| Bill Chambers | |
|---|---|
| College | The College of William & Mary |
| Conference | Southern |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Position | Center |
| Jersey # | 32 |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | December 13, 1930 Lynchburg, Virginia |
| High school | E.C. Glass High School Lynchburg, Virginia |
William B. "Bill" Chambers (born December 13, 1930) is an American former college basketball player for the William & Mary Tribe.[1]
He attended E. C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia where he led his team to a state championship and an undefeated season (22–0) during his senior year.[1]
Chambers then went on to play collegiately for The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia from 1951–1953. He earned All-State, All-Southern Conference and Helms All-American status while playing for the Tribe. On February 14 of his senior year, Chambers set an NCAA single game rebound record of 51 against the University of Virginia.[1] It is a record that still stands to this day. He was also selected as Virginia's Outstanding Collegiate Basketball Player that same year.[2]
Bill Chambers ended his William & Mary career with 1,456 points, a total good enough for 7th all-time in Tribe men's basketball history. He also set the Virginia schools' record for rebounds in a single season when he grabbed 509 in 1951–52.[3] His jersey number (#32) was retired and now hangs in the rafters of William & Mary Hall.[2]
In the 1953 NBA Draft, Chambers was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers as their 11th pick.[2] Despite the selection, he was cut by the Lakers during pre-season.
In 1957, Bill returned to his alma mater to coach his former team after several years of highly successful high school coaching.[1] Over the course of the next nine seasons (six of which were winning years), he compiled at 113–110 career record. It is still highest total number of wins in W&M history for a coach.[2] The most notable win during his tenure was on January 30, 1960, when his unranked Tribe defeated No. 4 West Virginia University 94–86. The win broke the Mountaineers' 56-game Southern Conference winning streak.[2] For his accomplishments, Chambers has been inducted into the William & Mary Hall of Fame.[1]
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