He began teaching in Yorba Linda and later taught in Temecula. Youre a Jehovahs Witness, right? No blood transfusions, no Trinity, no immortal soulall proved from the Bible. . Theyre going to see Brian again, and theyre going to be doing this and that with him!. He encountered a Bucks team that was struggling to find its identity without Abdul-Jabbar. Former UCLA, Bucks player Meyers dies at 62, Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences, No. Dave Meyers, the star forward who led UCLA to the 1975 NCAA basketball championship as the lone senior in coach John Wooden's final season and later played for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, died Friday. As it is, he remains one of the best players youve never heard of. These spiritual activities are a source of happiness to me. Dave Meyers is a player that will make a name for himself in the basketball world. They started to make sense. You dont have to fear him. But I was beginning to begrudge the time basketball was taking from my preaching work! Broadcasting career He was 62. After a few years of riding the bench, Meyers was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks It was there that he finally had a chance to show his stuff. After that '75 season Dave, a [] You cant do that!, Im doing it. The Bruins won the Pac-8 title and headed into the NCAA Tournament ranked second in the nation. What really impressed me about his retirement was that he was saying life is more important than basketball, says Sidney Moncrief, who played with Meyers in Milwaukee. After that 75 season, the 6-foot-8 Meyers was named a consensus All-American and became the second pick in the NBA draft. Meyers made a surprise announcement in 1980 that he was retiring from basketball to spend more time with his family. Meyers Drysdale also played at UCLA during her Hall of Fame career. We've added shooting handedness for all players in WNBA history to player pages! More NBA . First, Revelation, then First and Second Timothy, and First and Second Thessalonians, and Romans. When I walked out of that movie, I was scared to death. [19], UCLA STILL BEST IN THE WEST. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Thursday, March 2, 4:52AM. Then came the lost weekend in the Pacific Northwest, when Oregon State and Oregon dumped the Bruins on back-to-back days, ending their run of 50 consecutive Pac-8 victories. Data Provided By draft. Basketball Star, Dies at 62, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/12/sports/basketball/dave-meyers-ucla-star-dies-at-62.html. His family beckoned. history and Walt Wesley. He finished his NBA career with 13,892 points, 4,817 rebounds and 2,502 assists. It seemed like Witnesses were suddenly popping up everywhere in my life! In 1978 I auxiliary pioneeredwhich means I averaged 60 hours or more a month in preaching the good news of Gods Kingdom. He had become one of Jehovahs Witnesses. Those who knew him arent surprised at all. The next day at practice I told Elmore: Now, Elmore, look. (David Thompson of North Carolina State was drafted first, by the Atlanta Hawks, although he instead signed with the Virginia Squires of the rival A.B.A.). I signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakersat 1.6million dollars or thereabouts, for five years. They would go out at halftime of games to smoke, Ann says. Do you have a sports website? The funeral was held in the Kingdom Hall. Which NBA star you would've signed if he was in his last NBA season? Yeah, five page article in the Awake! Texas linktr.ee/nancylieberman Born July 1 Joined May 2009. He was like Connie Hawkins, Walton says. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The 68 Meyers was named a consensus All-American and became the second pick in the NBA draft. My goals, my values, have changed, and basketball conflicts with them., Well, now wait a minute, he brightened up. Another member of the Meyers family gained fame in the sport. A trailblazer in women's basketball, Ann Meyers Drysdale wasn't just the first woman to be signed to a four-year athletic collegiate scholarship when she signed to compete for UCLA, she also became the first woman to sign an NBA contract after signing with the Indiana Pacers in 1979. The forward played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. A year later, in 1979, our son Sean was born. Elmore couldnt get over it. Abdul-Jabbar had asked to be traded eight months earlier, to New York or L.A., and the Bucks couldnt persuade him to reverse course. Although Milwaukee won the Midwest Division in his rookie year, 1975-76, it posted just a 38-44 record and was ousted in the first round of the Playoffs. Meyers played a total of 281 NBA games, averaging 11.