Levern Tart
Encyclopedia
Levern Tart was an American basketball
player.
. He had not been recruited to play college basketball and so he intended to go to Indiana University
to play football
before Bradley's coach discovered and signed him. In his career at Bradley Tart scored 1,053 points in 73 games for an average of 14.4 points per game. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1964 National Invitational Tournament, which Bradley won. In that season Tart led the team with 17.5 points per game and was first team All Missouri Valley Conference
.
of the NBA and was the final player cut from their roster by Red Auerbach
prior to the 1964-65 season
. Tart played for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
in the Eastern League. During that time he also coached and taught at Central Catholic High School in Kingston, PA. Tart eventually landed with the Jamaico Saints, an AAU team.
. He and teammate Steve Jones
signed with the Oakland Oaks
in June, 1967. Tart played his entire professional career in the ABA, where he was known for effective drives to the basket, acrobatic shots with either hand, elusive speed and precise body and ball control on the floor.
and participated in the very first ABA game on October 13, 1967 when the Oaks defeated the Anaheim Amigos
132-129. On January 9, 1968 Tart played in the inaugural ABA All Star Game
. For the season Tart averaged 23.5 points per game which was third best in the league for the season. It was in Oakland that he acquired his nickname "Jelly".
and Hank Whitney were traded to the Houston Mavericks
for Leary Lentz
and Willie Somerset
.
. Tart also played a portion of the 1970-1971 season with the Nets until being traded again.
. Tart finished his professional basketball career with the Chaparrals.
For the entirety of his career in the ABA Tart scored 5,316 points in 274 games, averaging 19.4 points per game (24.3 in the playoffs) along with 5.0 rebounds (4.8 in the playoffs).
Tart is survived by his son, Stephen, and two grandchildren, Shaila and Andre, of Fullerton, California.
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.
College career
The 6'2" (later listed as 6'3"), 195 pound guard Tart played college basketball at Bradley UniversityBradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
. He had not been recruited to play college basketball and so he intended to go to Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
to play football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
before Bradley's coach discovered and signed him. In his career at Bradley Tart scored 1,053 points in 73 games for an average of 14.4 points per game. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1964 National Invitational Tournament, which Bradley won. In that season Tart led the team with 17.5 points per game and was first team All Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
.
Amateur and semi-professional career
Tart was drafted by the Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
of the NBA and was the final player cut from their roster by Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
prior to the 1964-65 season
1964-65 NBA season
The 1964–65 NBA Season was the 19th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 7th straight NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.-Preseason:...
. Tart played for Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
in the Eastern League. During that time he also coached and taught at Central Catholic High School in Kingston, PA. Tart eventually landed with the Jamaico Saints, an AAU team.
Professional career
Tart left the AAU for the American Basketball AssociationAmerican 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:...
. He and teammate Steve Jones
Steve Jones (basketball)
Stephen Howard "Snapper" Jones is one of the most esteemed and watched National Basketball Association television analysts.-Basketball career:...
signed with the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (ABA)
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
in June, 1967. Tart played his entire professional career in the ABA, where he was known for effective drives to the basket, acrobatic shots with either hand, elusive speed and precise body and ball control on the floor.
Oakland Oaks
Tart was an original member of the Oakland OaksOakland Oaks (ABA)
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
and participated in the very first ABA game on October 13, 1967 when the Oaks defeated the Anaheim Amigos
Anaheim Amigos
The Anaheim Amigos/Los Angeles Stars were an American Basketball Association team based in Southern California. They were the Amigos during their first season in Anaheim and later moved to Los Angeles to become the Stars...
132-129. On January 9, 1968 Tart played in the inaugural ABA All Star Game
1968 ABA All-Star Game
GAME 1: at Indianapolis, Indiana, January 9, 1968MVP: Larry Brown, New Orleans BuccaneersCoaches:* East: Jim Pollard, Minnesota Muskies* West: Babe McCarthy, New Orleans Buccaneers-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods:...
. For the season Tart averaged 23.5 points per game which was third best in the league for the season. It was in Oakland that he acquired his nickname "Jelly".
New Jersey Americans
Nine days after playing in the ABA All-Star game, on January 18, 1968 Tart was traded to the New Jersey Americans for Barry Liebowitz. He remained with the Americans through their move to New York when they became the New York Nets.New York Nets
Tart played into the 1968-1969 season with the Nets until January 31, 1969 when Tart, Bob VergaBob Verga
Robert Bruce Verga is a retired American basketball player, who played in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association from 1967–1974...
and Hank Whitney were traded to the Houston Mavericks
Houston Mavericks
The Houston Mavericks were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. They played in the upstart league's first two seasons, from 1967 to 1969. Their home arena was the Sam Houston Coliseum...
for Leary Lentz
Leary Lentz
Leary Lee Lentz is an American former professional basketball player. After playing college basketball at the University of Houston, the 6 ft 6 in forward played for two seasons in the American Basketball Association with the Houston Mavericks and the New York Nets.-External links:* @...
and Willie Somerset
Willie Somerset
Willard F. Somerset is an American former professional basketball player.A 5'8" guard from Duquesne University, Somerset played eight games for the Baltimore Bullets during the 1965-66 NBA season, averaging 5.6 points per game...
.
Houston Mavericks
Tart played for the Mavericks during the 1968-1969 season but during the season ended up with the Denver Rockets.Denver Rockets
Tart finished the 1968-1969 season with the Denver Rockets. Despite his skills and talents, soon to become apparent with another team, Tart was not a major part of the Rockets plan on the floor.New York Nets
The New York Nets obtained Tart in between the 1968-1969 and 1969-1970 seasons. Tart played the entire 1969-1970 season with the Nets and played in that season's ABA All Star game. During the season Tart averaged 24.1 points (third best in the ABA that season) and was the Nets' top scorer. Tart's 3.4 assists per game were tenth best in the league. In large part due to Tart's outstanding play the Nets went to their first ever full ABA playoff series, which they lost in seven games to the Kentucky ColonelsKentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
. Tart also played a portion of the 1970-1971 season with the Nets until being traded again.
Texas Chaparrals
The Texas Chaparrals obtained Tart and from the New York Nets on January 6, 1971 in exchange for Manny LeaksManny Leaks
Emanuel Leaks Jr. is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'8" forward/center, Leaks played at Niagara University from 1965 to 1968...
. Tart finished his professional basketball career with the Chaparrals.
For the entirety of his career in the ABA Tart scored 5,316 points in 274 games, averaging 19.4 points per game (24.3 in the playoffs) along with 5.0 rebounds (4.8 in the playoffs).
Career after basketball
Tart devoted much of his career after basketball to community service. He became the site manager for a Long Island, New York senior care center, and worked at night as the recreation coordinator at the Nassau County Juvenile Detention Center.Tart is survived by his son, Stephen, and two grandchildren, Shaila and Andre, of Fullerton, California.