Robert Alan Elliott is a former University of Arizona

University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...

 basketball player and multiple record holder, current business professional and entrepreneur, American television sportscaster, former NBA professional basketball player and current Head-Chairmen of the Retired NBA Players Association. Elliott was a three time academic and athletic All-American at the University of Arizona

Arizona Wildcats men's basketball

The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...

, leading his team to one Western Athletic Conference

Western Athletic Conference

The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...

 championship and two NCAA tournament appearances. He was 1977 Third Team All American, a 1975, 1976 and 1977 Third Team All-WAC conference honoree, and a 1975, 1976, and 1977 Academic All American. Bob received a bachelor of science in accounting, and later, an MBA from the University of Arizona as well. He is married, and has 4 children, and 7 grandchildren.

University of Arizona basketball (73-77)

Many University of Arizona basketball advocates accredit the young Elliott for introducing modern Arizona basketball to the nation under the coaching styles of Fred "The Fox" Snowden (the first black head basketball coach in D1 collegiate basketball). At a time when UCLA was the west coast powerhouse athletic program, Tucson underwent the changes to move from small "Olde Pueblo" town with a great university, to the U of A metropolis that it is today. McKale Center generated not only money from the new center build to replace Bear Down Gym (a small gym located off of the Mall), but sold out games and revenue from the Snowden Era, bringing the basketball genre to the forefront. Elliott is noted to have had "one of the best drop steps you will ever see. He had an 18.6 career scoring average while in college between 1973-1977 (and the 3 pointer was introduced his senior year). He is still the University of Arizona's career scoring leader with 2,131 points, and holds U of A career marks for field goals (808), attempted field goals (1,512), free throws (515), and attempted free throws (767). He scored 39 points against Utah in 1977, which is noted as the fourth best all time single game performance at U of A.

NBA Career

Elliott was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...

 of the NBA, but never played for them. He spent half a year playing basketball in Europe and three seasons with the New Jersey Nets

New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

. Reconstructive knee surgery and other interests led Bob to retire from professional basketball while with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982.

EA Sports

Elliott may be best known in younger generations for his voice work as a color-commentator on NBA Live Series

NBA Live series

The NBA Elite is series of basketball video games, published by EA Sports. There has not been any entry in the series on a home console since 2009. In November 2010, development of the franchise was moved from EA Canada studio to Florida-based Tiburon studio...

 PC games with late sportscaster (and former Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...

 announcer) Don Poier

Don Poier

Don Poier was a sports play-by-play announcer who called telecasts of Pac-10 football and basketball games and was the radio and television voice for the Vancouver and Memphis Grizzlies.-Early life:...

 from 1999 to 2003. He was known for using phrases such "don't start jawing at the refs get yourself back on D!", "Pass the rock, shoot the rock in the bucket!", and during a lead saying "They're lucky to have the lead in the first place."

Community involvement

Bob Elliott in involved with multiple charities and notably has a scholarship set up in the name of him and his wife through the University of Arizona. He is an avid musician and plays at national events with the NBA Retired Players Association Band, which is closely linked with NBA Cares events as well. His wife is also a very involved and accredited member of the Tucson Unified School District, has national counseling awards and multiple degrees, and also stays involved in community groups and community relations groups. Bob won "Father of the Year" in 2000, a city wide recognition.

See also

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds

External links

• Bob Elliott biography at Pioneer Athletics website