Wayne Hightower

NBA player; ABA All-star[19]

What is Wayne Hightower known for?

Wayne Hightower, born on January 14, 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American professional basketball player known for his productive NBA and ABA career from 1962 to 1972. He was a towering presence on the court, standing at 6 ft 8 inches (2.03 m) and primarily playing in the forward positions. Hightower attended Overbrook High School, Philadelphia, PA from 1955 to 1958.

His journey into his remarkable professional basketball career began in 1961 after his junior year at the University of Kansas. He played for various teams both in NBA and ABA ranks. In NBA, he played for the San Francisco Warriors (1962–65), the Baltimore Bullets (1965–67), and the Detroit Pistons (1967). In the ABA, he represented Denver Rockets (1967–69), Los Angeles / Utah Stars (1969–71), Texas Chaparrals (1971), and Carolina Cougars (1971–72).

Hightower's career wasn't just limited to American leagues. He also had an impressive stint with the Spanish team Real Madrid Baloncesto and ended up scoring big, becoming both the EuroLeague Finals Top Scorer and the Spanish League Top Scorer in 1962. His numerous career achievements also include EPBL All-Star (1966) and ABA All-Star (1969), among other honors. Hightower made substantial contributions to the sport, tallying 6,568 points (11.6 ppg), 3,966 rebounds (7.0 rpg), and 959 assists (1.7 apg) in his career.

For more detailed career statistics, you can check out NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com. He passed away on April 18, 2002, in Philadelphia, leaving behind an indelible legacy in the world of sports.