18.9 average) over 82 games, leading the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding all three years.
As recognition of his impressive performance on the court, Wes was honored with NCAA All-American honors in 1967 and 1968. Additionally, he helped lead Louisville to a 60–22 record during his college career and trips to both the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1966 and the NCAA tournament in 1967 and 1968. On top of it all, Unseld was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Wes Unseld – Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets
After being taken with the second overall pick in both the NBA and ABA drafts of 1968, Wes Unseld opted to sign with the NBA’s Baltimore Bullets despite them offering less money than his hometown Kentucky Colonels. In his first regular season game, Unseld recorded eight points and 22 rebounds in a 124–116 victory for Baltimore. On October 19th he achieved his first double-double with 13 points and 20 rebounds. He then went on to record a career-high 29 rebounds on November 22nd, in a 121–110 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In his inaugural year Unseld helped turn the Bullets (who had finished last in their division the previous year) into division champions with a 57–25 (.695) winning record by averaging 18.2 rebounds per game. This performance earned him both Rookie of the Year Award and Most Valuable Player Award as well as NBA All-Rookie First Team and Sporting News MVP honors for that same year – an achievement only shared at the time by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.
Unseld was renowned for his defensive capabilities, leading the 1974–75 season in rebounding and achieving a .561 field goal percentage in 1975–76 – one of the highest ever recorded at that time. His success continued during subsequent seasons, playing alongside stars Earl Monroe, Gus Johnson, Elvin Hayes and Bob Dandridge; helping take the Bullets to four NBA finals appearances between 1971 and 1979, eventually claiming victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in 1978 – where Unseld was named Finals MVP – which marked his retirement from basketball in March 1981 when his No. 41 jersey was retired by the Bullets shortly thereafter.
Wes Unseld – Executive and Coaching Career
Following his retirement from playing in 1981, Unseld moved into a front office position with the Bullets franchise. After serving as vice president for six years, he was named head coach in 1988 and resigned after the 1994 season, having achieved a 202–345 record (.369). He then became the Bullets’ general manager in 1996 (later renamed to the Wizards) and held this position for seven years. During his tenure as GM, Unseld managed to guide the team to the playoffs once.
Wes Unseld – NBA Legacy
Hall of Fame center Wes Unseld is remembered for his rebounding skills, hard-hitting picks and ability to ignite a breakneck fast break with his expert outlet passes. Despite his below-average height, he was able to make up for it with his sheer strength and determination.
During the entirety of his 984 NBA games – all played for the Bullets – Unseld achieved a double-double in points and rebounds; averaging 10.8 points per game and 14.0 rebounds each match, as well as 3.9 assists in 36 minutes of playtime. His accolades include being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988 and being celebrated as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of all time in 1996. Most recently, he was added to the 2021 NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Wes Unseld – Personal Life and Death
In 1979, Connie, Unseld’s wife, established Unselds School in southwest Baltimore. This coed private school offers daycare, nursery, and kindergarten-to-eighth grade educational programs. Not only did Connie Unseld serve as a teacher at the school, but her daughter Kimberly also joined her in teaching there.
In addition to working as an office manager at the school, Wes Unseld was head basketball coach. As a testament to his influence, NBA all-star forward Kevin Love considered Unseld his godfather; Love’s father Stan was once a teammate of Unseld on the Baltimore Bullets. Now, Wes Unseld Jr., is a coach in the NBA and became head coach of the Wizards in 2021.
On June 2, 2020, Unseld passed away after enduring a long period of ill health, he was 74 years old.
Wes Unseld – Net Worth
Wes Unseld was an American NBA star who had an estimated net worth of $5 million. He had an illustrious career, having been named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1969, and winning an NBA championship with the Washington Bullets in 1978. In 1981, Unseld was named the NBA Most Valuable Player.
Was Wes Unseld a good defender?
Wes Unseld was a legendary NBA player who is widely considered to be one of the greatest defenders in the history of the game. He was known for his physicality and tenacity on defense, as well as his ability to anticipate plays and intercept passes. His career stats average 10 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game are testament to his defensive prowess. Unseld also had a knack for grabbing crucial steals and rebounds late in games, allowing his team to seal wins.
Wes Unseld won an NBA MVP award in 1969 due to his defense-first mentality and leadership abilities. He was also a five-time All-Star, four-time All-Defensive Team selection, and one-time Defensive Player of the Year recipient. His legacy continues today with the Wes Unseld Award being awarded annually to the top defender in college basketball.
What happened to Wes Unseld?
Legendary Hall of Famer Wes Unseld passed away on June 2, 2020 at the age of 74 after a battle with pneumonia, leaving behind a legacy of greatness as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players. A workmanlike center, Unseld led Washington to its only NBA title and will forever be remembered for his remarkable contributions to basketball.
Did Wes Unseld win MVP and Rookie of the Year?
Yes, he is one of the two players who managed to win MVP and Rookie of the year in the same season. The second player who achieved that is Wilt Chamberlain.
