Alex Groza: Difference between revisions

Groza was drafted in the 1st round of the [[1949 BAA draft]] by the [[Indianapolis Jets]].<ref>{{cite news |title=3 'Tucky Stars among choices in BAA draft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-herald-3-tucky-stars-among/150059153/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=[[The Journal Herald]] |agency=[[United Press]] |date=22 March 1949 |page=8 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> While he signed a contract to play for the Jets, he later changed his mind and signed with [[Indianapolis Olympians]] of the [[National Basketball League (United States)|National Basketball League]] as a player and co-owner.<ref>{{cite news |title='I suspect Groza is avoiding me', says B.A.A. president Podoloff in Lexington; He was so right |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-i-suspect-groza-is/150059649/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=[[The Courier-Journal]] |date=2 June 1949 |page=11 (Section 2) |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Jim O'Leary |title=Basketball merger saved red face for Alex Groza |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-basketball-m/150060431/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=[[The Knoxville News-Sentinel]] |date=10 August 1949 |page=17 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> With the merger of the BAA and the NBL to form the [[National Basketball Association]] in August the same year,<ref>{{cite news |title=NBL, BAA merge, end pro net war |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republic-nbl-baa-merge-end-pro-net/149768648/ |access-date=21 June 2024 |work=The Republic |agency=UP |date=4 August 1949 |page=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}{{open access}}</ref> Groza started his professional career in the new league where he averaged 23.4 points per game in his rookie season and was named [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award#Unofficial winners|NBA Rookie of the Year]]. Because the award was selected by newspaper writers at the time, the NBA currently does not recognize Groza having won the award. He averaged 22.5 points per game over two seasons before being implicated along with college teammates [[Ralph Beard]] and [[Dale Barnstable]] in a [[CCNY point shaving scandal|point shaving scandal]] during the 1948–49 season at Kentucky. NBA president [[Maurice Podoloff]] banned all of the implicated players from the league for life.