Lonnie Wright
Encyclopedia
Lonnie Wright is a retired American
professional basketball
and football
player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey
.
Hall of Fame in 1997.
He attended Colorado State University
, where he played basketball and set the school's shot put record of 52 feet, 9 inches. Wright scored 1,246 points in his college basketball career, and was part of the Rams team that made it to the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, losing in the first round to the University of Houston
team led by Elvin Hayes
and Don Chaney
.
by the St. Louis Hawks (now the Atlanta Hawks
, but did not sign with the team. The Dallas Cowboys
of the NFL also showed interest.
Wright signed with the Denver Broncos
of the American Football League
on April 16, 1966, playing for the team in 1966 and 1967. As a safety, he intercepted one pass in the 1966 season and four more the following year. He caught a single pass in his career, losing two yards on the reception.
Switching sports, Wright signed with the Denver Rockets (predecessor to the Denver Nuggets
) on January 5, 1968, starting play with the Rockets just weeks after the end of the football season.
A 6 foot 2 inch (1.88 m), 205 pound (93 kg) guard, he played for five seasons in the American Basketball Association
, four seasons with the Rockets (1967-1971) and a single season with The Floridians (1971-1972). He scored 3,590 points and averaged 10.7 points per game over his career, with the 1968-69 season marking his career bests, scoring 1,130 points and 16.4 points per game, second on the team in both statistics behind Larry Jones
.
While Otto Graham
and Bud Grant
had done the basketball-football double in the 1940s, only Ron Widby
had done it since, through 1999.
Wright was inducted into the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 and into the Colorado State University Sports Hall of Fame the following year.
of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
in Newark
.
Wright's wife Joanna is head coach of the girls' basketball team at Columbia High School
in Maplewood, New Jersey
, and had compiled a 420-140 career record in 28 years of coaching through 2002.
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...
and 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...
player. He was born in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
High school and college
Wright attended South Side High School in Newark where he earned All-City, All-County, All-State, and All-American honors in both football and basketball. He was inducted into the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic AssociationNew Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...
Hall of Fame in 1997.
He attended Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
, where he played basketball and set the school's shot put record of 52 feet, 9 inches. Wright scored 1,246 points in his college basketball career, and was part of the Rams team that made it to the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 22 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 7, 1966, and ended with the championship game on March 19 in College Park, Maryland...
, losing in the first round to the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
team led by Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
and Don Chaney
Don Chaney
Donald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
.
Professional careers
He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1966 NBA Draft1966 NBA Draft
The 1966 NBA Draft was the 20th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 11, 1966 before the 1966–67 season. In this draft, ten NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility...
by the St. Louis Hawks (now the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, but did not sign with the team. The Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the NFL also showed interest.
Wright signed with the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
on April 16, 1966, playing for the team in 1966 and 1967. As a safety, he intercepted one pass in the 1966 season and four more the following year. He caught a single pass in his career, losing two yards on the reception.
Switching sports, Wright signed with the Denver Rockets (predecessor to 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...
) on January 5, 1968, starting play with the Rockets just weeks after the end of the football season.
A 6 foot 2 inch (1.88 m), 205 pound (93 kg) guard, he played for five seasons in the American Basketball Association
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:...
, four seasons with the Rockets (1967-1971) and a single season with The Floridians (1971-1972). He scored 3,590 points and averaged 10.7 points per game over his career, with the 1968-69 season marking his career bests, scoring 1,130 points and 16.4 points per game, second on the team in both statistics behind Larry Jones
Larry Jones
Larry Jones is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the NBA and ABA, from 1964 to 1974....
.
While Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
and Bud Grant
Bud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
had done the basketball-football double in the 1940s, only Ron Widby
Ron Widby
George Ronald "Ron" Widby is a retired American basketball and football player. Widby was the last four-sport letterman at the University of Tennessee to date, becoming an All-America in football and basketball and also earning one letter in both baseball and golf...
had done it since, through 1999.
Wright was inducted into the Newark Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 and into the Colorado State University Sports Hall of Fame the following year.
Personal
He has served as the Director of Students at the New Jersey Medical SchoolNew Jersey Medical School
New Jersey Medical School is one of eight schools that comprise the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey . NJMS is the oldest school of medicine in New Jersey, predating its broader parent institution, UMDNJ, by 16 years...
of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is the state-run health sciences institution of New Jersey, United States. It has eight distinct academic units...
in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
Wright's wife Joanna is head coach of the girls' basketball team at Columbia High School
Columbia High School (New Jersey)
Columbia High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school located at 17 Parker Avenue in Maplewood, New Jersey, which serves students in grades nine through twelve within the South Orange-Maplewood School District, which includes Maplewood and South Orange Townships...
in Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 23,867.-History:...
, and had compiled a 420-140 career record in 28 years of coaching through 2002.