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg in 26.6 mpg. The forward played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. basketball championship as the teams lone senior in John Woodens final season as coach, and who was later part of the trade that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers, died on Friday at his home in Temecula, Calif. She read Matthew 7:13, 14 about the broad way to destruction and the narrow way to life. His back ached. Meyers was so good that he was named the College Player of the Year in 1974, despite playing on a team that featured four future NBA Hall of Famers (Bill Walton Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jamaal Wilkes, and Dennis Johnson). Remembering Dave MeyersDave Meyers was a star forward for the 1975 UCLA National Championship team and was the brother of Ann Meyers Drysdale. I wasnt ready for this. Ann Meyers Drysdale, Dave Meyers sister, was also a UCLA basketball All-American and is currently a vice president of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA and the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, as well as a broadcaster for both teams. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Meyers wants to be a father, husband, friend, teacher and, most of all, a man of faith. His wife, Jessica, had been a Witness for three or four years. After his playing career ended, Meyers became a successful basketball coach He was an Assistant Coach for the USA basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. By the time Meyers joined the Bruins varsity in 1972, the team had made it six Championships and had embarked on the legendary 88-game winning streak. Married, short hair, necktie on, really clean-cut looking. His kids are in organized sports. [2] Meyers attended high school at Sonora High School in La Habra, California. Meyers became one of the best players on the Bucks, and helped them reach the playoffs several times. Meyers died at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer. But all I really want to do is to get on to the more important things in my life, like my family and my religion.. Sexuality: Dave Meyers was born on the 21st of April, 1953. David William Meyers, also known as Dave Meyers, was an iconic American basketball player who started his pro career in 1972 with UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). Plus my hope for endless life in the Paradise earth. Here is someone who was a pioneer in womens basketball. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Two scriptures from the book of Revelation were flashed on the screen. He ought to be admired for having the guts to live his beliefs.May1, 1980. She had been baptized earlier that year as one of Jehovahs Witnesses but had become inactive. I felt that Jehovah was right there with me, helping me resist those offers involving millions of dollars.Proverbs 3:13-18; Zephaniah 1:18; 1John 2:15-17. didnt care. In 1976, Meyers was diagnosed with leukemia. SCNext Top 25: Ranking the best high school boys' basketball teams in the 2022-23 season. The NBRPA (National Retired Players Association) expressed its condolences. He was an All-American as a senior in 1975, when he won his second national championship with UCLA. We noticed it; I had a roommate whose sister attended his congregation in Milwaukee. He was also an outstanding defender. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Though Meyers is known by many primarily for his decision to curtail his professional career, he is also a footnote on one of the most important trades in NBA history. Dave Meyers, a 67 guard/forward from UCLA, was a three-time All-American, two-time National Player of the Year, and the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA draft He was also a member of the gold medal-winning United States mens Basketball team at the 1976 Summer Olympics. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Jun 16, 1975 - Dave Meyers was acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks from the Los Angeles Lakers in a trade. Media in category "Dave Meyers (basketball)" The following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. As a senior, he averaged 22.7 points per game in leading the Raiders to the Orange League title and, in the postseason, the California Southern Section AA championship. LTD. | 13,772 followers on LinkedIn. Dave Meyers, U.C.L.A. His shooting touch is superb, his handle is amazing, and his ability to finish at the rim is special. us, High School: Meyers only played two seasons in the NBA, but he was extremely successful in his short time there. I read that when I was a senior at [Los Angeles] Crenshaw High. The future is bleak for the great masses of humanity in this nuclear age. I thought, It says that in the Bible? When they were young, David and his sister, Ann, two years his junior, would see how many steps they could jump down without hurting themselves. Headquartered in Mumbai, India with global presence in more than 30 countries. Youre going to take the Bible with you? Linda asked, surprised. He was sent by the Lakers, along with Junior Bridgeman, Brian Winters and Elmore Smith, to the Milwaukee Bucks for Walt Wesley and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What we were learning at the time in our religion went against what it took to perform in sports and to be a winner, Smith says. Heres this speaker talking about positive things, and Im sitting there thinking: Boy, this is really a nice talk! I tell you what, Linda and I will come to another meeting. And, oh, he just loved that! [11] On November 15, 1977, he upped his single-game scoring personal best to 32 points, against the Portland Trail Blazers.