Larry Wright (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Larry Glenn Wright is a former American
professional basketball
player and former Grambling State University
men's basketball team head coach, his alma mater. During his playing days including stints in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) and abroad in Italy
.
.
by the Washington Bullets
. He played a significant part of the Bullets' successful team of the late 1970s, as a substitute. With the Bullets he won an NBA title in 1978
and reached the Finals
the next year. After another disappointing season in which they were knocked out from the playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers
, he was traded to Detroit Pistons where he played only 46 games in his two year span there. He decided to move to Italy
in 1982 and signed for Banco di Roma.
. The team finished the regular season in first place before Mike D'Antoni
's Olimpia Milano
and reached the finals series against Milano after defeating European champions Ford Cantù
in the semi final series , with homecourt advantage in hand in the final. Roma won the series 2 games to 1 and won its first ever Italian championship. The next season was even greater, as Roma participated in the European Champion Cup
as Italian champions, and Wright provided one stellar performance after another and Roma finished the Final group stage first placed tied with Barcelona, so the two team qualified for the final game for the European champions cup in Geneva
. Wright was the MVP of the 79-73 final win scoring 27 points leading Roma to its first ever European title, and the most important, on its first appearance. Wright was also selected as the European player of the year. Although he had a successful European season, Wright left the team after failing to qualify to the Italian playoffs and signed with Fantoni Udine
where he played for two seasons. In 1987 he returned to Banco di Roma for one more season.
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 and former Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
men's basketball team head coach, his alma mater. During his playing days including stints in the National Basketball Association
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...
(NBA) and abroad in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
College career
From 1973–76, Wright was one of the most decorated Grambling players. In 1974, he was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Freshman of the year along with being a two-time All-SWAC selection for the remainder of his career. Wright was also a two-time first team NCAA Small College All-American while leading the University to the 1976 SWAC Tournament Championship. After being named the SWAC Player-of-the-Year in 1975-76 as a junior, he decided to declare for the 1976 NBA Draft1976 NBA Draft
The 1976 NBA Draft was the 30th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 8, 1976 before the 1976–77 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
.
Professional NBA career
Wright was selected with the 14th pick overall in the 1976 NBA Draft1976 NBA Draft
The 1976 NBA Draft was the 30th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 8, 1976 before the 1976–77 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 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:...
. He played a significant part of the Bullets' successful team of the late 1970s, as a substitute. With the Bullets he won an NBA title 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:...
and reached the Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
the next year. After another disappointing season in which they were knocked out from the playoffs 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...
, he was traded to Detroit Pistons where he played only 46 games in his two year span there. He decided to move to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1982 and signed for Banco di Roma.
Superstar in Italy
Wright was an immediate star in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The team finished the regular season in first place before Mike D'Antoni
Mike D'Antoni
Michael Andrew "Mike" D'Antoni is an Italian-American former basketball player and is currently the head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks. While head coach of the Phoenix Suns, he won NBA Coach of the Year honors for the 2004–05 NBA season after the Suns posted 33 more wins than the previous...
's Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
and reached the finals series against Milano after defeating European champions Ford Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù
Pallacanestro Cantù is an Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Cantù. For sponsorship reasons, it is also known as Bennet Cantù, after Bennet, an Italian supermarket chain. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below...
in the semi final series , with homecourt advantage in hand in the final. Roma won the series 2 games to 1 and won its first ever Italian championship. The next season was even greater, as Roma participated in the European Champion Cup
Euroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
as Italian champions, and Wright provided one stellar performance after another and Roma finished the Final group stage first placed tied with Barcelona, so the two team qualified for the final game for the European champions cup in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. Wright was the MVP of the 79-73 final win scoring 27 points leading Roma to its first ever European title, and the most important, on its first appearance. Wright was also selected as the European player of the year. Although he had a successful European season, Wright left the team after failing to qualify to the Italian playoffs and signed with Fantoni Udine
Pallalcesto Amatori Udine
Snaidero Basketball is a prominent Italian basketball club based in Udine. It is also known as Snaidero Cucine Udine.-History:Its best finish so far is a 5th place in the Italian tournament in the 2005/06 season. The gold years for basketball in Udine were from 1965 to 1980, when the president and...
where he played for two seasons. In 1987 he returned to Banco di Roma for one more season.
Coaching career
Wright already was a player-coach in his last days in Italy. He was appointed assistant coach at Grambling in 1990 and stayed for office for two seasons. Afterwards he was a scout for the Seattle Sonics and the Washington Wizards, and an assistance coach at Quachita High School in his hometown of Monroe, Louisiana. In 1999 Wright was appointed head coach at Grambling. He was released from his duties in April 2008.External links
- Larry Wright NBA Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
- Larry Wright at LegaBasket.it