Bruce Seals
Encyclopedia
Bruce A. Seals is a retired American
basketball
player, whose career included stints in both the ABA
and the NBA
.
Seals was drafted in the first round by the Utah Stars
, playing two seasons in the ABA before being drafted
into the NBA in the second round by the Seattle SuperSonics
in 1975
. Seals played three seasons in the NBA
.
Seals' career spanned five seasons, two leagues, primarily at the power forward
position. Due to a variety of issues, he retired from the NBA in 1978
. Seals did a stint in the Italian leagues
after leaving the NBA. Today he works with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, teaching inner city youth the power of the game.
, where he played basketball.
in the first round of the ABA draft. The Utah Stars had posted the best record in the ABA Western Division in the previous season (55-29 in the 1972-1973 season).
In his first regular season with the Utah Stars, Seals played 78 games, averaging 17.4 minutes per game, with 7.0 points per game. The Utah Stars won the Western Division (51-33).
In the post-season
, the Utah Stars defeated the San Diego Conquistadors
to win the Western Division semifinals. Thereafter, they beat the Indiana Pacers
in the Western Division finals. The Utah Stars lost the championship series, though, to the New York Nets. Seals contributed 89 points in the post-season over 15 games, playing 260 minutes for the Utah Stars. (This generates a statistic of 0.34 points per minute.)
. The Utah Stars finished in fourth place in the Western Division, an upset, with a record of 38-46.
In the post-season
, the Utah Stars were defeated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets
in a five-game series. While Seals played very little, he produced over a point per minute. He racked up 24 points in the post-season over 3 games, playing 41 minutes for the Utah Stars. (This generates a statistic of 0.59 points per minute.)
.
Seals played 81 games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1975-1976 season
. He averaged 30.1 minutes per game, with 11.8 points per game. He contributed a total of 957 points to the Seattle SuperSonics this season.
Seals performed well in the post-season
, playing 6 games, racking up 181 minutes on the court, and supplying 78 points for the Seattle SuperSonics. (This generates a statistic of 0.43 points per minute.)
The 1975-1976 season saw the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the season at second-place in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, with a record of 43-39 (.524) behind the Golden State Warriors
who led the division and conference with a record of 59-23 (.720). The SuperSonics’ record placed them in the second place spot across the entire Western Conference, which consisted of nine teams, still only being led by the Golden State Warriors.
Seals finished the season tied for the fourth highest amount of personal fouls in the league, with 314.
. He averaged 24.4 minutes per game, with 11.0 points per game. He contributed a total of 894 points to the Seattle SuperSonics this season.
The 1976-1977 season saw the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the season near the bottom of the division and conference with a 40-42 record (.488), among eleven teams that comprised the Western Conference.
. He averaged 18.1 minutes per game, with 7.8 points per game. He contributed a total of 571 points to the Seattle SuperSonics this season.
Seals played very little in the post-season
, playing in 9 games, but only racking up 92 minutes on the court. He contributed a total of 27 points for the Seattle SuperSonics in the post-season. (This generates a statistic of 0.29 points per minute.)
The 1977-1978 season saw the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the season fourth in the eleven-team Western Conference, third in the Pacific Division with a record of 47-35 (.573). Seattle managed to win the Western Conference, and led the Washington Bullets
before losing the series in the NBA Finals
.
While Seattle boasted the third highest ranked defense in the NBA at the close of the season, they also represented the second worst offensive ranking among twenty-two teams.
. Years later, Bruce married and had two children. In 1990, Seals and his family moved to Boston. Seals came to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester as Assistant Athletic Director. One year later, in 1991, Seals assumed the position of Director, which he has held ever since. Today, Seals works for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, teaching inner city youth that basketball is more powerful than violence.
Along with his responsibilities working with the youth of inner city Boston, and being a family man, Seals has also been supportive of his niece, former NCAA athlete, Joy Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth, a point guard, played women’s basketball for the Division I-A Arizona
Wildcats
in the Pacific Ten Conference
(PAC-10) through the 2006-07 season.