[14]. Obituary. February 17, 1975, Volume 42, Issue 7, 1975 NCAA Division I basketball tournament, "Passion for the Game: Former Bruin Dave Meyers Teaches Children About Basketball, but He Doesn't Want to Coach", "Bruin Great Ann Meyers Drysdale To Receive 2014 Dick Enberg Award", "Gabriela and Jaime Jaquez Jr. hope to pick up where Ann and Dave Meyers left off", "UCLA vs. Memphis Box Score, March 26, 1973 - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com", "1974-75 UCLA Bruins Roster and Stats - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com", "UCLA vs. Kentucky Box Score, March 31, 1975 - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com", Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor to Induct 2014-15 Class, "The Milwaukee Sentinel - Google News Archive Search", "MERCURY NAME ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE NEW GM - THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE PHOENIX SUNS", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dave_Meyers_(basketball)&oldid=1119164357, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 31 October 2022, at 01:48. On that final Wooden NCAA title team, Meyers scored 24 points and took down 11 rebounds in the title game in San Diego against Kentucky. Meyers basketball career came to an abrupt end when he was diagnosed with leukemia in December of 1974. No, I said, being a Witness is more than donating money. Former power forward for the Milwaukee Bucks who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1975. Interestingly, as soon as my retirement was announced, the tempting offers began pouring in. Dave's early years were spent be For four hours I asked him questions, and he answered everything from the Bible. But I loved it! I would retire from professional basketball [Blurb on page 24] The tempting offers began pouring in [Box on page 24] The sports editor of the Milwaukee Journal, Bill Dwyre, wrote: "The thought of Meyers giving up a potential $500,000 a year for playing basketball so he can go door to door as a Jehovah's Witness is mind boggling. Meyers bravely fought the disease for two years, but sadly passed away in November of 1976. You might say that the seeds for this tug-of-war were sown back in 1972 when I first met Linda. He also coached youth basketball. It makes sense, really. First, Notre Dame spoiled the 88-game winning string. Meyers professional career was cut short by a knee injury but he is widely regarded as one of the greatest College Basketball players of all time. He was born, March 26, 1958 in Bay City, Michigan to Tom and Deniece Meyers. It was your life. Meyers assumed the Bruins' leadership role during the 1974-75 season after Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes had graduated. This site exists to preserve the history of high school sports in Iowa, including the achievements of each of Iowa's current and former high schools, the history of existing and former sports conferences, nicknames, state tournament results, state champions, and more. He was an All-Star in 1979, and was one of the leagues leading scorers for a few years. (function (d, w, c) { (w[c] = w[c] || []).push(function() { try { w.yaCounter28903270 = new Ya.Metrika({id:28903270, clickmap:true, trackLinks:true, accurateTrackBounce:true}); } catch(e) { } }); var n = d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0], s = d.createElement("script"), f = function () { n.parentNode.insertBefore(s, n); }; s.type = "text/javascript"; s.async = true; s.src = (d.location.protocol == "https:" ? The Witnesses were very friendly. Who was the first-ever four-time All-American while at UCLA. But conversations about his family, about subjects such as his daughters learning to walk or his wifes quitting smoking, would light him up with an eagerness to communicate. Coach [John] Wooden referred to him as a gangly colt, Johnson says. He was drafted in the first round of the 1975 NBA draft with the second overall pick, and played four years professionally with the Bucks. Despite only playing two seasons in the NBA, Dave Meyers left a lasting impact on the game of basketball He was an outstanding player at both the collegiate and professional level, and his untimely death shook the Basketball World Meyers is gone but not forgotten, and will always be remembered as one of the best players to never have a chance to reach his full potential. The funny part is they are black and already head over in scoring with 18.3 points a game and in rebounding with 7.9 a game in his final season, helping the Bruins to a 28-3 record. m/meyerda01. He was also an excellent shooter, rebounder, and defender. American music video director. Red-haired Bill Walton, the reigning king of college basketball goes high into the air to bring down a rebound during play against. His death was announced by U.C.L.A., which said the cause was cancer. He was the kind of guy you wanted on your team. We have a doctor in our hall. He talked trash to the beastliest black guys in the League. Id like you to come. I hemmed and hawed, made an excuse, went homeand felt terrible! It was about 1:30 in the morning. Free shipping for many products! Playing alongside his former UCLA teammate Marques Johnson, Meyers