Willie Long
Encyclopedia
Willie Long is an American former professional basketball
player.
Long starred at South Side High School
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
, where he earned Indiana Mr. Basketball honors in 1967 after averaging 25.6 points per game during the preceding season. He then attended the University of New Mexico
, where he scored 1,542 career points and led the Western Athletic Conference
in scoring as a senior. Long was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
in the second round of the 1971 NBA Draft
, but he never played in the NBA. He instead spent three seasons in the American Basketball Association
as a member of The Floridians and the Denver Rockets. In 213 games over his professional career, he averaged 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
Long later became an executive with Taco Bell
.
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.
Long starred at South Side High School
South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
South Side High School is a Fort Wayne Community Schools high school situated in south-central Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.-History:On September 11, 1922, South Side High School opened its doors to students for the first time...
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
, where he earned Indiana Mr. Basketball honors in 1967 after averaging 25.6 points per game during the preceding season. He then attended the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, where he scored 1,542 career points and led the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
in scoring as a senior. Long was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
in the second round of the 1971 NBA Draft
1971 NBA Draft
The 1971 NBA Draft was the 25th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 29, 1971 before the 1971–72 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
, but he never played in the NBA. He instead spent three 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:...
as a member of The Floridians and the Denver Rockets. In 213 games over his professional career, he averaged 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
Long later became an executive with Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
.