Larry Steele

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Larry Steele
Position Guard
Height ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg)
Born May 5, 1949 (1949-05-05) (age 59)
Greencastle, Indiana
Nationality USA
College Kentucky
Draft 3rd round, 37th overall, 1971
Portland Trail Blazers
Pro career 1971–1980
Former teams Portland Trail Blazers (1971–1980)

Larry Nelson Steele (born May 5, 1949, in Greencastle, Indiana) is a former professional basketball player, best known for being on the Portland Trail Blazers team that won the 1977 NBA Finals.

Steele grew up in Bainbridge, Indiana, and played collegiately at the University of Kentucky under coach Adolph Rupp. He was drafted by the Trail Blazers in 1971, with the 2nd pick in the 3rd round (37th overall), and played his entire NBA career for the team (retiring from basketball at the end of the 1979-80 season). Steele led the NBA in steals in the 1973-74 NBA season — the first year steals were recorded by the league. He played 20.7 MPG on the 1977 championship team (starting in only nine games), and his jersey number (15) was retired by the team on October 11, 1981.

Steele later worked as a broadcaster for the NBA on CBS and as a head coach at the University of Portland. He currently runs a basketball camp in Vernonia, Oregon.[1]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Arnold, Geoffrey; Uthman, Daniel. "The 1976-77 NBA champion Portland Trail Blazers: 30 years later", OregonLive.com, 2007-06-04. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.