Reggie Harding
Encyclopedia
Reginald 'Reggie' Harding (May 4, 1942–September 2, 1972) was an American
professional basketball
player.
and a 1961 graduate of Eastern High School
, Harding, a 7'0" center
, was selected by the Detroit Pistons
in the fourth round of the 1962 NBA Draft
. He became the first player drafted into the NBA
without having played in college, although he did not enter the league until the 1963–64 season.
In four seasons with the Pistons and Chicago Bulls
, Harding averaged 9.0 points and 9.1 rebounds
per game, and also spent part of 1967–68 with the ABA
's Indiana Pacers
, averaging 13.4 points and 13.4 rebounds in 25 games.
. He also reportedly threatened to shoot teammate Jimmy Rayl
while the two were rooming together. According to Peter Benjaminson's The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard, Harding rape
d Florence Ballard
, a member of The Supremes
, at knifepoint in 1960.
Harding was shot dead at a Detroit intersection in 1972, aged 30.
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.
Basketball career
A native of Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and a 1961 graduate of Eastern High School
Martin Luther King High School (Michigan)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School is located at 3200 East Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan; the building is operated by the Detroit Board of Education. King's district encompasses Downtown and Midtown Detroit; it also includes the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, the Martin Luther...
, Harding, a 7'0" center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, was selected by the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in the fourth round of the 1962 NBA Draft
1962 NBA Draft
The 1962 NBA Draft was the 16th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 26, 1962 before to the 1962–63 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...
. He became the first player drafted into the NBA
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...
without having played in college, although he did not enter the league until the 1963–64 season.
In four seasons with the Pistons and Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Harding averaged 9.0 points and 9.1 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
per game, and also spent part of 1967–68 with the ABA
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:...
's Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, averaging 13.4 points and 13.4 rebounds in 25 games.
Personal
Harding's basketball career was cut short by a number of personal problems. He spent time in jail, often struggled with drug addictions, and was rumored to carry a pistol in his gym bag. During a television interview, he threatened to shoot the Indiana Pacers' general manager, Mike StorenMike Storen
Mike Storen is an American sports executive, perhaps best known for his tenure as commissioner of the American Basketball Association.Storen started in professional sports management in 1963, after serving in the United States Marine Corps, as promotions director for the Baltimore Bullets of the...
. He also reportedly threatened to shoot teammate Jimmy Rayl
Jimmy Rayl
Jimmy Rayl is a former professional basketball player in the ABA.-1956-1959:Jimmy, the "Splendid Splinter", went to Kokomo High School, located in Kokomo, Indiana. He was named the 1959's Indiana "Mr...
while the two were rooming together. According to Peter Benjaminson's The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard, Harding rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown group The Supremes. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from...
, a member of The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, at knifepoint in 1960.
Harding was shot dead at a Detroit intersection in 1972, aged 30.