Kelvin Ransey (born May 3, 1958) is an American retired collegiate and professional basketball player of the 1970s and 1980s, respectively.
Ransey attended Toledo's Macomber High School in the mid-1970s. He was a four-year starter at Ohio State University from 1976 to 1979 where he played both point and shooting guard.
The 6'1" (1.85 m) Ransey was the fourth overall pick in the 1980 NBA draft, by the Chicago Bulls. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers before the season began. [1] He was runner-up by one vote for NBA Rookie of the Year (to Darrell Griffith) in 1980–81. [1] Ransey played for six years in the NBA for 3 teams, averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 assists per game. His best season, statistically, was his second, when he averaged over 16 points and 7 assists.
Ransey retired following the 1985–86 season, returning to Toledo to become a preacher. He attempted a comeback in the 1989–90 season, playing 25 games for the Columbus Horizon of the Continental Basketball Association. He averaged 13.9 points per game for the Horizon. [2] In 2000, he moved to Tupelo, Mississippi. [1] Twice married, he has six children. [1]
Ransey's younger brother, Clinton Ransey, played college basketball at Cleveland State from 1983 to 1987. [3] Clinton was a teammate of Ken "The Mouse" McFadden for part of his college career.
Jerry Ray Lucas is an American former basketball player. He was a nationally awarded high school player, national college star at Ohio State, and 1960 gold medal Olympian and international player before later starring as a professional player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Nathaniel Thurmond was an American basketball player who spent the majority of his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Golden State Warriors franchise. He played the center and power forward positions. Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record an official quadruple-double. In 1965, he grabbed 42 rebounds in a game; only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell recorded more rebounds in an NBA game. Thurmond was named a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985, one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
James Arthur Jackson is an American former professional basketball player. Over his 14 National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons, Jackson was on the active roster of 12 different teams, which was an NBA record shared with Joe Smith, Tony Massenburg, Chucky Brown, and Ish Smith; until Ish played with the Denver Nuggets, his 13th team, in the 2022–23 season. He is currently a basketball analyst for Fox Sports, Turner Sports and the Los Angeles Clippers on Bally Sports West, having previously worked for the Big Ten Network.
Gail Charles Goodrich Jr. is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is best known for scoring a then record 42 points for UCLA in the 1965 NCAA championship game vs. Michigan, and his part in the Los Angeles Lakers' 1971–72 season. During that season the team won a still-record 33 consecutive games, posted what was at the time the best regular season record in NBA history, and also won the franchise's first NBA championship since relocating to Los Angeles. Goodrich was the leading scorer on that team. He is also acclaimed for leading UCLA to its first two national championships under the legendary coach John Wooden, the first in 1963–64 being a perfect 30–0 season when he played with teammate Walt Hazzard. In 1996, 17 years after his retirement from professional basketball, Goodrich was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Nathaniel "Tiny" Archibald is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent 14 years playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City–Omaha Kings and Boston Celtics. In 1991, he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bernard King is an American former professional basketball player at the small forward position in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 14 seasons with the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Washington Bullets. King is a four-time NBA All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection and led the NBA in scoring in the 1984–85 season. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013. His younger brother, Albert, also played in the NBA during his career.
World B. Free is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 to 1988. Free was known as the "Prince of Mid-Air", "Brownsville Bomber", and most often as "All-World".
Austin George Carr is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Washington Bullets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier". He was part of the Notre Dame team which defeated the UCLA Bruins on January 19, 1971, which was UCLA's last defeat until being beaten by Notre Dame exactly three years later, breaking the Bruins' NCAA men's basketball record 88-game winning streak.
Wesley Lavon Person is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After his playing career, Person became a women's basketball assistant coach and then the head men's basketball coach at Enterprise-Ozark Community College. He was fired from the latter position in 2010.
Steven Charles Mix, nicknamed "The Mayor", is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Mix had a thirteen year playing career, was an NBA All-Star and played in the NBA Finals on four occasions. He later had a lengthy career as a broadcaster for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rickey Green is an American retired professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Maurice Williams is the head men's basketball coach at Jackson State University and a former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a successful high school career at Murrah High School in Jackson, Mississippi, Williams attended college at the University of Alabama, where he led his team as a freshman to a 27–8 record, and also shared an SEC regular-season championship. After two seasons at Alabama, Williams entered the 2003 NBA draft where he was selected with the 47th overall pick by the Utah Jazz. Throughout his career, he has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2009, Williams was selected as an NBA All-Star. In the 2016, he won his only NBA championship with the Cavaliers. He retired as a player in 2017.
Samuel Lacey was an American basketball player. He spent the majority of his career with the Royals/Kings franchise. Lacey was selected as an all-star while playing for the Kings in 1975, and eventually had his number 44 retired by them.
Ronnie Lester is a retired American basketball player and basketball executive. Lester was an NCAA All-American at the University of Iowa, leading Iowa to the 1980 NCAA Final Four. Lester was a member of the 1979 USA Basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1979 Pan-American Games. Lester was the No. 10 overall selection in the first round of the 1980 NBA draft. After an injury-filled career, which included winning an NBA title with the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers, Lester worked as a scout for the Lakers, and eventually became the team's assistant general manager. After 24 years in the Lakers organization, with seven NBA titles, Lester served as a scout for the Phoenix Suns from 2011 to 2015.
Norris Gene Cole II is an American professional basketball player for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League. A 6 ft 2 in tall point guard, he is a two-time NBA champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 with the Miami Heat in his first and second years in the NBA. In his seven NBA seasons, Cole made the playoffs all but once (2016).
Darius Clemons is a retired American basketball player. He is known for his standout college career at Loyola University in Chicago, where he was named Midwestern City Conference Player of the Year in 1981. He remains the school's all-time leader in assists.
Joseph "Trey" Lewis III is an American professional basketball player for Mornar of the ABA League and the Montenegrin League. He played college basketball for Penn State, Cleveland State, and Louisville.
Marreon Jamar Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the CSO Voluntari. He previously played for the Toledo Rockets and the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Rob Edwards is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Cleveland State Vikings and Arizona State Sun Devils before beginning his professional career with the Oklahoma City Blue in 2021. During the 2021–22 season, Edwards was called-up to the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Ryan Anthony Rollins is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Toledo Rockets.
