John F. Kennedy
Famous Military Veterans
Marilyn Monroe
Anthony Weiner
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
1 photo
Quick Facts
- NAME: Oscar Robertson
- OCCUPATION: Basketball Player
- BIRTH DATE: November 24, 1938 (Age: 74)
- EDUCATION: Crispus Attucks High School, University of Cincinnati
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Charlotte, Tennessee
- Full Name: Oscar Palmer Robertson
- Nickname: Big O
- ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius
Best Known For
Hall of Fame basketball guard Oscar Robertson played 14 NBA seasons. He averaged more than 25 points per game and retired as the league’s all-time assist leader.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowOscar Robertson. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 01:53, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402.
Oscar Robertson. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Oscar Robertson." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 01:53 http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402.
"Oscar Robertson," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Oscar Robertson," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Oscar Robertson [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402.
Oscar Robertson, http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Oscar Robertson. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-robertson-9460402. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Synopsis
Oscar Robertson was born on November 24, 1938, in Charlotte, Tennessee. He grew up in Indianapolis and in 1956 became one of the first African-Americans to play basketball at the University of Cincinnati, having been the fifth African-American to play for the team overall. In 1960, he led the U.S. Olympic men's team to the gold medal. The Cincinnati Royals drafted him that same year. Robertson played 14 NBA seasons, retiring in 1974 as the league's all-time assist leader.
Contents
Quotes
"I've accomplished everything I could have hoped for. It was fun while it lasted."
Early Years
Widely considered one of the greatest guards in NBA history, Oscar Palmer Robertson was born November 24, 1938, in Charlotte, Tennessee.
At the age of 4, Robertson moved with his family to Indianapolis. Just two years later he began playing basketball, honing his game on dirt courts against his two older brothers, Henry and Bailey. In 1955 he led Crispus Attucks High School to the state title, the first time an all-African-American team had won a state championship. The club won a second crown the following season.
Nationally recruited, Robertson settled on the University of Cincinnati, becoming a three-time All-American guard at the school and averaging well over 30 points a game for three consecutive seasons.
While a national championship eluded the star guard, Robertson co-captained the 1960 Olympic team, teaming up with future NBA rival Jerry West to lead the men’s squad to a gold medal.
Pro Career
That same year, the Cincinnati Royals selected Robertson in the NBA draft. For the 6-5 guard there was little adjustment to the pro game. During the 1961 season, Robertson was named the All-Star MVP and Rookie of the Year.
The following year, Robertson turned in one of the all-time great individual seasons when he became the first player in league history to average double digits in points (30.8), rebounds (12.5) and assists (11.4). No player since has matched the accomplishment, known as a triple-double.
Over the next several seasons, outside of Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers, no guard came close to matching his play. His quick moves and ability to score, pass and rebound greatly redefined the guard position. Off the court, Robertson proved a valuable member of the players’ union, eventually heading up the organization for several seasons. Under his direction, the union championed the successful movement to bring player free agency to the league.
But an NBA title stayed out of reach for Robertson during his time Cincinnati. Over the course of his last few seasons there, strains developed between the guard and the Royals franchise. Finally, on April 21, 1970, Robertson was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks, an up-and-coming club anchored by its young center, Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).
For the Bucks, Robertson proved to be the final piece needed for the building of a championship season. In the spring of 1971, Milwaukee finished off a magical year by sweeping the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals. Robertson was finally a champion.
profile name: Oscar Robertson profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
Olympic Basketball Players
View groupShaquille O'Neal, Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James are just a few of the most well-known basketball players to have competed in the Olympic Games. The men's and women's national teams, often comprised of some of the top American professional and college players, have proven to be two of the most successful teams from the U.S. Since their first Olympic appearance in 1936, the men's team has taken home a total of 13 gold medals, with the women not far behind, claiming six since their start in 1976. From legendary figures like Michael Jordan to female powerhouses like Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes, Biography looks at the most famous names who have dominated the Olympic courts.
Olympic Basketball Players 15 people in this group
-
Famous Black Athletes
View groupThey've sprinted, served, batted, slam-dunked and TKO'd their way into sports history. Sprinter Jesse Owens's Olympic triumphs put Hitler to shame. Basketball star Michael Jordan taught kids that they could fly. Gymnast Gabby Douglas showed that champions can come in pint-size packages, and Tiger Woods brought the game of golf to another level. Explore biographies of famous black athletes who broke records and barriers and, ultimately, captured our imaginations.
Famous Black Athletes 147 people in this group
-
Famous Sagittarians 567 people in this group
