In 1962, he was drafted by the NBAs Detroit Pistons and signed by baseballs Chicago White Sox as a pitcher. 9 October 2017. stated in. He was 62. draft lottery and picked Patrick Ewing as the No. [13] He was later the assistant coach and director of basketball operations of the Knicks during the 1980s, when he drafted fellow Knicks legend Patrick Ewing with the first overall selection in 1985. NEW YORK (AP) - NBA Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere, a forward on two championship teams with the New York Knicks and also the youngest coach in league history, died Wednesday of a heart. Dave DeBusschere was a loyal friend, an unselfish teammate and a quality human being, said ex-New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, DeBusscheres former teammate and front court partner. Dave DeBusscheres tough defense and clutch performances helped lead the Knicks to their only two championships in 1970 and 1973. Born in Detroit, Oct. 16, 1940, DeBusschere was a two-sport star at the University of Detroit, one of a handful of players to reach the major leagues in both basketball and baseball. DeBusschere, who was 79-143 as a coach, retired from his post but remained with the Pistons as a player. He did not have any siblings. And as a player all I could look backward on was six years of losing. The 13 are: Danny Ainge, Frank Baumholtz, Hank Biasatti, Gene Conley, Chuck Connors, DeBusschere, Dick Groat, Steve Hamilton, Mark Hendrickson, Cotton Nash, Ron Reed, Dick Ricketts and Howie Schultz.[7][8][9][10]. On occasion, Dave, Willis and I would go to dinner on the road, and Willis would begin telling hunting stories--what weapons he used, where he used them and what the weather was, how be tracked the animals, what his gear consisted of, the angle at which he shot with his gun, or his bow and arrow, and so forth. Dave Debusschere's Life Path Number is 22 as per numerology. As young adults during the McCarthy Era, many members of this generation felt it was dangerous to speak out. ``You can't go through a season like this,'' he said. draft order -- in 1962. DeBusschere became a player-coach for the Pistons in 1964, at age 24 the youngest coach in NBA history. Shoots: The players and the teams, the rules and style of play have all changed, but the sharpness of his insights never diminished. Colleagues in the basketball world were unanimous in praise for DeBusschere, named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996. New York City. The Flyers (22-3) won both regular . By the end of his career, DeBusschere was an eight-time NBA All-Star (1966-68, '70-73) and a first-team All-Defensive Team selection for six straight seasons (1969-74). General @CrownBBALL. Jul 1, 1974 - Dave DeBusschere, previously with the New York Knicks, became a free agent. Dave's strength, his dedication, his unselfishness, his fierce desire to win, and, above all, his commitment to the team, were all at the core of that success. "He was the final piece of the puzzle.". David Albert "Dave" DeBusschere (October 16, 1940 - May 14, 2003) was a Detroit native who played for the University of Detroit and was taken as a territorial pick in the 1962 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. David Albert DeBusschere 194010162003514 NBA 1962NBA NBA 1 2 3 4 [ ] DeBusschere retired as a player after the 1973-74 season, then became a vice president and general manager of the Nets, who were then in the American Basketball Association. The overwhelming emotion derives from more than pride. DeBusschere was picked on six straight All-Defensive teams and when he retired in 1974, he became general manager of the ABA's New York Nets. A year later, he became commissioner of the ABA and was instrumental in the 1976 merger with the NBA. DeBusschere also displayed uncommon maturity for a rookie. The Dave DeBusschere trades and transactions seen below include all known instances where Dave DeBusschere has been involved in a trade or transaction of any type as it relates to baseball. Dave Debusschere was born in 1940s. At 6-foot-6, DeBusschere played the forward position and could score in many different ways. If the truth be told (as Geri knows), on many occasions Dave woke me up with his snoring. Find a Grave memorial ID. Hall of Fame NBA forward who was selected to 8 All-Star games and won 2 NBA Championships with the New York Knicks in the early 1970s; named to 6 straight NBA All-Defensive teams from 1969 to 1974. From 1966 to 1968, he made the All-Star team as a member of the Pistons and during the 1966-67 season, he averaged a career-high in points (18.2) and averaged 11.8 rebounds. The situation changed, however, when Paul Seymour took over as the Pistons coach. And, I will never forget when he told me how proud he was to be sitting in the gallery the day I was sworn into the Senate. Let it go. As a coach I was very frustrated, losing all the time, he said. This answer is: We swam back to the boat, hid behind towels and watched as the man, his wife and kids behind him, ran back onto the beach. Although DeBusschere began the 1964-65 campaign healthy, the team limped through a poor start. He continued to be a double-double machine for the Knicks, and in 1970, DeBusschere was a part of the Knicks team that won the NBA Finals as they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers. ``Honest they were here!'' Dave DeBusschere Birthday and Date of Death. While a member of the Pistons, DeBusschere