Mel Counts
Encyclopedia
Mel Grant Counts is a retired American basketball player who was in the NBA
from 1964 to 1976. He was on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold at the 1964 Summer Olympics
. He played in college for Oregon State University
and was selected by the Boston Celtics
in the 1964 NBA Draft
. The Celtics won the NBA Championship in 1965 and 1966 with Counts on the team as Bill Russell
's backup, but he was traded for the 1967 season to the Baltimore Bullets
. Halfway through that season he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
, who made it to the playoffs that year.
The next three seasons Counts' Lakers made it to the NBA Finals
, where they would play in and ultimately lose three years in a row. In the 1969 NBA Finals
, Counts indirectly played a role in one of the most controversial coaching decisions in NBA history. In game 7, starting Laker center Wilt Chamberlain, who had never fouled out of a game, picked up his 5th foul with 6 minutes to play. A minute later, Wilt came off the floor limping and was replaced by Counts with the Lakers trailing the Celtics by nine points. The Lakers cut the deficit to one point on a shot by Counts, with coach Butch van Breda Kolff refusing to reinsert Chamberlain into the game in the final minutes even though Wilt said his knee felt good enough to play. The Lakers lost the game, 108-106, and the series, 4-3. (As it turned out, Chamberlain severely injured the same knee early the next season and missed 70 games. The fiery van Breda Kolff was fired).
Counts played one more season with the Lakers before being traded to the Phoenix Suns with the Lakers getting hall of famer Gail Goodrich
back (he started with the Lakers but went to Phoenix in the 1967 expansion draft). After several more stops around the league, including a return to the Lakers in 1973, Counts ended his career with the New Orleans Jazz in 1976.
As of 2006, he works as a real estate agent in Woodburn, Oregon. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCJ/is_1_32/ai_n6355330/pg_2 His son Brent played college basketball at the University of the Pacific, and mixed martial artist Chael Sonnen
is his nephew.
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...
from 1964 to 1976. He was on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold at the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. He played in college for Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
and was selected by the Boston Celtics
Boston 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...
in the 1964 NBA Draft
1964 NBA Draft
The 1964 NBA Draft was the 18th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 4, 1964 before the 1964–65 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility...
. The Celtics won the NBA Championship in 1965 and 1966 with Counts on the team as Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
's backup, but he was traded for the 1967 season to the Baltimore 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:...
. Halfway through that season he was traded to the Los Angeles 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...
, who made it to the playoffs that year.
The next three seasons Counts' Lakers made it to the NBA 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....
, where they would play in and ultimately lose three years in a row. In the 1969 NBA Finals
1969 NBA Finals
The 1969 NBA World Championship Series to determine the champion of the 1968-69 NBA season was played between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, the Lakers being heavily favored due to the presence of three formidable stars: Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West...
, Counts indirectly played a role in one of the most controversial coaching decisions in NBA history. In game 7, starting Laker center Wilt Chamberlain, who had never fouled out of a game, picked up his 5th foul with 6 minutes to play. A minute later, Wilt came off the floor limping and was replaced by Counts with the Lakers trailing the Celtics by nine points. The Lakers cut the deficit to one point on a shot by Counts, with coach Butch van Breda Kolff refusing to reinsert Chamberlain into the game in the final minutes even though Wilt said his knee felt good enough to play. The Lakers lost the game, 108-106, and the series, 4-3. (As it turned out, Chamberlain severely injured the same knee early the next season and missed 70 games. The fiery van Breda Kolff was fired).
Counts played one more season with the Lakers before being traded to the Phoenix Suns with the Lakers getting hall of famer Gail Goodrich
Gail Goodrich
Gail Charles Goodrich Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is best-known for scoring a then record 42 points in the 1965 NCAA championship game vs. Michigan, and his part in the Los Angeles Lakers' 1971–72 season...
back (he started with the Lakers but went to Phoenix in the 1967 expansion draft). After several more stops around the league, including a return to the Lakers in 1973, Counts ended his career with the New Orleans Jazz in 1976.
As of 2006, he works as a real estate agent in Woodburn, Oregon. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCJ/is_1_32/ai_n6355330/pg_2 His son Brent played college basketball at the University of the Pacific, and mixed martial artist Chael Sonnen
Chael Sonnen
Chael Patrick Sonnen is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Oregon, a two-time University Greco national champion as well as the 85.0 kg silver medalist at...
is his nephew.