Hal Greer

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Lore & Background

Greer's career peaked during the 1966–67 season when he teamed with Wilt Chamberlain to win an NBA championship. In the 15 playoff games that year, Greer averaged a team-best 27.7 points, proving his clutch value. He was widely considered the third-best guard of the 1960s, trailing only Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Uniquely, Greer employed a jump shot from the charity stripe for free throws, a highly effective technique that set him apart. His scoring prowess was on full display in 1968 when he won the NBA All-Star Game MVP; he went a perfect 8-for-8 from the field to score 21 points, including a record-breaking 19 points in a single quarter. Over his career, Greer accumulated 21,586 points and was an all-time leader in games played upon his retirement after the 1972–73 season.

In Their Own Story

Born in Huntington, West Virginia, Greer attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School, an all-black institution where he began his journey as a guard. He made history at Marshall University by becoming the first African American to play for a public college in West Virginia. Although his arrival caused some uneasiness locally, Coach Cam Henderson immediately recognized his talent, telling sportswriters in October 1954, "Before that young man is through here he'll become one of the greatest players in Marshall history and one of the greatest in the country." Greer lived up to this hype, scoring 1,377 points with a .545 field goal percentage. In his senior year alone, he averaged 23.6 points per game. His college dominance led to All-American honors in 1958 and back-to-back All-Mid-American Conference selections. Even before the NBA, he showcased versatility by playing first base for Marshall's baseball team during his sophomore year.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note that Greer was selected with the 13th pick in the 1958 NBA draft by the Syracuse Nationals, where he spent five seasons raising his scoring average to 22.8 points per game by 1961. When the franchise moved to Philadelphia in 1963, it became the Philadelphia 76ers. Greer's jersey number was retired by the team as No. 15 in 1976, making him the first player in franchise history to receive this honor. His connection to his hometown of Huntington remains strong; the city held "Hal Greer Day" in 1966 and renamed a major artery "Hal Greer Boulevard" in 1978. In 2021, Marshall University dedicated a bronze statue of him adjacent to the Cam Henderson Center. His contributions were formally recognized with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Did You Know?

• Greer set a record by scoring 19 points in a single quarter during the 1968 NBA All-Star Game.
• He was the first African American to play for a public college in West Virginia when he attended Marshall University.
• Greer used an unusual jump shot technique for his free throws, shooting from the charity stripe rather than a set shot.
• In 1973, Greer was not signed by any team despite not wishing to retire, leading him to become a head coach in the Eastern Basketball Association.
• Greer scored 50 points in a single game against the Boston Celtics during his career.