George Gervin
Birth Name:
George Gervin
Birth Place:
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Profession
Actor
Fast Facts
- Helmed multiple organizations aimed at helping underprivileged children including the George Gervin Youth Center
- His No․ 44 jersey was retired by the San Antonio Spurs
- Was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996
- Played collegiate basketball for Easter Michigan University and Long Beach State
- Learned to play basketball at his cousin's house with neighborhood kid Ralph Simpson, who would go on to play with the ABA's Denver Nuggets
- Struck up a friendship with the janitor at his high school, who would let him shoot hoops after hours in the gym as long as he would sweep up before he left
- Quote: "I was just running the streets like any other kid, but the difference was that I was in love with basketball․"
- Played for the ABA's Virginia Squires and the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls
- Widely considered one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history, he was known for his trademark finger roll, a shot he could pull off from as far as the free throw line
- After retiring, he took up golf and even founded an annual golf tournament in San Antonio