appeared as himself on the April 29, 1963 episode of the game show To Tell the Truth. Like many famous people and celebrities, Dave Debusschere kept his personal life private. He was teammates with future Hall of Famers Willis Reed, Bill Bradley, and Walt Frazier. The Nets, who were defending champions, were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs that season. Scroll below and check our most recent updates about Dave Debusschere Net . Rarely can words express it. Every year the Knicks tried to pry him loose from Detroit but were continually rebuffed. display: none; DeBusschere, 42, spent 11 seasons in the NBA, his last five with the Knicks. A hard-nosed, tenacious forward, DeBusschere was one of the games all-time best defenders. The Knicks won the first N.B.A. At age 24, he was the youngest coach in N.B.A. JUMP TO: Dave Debusscheres biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Basketball fans will no doubt remember DeBusschere pounding his fist on the table when the Knicks won the 1985 NBA draft lottery that allowed them to pick Patrick Ewing. He served as director of basketball operations for the Knicks from May 1982 to January 1986. Anyone can read what you share. May God grant you a peaceful journey. tournament once. Dave, who had joined the team from Detroit two months earlier, saw how I felt and put me straight. He was 62. [5], In 1962, DeBusschere was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent. DeBusschere, a native of Detroit, was a basketball and baseball star at Austin Catholic HS and the University of Detroit. They know what it takes to get through a long season, to recover from a loss, to pull out a win when you're hurt or tired. But, there he was, ready to go, when the buzzer sounded--with a strip of plastic over his nose, held in place by white adhesive tape forming an ``H'' above and below his eyes. A beloved Knicks player, Willis Reed was a seven-time All-Star who helped lead New York to two titles in the 1970s. They were too young to see action in World War II and too old to participate in the fun of the Summer of Love. Team 22 22 SUMMARY Career G 875 PTS 16.1 TRB 11.0 AST 2.9 FG% 43.2 FT% 69.9 PER 15.5 WS 60.8 I shared the pride that he and Geri felt as Michelle, Peter and Dennis grew into spectacular young adults. In 1973, DeBusschere played with another future Hall of Famer in Earl Monroe as the Knicks defeated the Lakers again to win the 1973 NBA Finals. 22 jersey was retired in special ceremonies in 1978. The greatest overall compatibility with Libra is Aries and Sagittarius. He missed most of the second season due to injury and only played in 15 games. All rights reserved. The Knicks had high hopes that DeBusschere would prove solidify their frontcourt and shore up a run to the title. He remained as coach until late in the 1966-67 season, without taking the team to the playoffs, then returned to a sole role as a player. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. And I'd get a few hours of sleep .. until the next time. He was also an All-American baseball pitcher during his days at U of D. DeBusschere was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1962 NBA Draft and a magnificent professional career quickly unfolded. 1 Chaminade past No. He helped bring about the merger between the NBA and the ABA that year. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. DeBusschere was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983 after a 12-year career (19621974) in which he averaged 16.1 points and 11 rebounds while being named to eight NBA All-Star teams. Playing 12 seasons in the N.B.A., DeBusschere was an All-Star eight times and was named to the all-N.B.A. The world seems like a diminished place today for me, for his family, for hundreds of his friends and thousands of his fans., The Knicks issued a statement that read in part: Dave DeBusscheres character off the court eclipsed even his most celebrated on-court heroics. . 7441173. subject named as. championships, died yesterday in Manhattan. DeBusschere will always be remembered for what he did on and off the court. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, NBA Legends: Profiling the league's greats, 5 stats to know for 76ers-Bucks matchup on ABC, Brooks suspended after receiving 16th technical foul, Grizzlies' Clarke (torn achilles) out indefinitely, Ja issues apology, will miss 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points. A tall right-handed pitcher with a lively fastball, he was called up by the White Sox in 1963 and went 3-4 with a 3.09 ERA. ''I remember it really raining. The dark-haired, rugged-looking DeBusschere roamed the hardwood with a determined grimace, a set jaw, and a jersey drenched with perspiration. Knick legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere collapsed in the street and died yesterday of an apparent heart attack, authorities said. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And they always did. Knicks blossomed after adding DeBusschere. Bucking tradition, DeBusschere decided to try his hand at both sports. I'd shout, ``Dave!'' AKA David Albert DeBusschere. team from 1969 to 1974. Dave DeBusschere. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Dave DeBusschere. Dave DeBusschere weighed 220 lbs (99 kg) when playing. He was renowned for his physical style of play and tenacious defense, and he was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team six times.[12].