Earl Monroe Biography

Fast Facts

• Was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989
• Was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996
• Attended Winston-Salem State University where he led his collegiate squad to an NCAA Division II title
• Was drafted second overall in the 1967 NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets
• Was originally more interested in soccer and baseball than basketball, but when he hit six foot three inches at the age of 14, he drew the attention of school basketball coaches
• Quote: "The thing is, I don't know what I'm going to do with the ball, and if I don't know, I'm quite sure the guy guarding me doesn't know either․"
• Quote: "If for any reason someone were to remember me, I hope they will remember me as a person who could play the game and excite the fans and excite himself․"
• During the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was a key leader on the Baltimore Bullets and later the New York Knicks NBA teams
• Was known for his theatrical scoring, which was reminiscent of the Harlem Globetrotters
• Managed singing groups and launched the Pretty Pearl Records record company after retiring from the NBA