Don Ford
Encyclopedia
Donald J. Ford (born December 31, 1952 in Santa Barbara, California
) is a retired American
professional basketball
player in the NBA. He was a 6'8½" (2.05 m), 215 lb (97.5 kg) forward. In high school, he played at Santa Barbara High School and the other forward on his teams was future UCLA and NBA star Keith Wilkes
(later Jamaal Wilkes). He played collegiately
at the University of New Mexico
before transferring to the University of California, Santa Barbara
.
Ford was selected with the second pick of the sixth round of the 1975 NBA Draft
by the L.A. Lakers
. He spent four-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers before he was traded along with a 1980 first round draft pick
to the Cleveland Cavaliers
in exchange for Butch Lee and a 1982 first round draft pick
, which ultimately became first overall pick James Worthy
.
After he was released by the Cavaliers in 1982, Ford spent two years playing professionally in Italy. Over 474 NBA games, he averaged 6.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He was married to Sharon Tate
's sister Patti, with whom he had three children.
Today, Ford lives in Santa Barbara where he works as a real estate agent.
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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 in the NBA. He was a 6'8½" (2.05 m), 215 lb (97.5 kg) forward. In high school, he played at Santa Barbara High School and the other forward on his teams was future UCLA and NBA star Keith Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes is a retired American basketball player who played the small forward position and won four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. Wilkes was also a key player in the run of NCAA championships accumulated during the John Wooden era of UCLA basketball...
(later Jamaal Wilkes). He played collegiately
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
before transferring to the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
.
Ford was selected with the second pick of the sixth round of the 1975 NBA Draft
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...
by the L.A. Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. He spent four-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers before he was traded along with a 1980 first round draft pick
1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA Draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 10, 1980, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
to the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
in exchange for Butch Lee and a 1982 first round draft pick
1982 NBA Draft
The 1982 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1982 at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.-Key:-Draft:-Other picks:-External links:**...
, which ultimately became first overall pick James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
.
After he was released by the Cavaliers in 1982, Ford spent two years playing professionally in Italy. Over 474 NBA games, he averaged 6.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He was married to Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
's sister Patti, with whom he had three children.
Today, Ford lives in Santa Barbara where he works as a real estate agent.
External links
- NBA stats @ basketballreference.com
- Don Ford profile @ lakersweb.com