Otis Birdsong

Otis Lee Birdsong (born December 9, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons (1977–1989) in the NBA and appeared in four NBA All-Star Games.[1]

Otis Birdsong
Birdsong in 1978
Personal information
Born (1955-12-09) December 9, 1955
Winter Haven, Florida
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolWinter Haven
(Winter Haven, Florida)
CollegeHouston (1973–1977)
NBA draft1977 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Kansas City Kings
Playing career1977–1989
PositionShooting guard / Point guard
Number10, 12
Career history
19771981Kansas City Kings
19811988New Jersey Nets
1988–1989Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points12,544 (18.0 ppg)
Rebounds2,072 (3.0 rpg)
Assists2,260 (3.2 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2018

A 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) guard who attended Winter Haven High School and the University of Houston,[2] Birdsong was selected by the Kansas City Kings with the second pick of the 1977 NBA draft. He would spend four seasons with the Kings, averaging a career high 24.6 points per game during the 1980–81 season. He also played seven seasons with the New Jersey Nets and one with the Boston Celtics, and then ended his career at the end of the 1988–89 season.[3]

Collegiate playing career

One of only five numbers retired by the University of Houston men's basketball team, Birdsong's no. 10 hangs in Hofheinz Pavilion.

As a college freshman, Birdsong finished third among the team's scoring leaders with 14.3 points per game. The following year, Birdsong etched his name in the University of Houston's record books by becoming the first sophomore in the school's history to register 1,000 career points. When the Cougars began playing in the Southwest Conference, Birdsong soon established himself as the dominant scorer in the league's history. In his first year as an SWC player, Birdsong led the league in scoring, finishing eighth nationally with a 26.1 average. Birdsong was named a 1977 Consensus All-American and Southwest Conference Player of the Year after leading the Houston Cougars to a 29-8 record and the National Invitational Tournament championship game against St. Bonaventure. Birdsong scored 38 points and made 18 free throws against the Bonnies, but Houston lost. He ranked fourth nationally in scoring and set an SWC record with 30.3 points per game.[4] His accomplishments resulted in Birdsong being named SWC Player of the Decade.

Birdsong at Houston.

In addition to receiving All-American honors, Birdsong was named to the All-Southwest Conference team in 1976 and 1977. Additionally, he was named District VI Player of the Year (encompassing Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas) by the United States Basketball Writers Association. He was a member of the USBWA's All-District VI Team in 1975, 1976 and 1977, and he was team captain both his junior and senior years. During his four seasons with the Cougars, the team complied 79-38 record. He left the University of Houston as the school's second leading all-time scorer with 2,832 total college career points.

Birdsong also ranks second on Houston's career charts in field goals, third in all-time steals, sixth in assists and ninth in field goal percentages. He continues to hold the school record for free throws with a total of 480.

Professional career

After completing his eligibility at the University of Houston, Birdsong was the second player chosen in the 1977 NBA draft when he was taken by the Kansas City Kings. He scored over 12,000 career points, averaging 18 points per game, in 12 seasons with the Kings, New Jersey Nets and Boston Celtics. Birdsong played in four NBA All-Star Games. He was a member of the All-NBA Second Team in 1981.

Birdsong returned to Houston following his career and served as a member of the Cougars' radio broadcast team for several seasons before moving to Dallas.

In 2000, Birdsong was inducted in the University of Houston's Hall of Honor as well as the Polk County, Florida Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was inducted into the Florida High School Hall of fame.[5]

On October 20, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas, Birdsong was inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame (presented by the Texas Sports Hall of Fame).

NBA 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

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1977–78 Kansas City 7325.7.492.6972.42.41.0.215.8
1978–79 Kansas City 8234.6.509.7254.33.41.5.221.7
1979–80 Kansas City 8235.2.505.278.6944.02.51.7.322.7
1980–81 Kansas City 7136.5.544.286.6973.63.31.3.324.6
1981–82 New Jersey 372227.7.469.000.5832.63.4.8.114.2
1982–83 New Jersey 625430.4.511.333.5662.43.91.4.315.1
1983–84 New Jersey 695731.4.508.250.6082.53.91.2.219.8
1984–85 New Jersey 564532.9.511.190.6222.64.11.5.120.6
1985–86 New Jersey 777431.1.513.364.5812.63.41.1.215.8
1986–87 New Jersey 7618.1.452.000.6671.02.4.4.06.3
1987–88 New Jersey 675928.1.458.360.5112.53.3.8.210.9
1988–89 Boston 1308.3.500.333.0001.0.7.2.12.8
Career 69631731.1.506.274.6553.03.21.2.218.0
All-Star 4013.0.375.5001.5.5.8.03.5

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1979 Kansas City 533.6.513.7113.61.82.0.021.0
1980 Kansas City 337.6.484.000.4297.72.31.3.022.0
1981 Kansas City 829.3.5711.000.6112.63.41.5.015.5
1983 New Jersey 218.5.375.000.5001.04.51.5.06.5
1984 New Jersey 1135.2.415.000.5212.43.71.8.115.2
1986 New Jersey 3344.0.527.000.5794.03.32.01.023.0
1989 Boston 316.7.200.000.7.3.3.3.7
Career 35431.1.480.091.5833.03.01.6.115.6

References

  1. "OTIS BIRDSONG". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  2. Young, Matt (March 5, 2017). "Great moments in the history of Hofheinz Pavilion". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  3. "Otis Birdsong Otis Lee Birdsong". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  4. "Polk State MLK Speaker and NBA All-Star Otis Birdsong: "There Is Always Hope"". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  5. "Otis Birdsong". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
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