Bruce Seals continues to be involved in basketball as an assistant coach at Emerson College in Boston, MA under head coach Hank Smith since the 1994-95 season.
In his two years in the post-season, he played 18 games, playing 301 minutes on the court, sinking 113 points for the Utah Stars. This is 16.7 minutes per game and 6.3 points per game in the post-season. (This generates a statistic of 0.38 points per minute.)
Notably, Bruce Seals maintains the forty-third highest career blocks
count in the American Basketball Association, with 73. What is perhaps more notable is that these 73 blocks occurred over only two years. Additionally, Seals holds the ninety-fifth highest career steals
record in the ABA, with 72 steals.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, whose career included stints in both the ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
and the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Seals was drafted in the first round by the Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
, playing two seasons in the ABA before being drafted
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
into the NBA in the second round by the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in 1975
1975 NBA Draft
The 1975 NBA Draft was the 29th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 29, 1975 before the 1975–76 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
. Seals played three seasons in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Seals' career spanned five seasons, two leagues, primarily at the power forward
Power forward (basketball)
Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...
position. Due to a variety of issues, he retired from the NBA in 1978
1977-78 NBA season
The 1977–78 NBA season was the 32nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Washington Bullets winning the NBA Championship, beating the Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
. Seals did a stint in the Italian leagues
Italian Basketball Federation
The Italian Basketball Federation is the governing body of basketball in Italy.It is a member of the International Basketball Federation ....
after leaving the NBA. Today he works with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, teaching inner city youth the power of the game.
Biography
Seals attended high school at Booker T. Washington High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1971, Seals was named Louisiana’s Most Valuable High School basketball player.Collegiate career
Seals attended Xavier University of LouisianaXavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana , located in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts college with the distinction of being the only historically black Roman Catholic institution of higher education...
, where he played basketball.
1973-1974
Seals was selected by the Utah StarsUtah Stars
The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
in the first round of the ABA draft. The Utah Stars had posted the best record in the ABA Western Division in the previous season (55-29 in the 1972-1973 season).
In his first regular season with the Utah Stars, Seals played 78 games, averaging 17.4 minutes per game, with 7.0 points per game. The Utah Stars won the Western Division (51-33).
In the post-season
1974 ABA Playoffs
The 1974 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1973-1974 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Nets defeating the Western Division champion Utah Stars, four games to one in the ABA Finals.-Notable events:A one game...
, the Utah Stars defeated the San Diego Conquistadors
San Diego Conquistadors
The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
to win the Western Division semifinals. Thereafter, they beat the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the Western Division finals. The Utah Stars lost the championship series, though, to the New York Nets. Seals contributed 89 points in the post-season over 15 games, playing 260 minutes for the Utah Stars. (This generates a statistic of 0.34 points per minute.)
1974-1975
In his second regular season with the Utah Stars, Seals played only 35 games, averaging 10.6 minutes per game, with 4.0 points per game. He was joined by a strong high school center the Stars drafted, Moses MaloneMoses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
. The Utah Stars finished in fourth place in the Western Division, an upset, with a record of 38-46.
In the post-season
1975 ABA Playoffs
The 1975 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1974-1975 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels defeating the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers, four games to one in the ABA Finals.The Kentucky...
, the Utah Stars were defeated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
in a five-game series. While Seals played very little, he produced over a point per minute. He racked up 24 points in the post-season over 3 games, playing 41 minutes for the Utah Stars. (This generates a statistic of 0.59 points per minute.)
1975-1976
Bruce Seals was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of the 1975 NBA Draft1975 NBA Draft
The 1975 NBA Draft was the 29th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 29, 1975 before the 1975–76 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
.
Seals played 81 games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1975-1976 season
1975-76 NBA season
The 1975–76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
. He averaged 30.1 minutes per game, with 11.8 points per game. He contributed a total of 957 points to the Seattle SuperSonics this season.
Seals performed well in the post-season
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
, playing 6 games, racking up 181 minutes on the court, and supplying 78 points for the Seattle SuperSonics. (This generates a statistic of 0.43 points per minute.)
The 1975-1976 season saw the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the season at second-place in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, with a record of 43-39 (.524) behind the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
who led the division and conference with a record of 59-23 (.720). The SuperSonics’ record placed them in the second place spot across the entire Western Conference, which consisted of nine teams, still only being led by the Golden State Warriors.
Seals finished the season tied for the fourth highest amount of personal fouls in the league, with 314.
1976-1977
Seals played 81 games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1976-1977 season1976-77 NBA season
The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Portland Trail Blazers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
. He averaged 24.4 minutes per game, with 11.0 points per game. He contributed a total of 894 points to the Seattle SuperSonics this season.
The 1976-1977 season saw the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the season near the bottom of the division and conference with a 40-42 record (.488), among eleven teams that comprised the Western Conference.
1977-1978
Seals played 73 games for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1977-1978 season1977-78 NBA season
The 1977–78 NBA season was the 32nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Washington Bullets winning the NBA Championship, beating the Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
. He averaged 18.1 minutes per game, with 7.8 points per game. He contributed a total of 571 points to the Seattle SuperSonics this season.
Seals played very little in the post-season
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
, playing in 9 games, but only racking up 92 minutes on the court. He contributed a total of 27 points for the Seattle SuperSonics in the post-season. (This generates a statistic of 0.29 points per minute.)
The 1977-1978 season saw the Seattle SuperSonics finishing the season fourth in the eleven-team Western Conference, third in the Pacific Division with a record of 47-35 (.573). Seattle managed to win the Western Conference, and led the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
before losing the series in the NBA Finals
1978 NBA Finals
-Series summary:Bullets win series 4-3-Game 1:The Bullets, behind Kevin Grevey's 27 and Elvin Hayes's 21 points, held a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter at the Seattle Center Coliseum. But, the Sonics staged a comeback in front of the home crowd, led by "instant offense" guard Fred Brown...
.
While Seattle boasted the third highest ranked defense in the NBA at the close of the season, they also represented the second worst offensive ranking among twenty-two teams.
1978-Present
Speaking about his experiences, Seals says: “The game was good to me... I saw the world.” After leaving the Seattle SuperSonics, Seals did just that with a stint in the Italian leaguesItalian Basketball Federation
The Italian Basketball Federation is the governing body of basketball in Italy.It is a member of the International Basketball Federation ....
. Years later, Bruce married and had two children. In 1990, Seals and his family moved to Boston. Seals came to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester as Assistant Athletic Director. One year later, in 1991, Seals assumed the position of Director, which he has held ever since. Today, Seals works for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, teaching inner city youth that basketball is more powerful than violence.
Along with his responsibilities working with the youth of inner city Boston, and being a family man, Seals has also been supportive of his niece, former NCAA athlete, Joy Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth, a point guard, played women’s basketball for the Division I-A 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...
Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats
-Athletic program:The University of Arizona participates in the NCAA's Division I-A in the Pacific-12 Conference Arizona participates in the conference's South Division, along with Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC, and Utah...
in the Pacific Ten Conference
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
(PAC-10) through the 2006-07 season.
Bruce Seals continues to be involved in basketball as an assistant coach at Emerson College in Boston, MA under head coach Hank Smith since the 1994-95 season.
ABA career
In his two years with the Utah Stars in the American Basketball Association, Seals played 113 games, averaging 15.3 minutes per game, with 6.1 points per game. He contributed a total of 685 points to the Utah Stars.In his two years in the post-season, he played 18 games, playing 301 minutes on the court, sinking 113 points for the Utah Stars. This is 16.7 minutes per game and 6.3 points per game in the post-season. (This generates a statistic of 0.38 points per minute.)
Notably, Bruce Seals maintains the forty-third highest career blocks
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
count in the American Basketball Association, with 73. What is perhaps more notable is that these 73 blocks occurred over only two years. Additionally, Seals holds the ninety-fifth highest career steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
record in the ABA, with 72 steals.