played 80 games and averaged over 30 minutes per game. He didnt back down to big guys. I would retire from professional basketball. During the 1977-78 season, Meyers was reunited with Johnson on the Bucks and averaged a career-best 14.7 points. He was a team guythats what he cared about., The Meyers house in La Habra, CA, had a staircase that featured a landing about four steps from the second floor. [8], Meyers appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1975 with the headline "UCLA Still Best in the West. Dave . Basketball, Jim, takes me away from that. Others werent. He was an All-American as a senior in 1975, when he won his second national championship with UCLA. Nineteen days after the NBA draft, Meyers was part of perhaps the biggest trade in league history. He wanted to be with his family and watch his children grow up., His teammate at UCLA, Marques Johnson, once referred to Meyers as a gentle, compassionate guy.. Meyers was also known as a private person, who shocked the sports world in 1980 five years into a productive and lucrative pro career with the Bucks by announcing that he was leaving the NBA to spend more time with his family. inSan Diego,California Meyers Family name Meaning magistrate , physician , marsh Related names Myers, Myars, Miares . Why would someone who put others first be consumed with squeezing every basket and dollar out of a game that he didnt believe really defined him? Dave Meyers weighed 215 lbs (97 kg) when playing. Meyers made the cover of Sports Illustrated after the Bruins won the NCAA title. finished his degree . Dave Meyers was one of the best basketball players youve never heard of. But in Los Angeles they painted me as a little crazy. "The men's athletics department kind of took me under their wing," Meyers Drysdale said. So, instead of going home to Southern California, Meyers was heading to Wisconsin. By 1980, Meyers was gone. During his last years he was part of the elders of the congregation and organized classes and basketball clinics for children. Dave is currently the president of Joyce Meyer Ministries which is a Christian non-profit organization. I loved the door-to-door preaching work. He died in 2015. He was sent by the Lakers, along with Junior Bridgeman, Brian Winters and Elmore Smith, to the Milwaukee Bucks for Walt Wesley and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was only 24 years old. The six-foot-eight Meyers was an All-State wide receiver in high school and had Division I college offers to play football and basketball. [11] He posted a then career single-game high of 28 points in just his third NBA game, against the New Orleans Jazz. Meyers was the sister of former NBA player Dave Meyers, who also played college basketball and was an All-American at UCLA, under coach John Wooden. Do you have a sports website? He was quiet, but he played with great spirit. LOS ANGELES (AP) Dave Meyers, the star forward who led UCLA to the 1975 NCAA basketball championship as the lone senior in coach John Wooden's final season and later played for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, died Friday. Regular Season Stats Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 1975 NBA Draft, More Dave Meyers pages at Sports Reference. Back in the mid '70's, after I left Watchtower Farms, I was given the gift of a solid 14k gold Timex watch. Sports were the common currency in the Meyers house, and everybody played just about everything, whether it was hoops in the pool, football on the beach or organized sports. LOS ANGELES (AP) Dave Meyers, the star forward who led UCLA to the 1975 NCAA basketball championship as the lone senior in coach John Wooden's final season and later played for the NBA . Yes. It was as if a light went on in that month of September1976. You dont see him on TV talking about the old days or read about his post-basketball exploits. He averaged 7.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. When was Dave Meyers drafted? Dave Meyers was drafted by Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 1975 NBA Draft. Does anyone know what ever happened to Elmore Smith (Lakers-Bucs-Cavs)? [11] On April 10, 1977, he set a new personal best of 31 points against the San Antonio Spurs. In fact, Meyers wouldnt speak for this article. A couple years later, after speaking at times with Smith, Meyers converted from Catholicism. My love for my family and for Jehovahthese are my happinesses now. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. No one bats an eye about it. None of that requires any time in the spotlight. Dwyre was named national editor of the year by the National Press Foundation in 1985 for the papers coverage of the 84 Olympics and winner of the Red Smith Award in 1996 by the Associated Press Sports Editors for sustained excellence in sports journalism. He is known for being a Basketball Player. She wasnt there when I did come to, and that made me mad. Meyers died at his home in Temecula after struggling with cancer for . Meyers was the second overall pick in the 1975 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. 12 Vols lose starting PG Zeigler to torn ACL, Iowa State dismisses third-leading scorer Grill, Davis within 25 points of tying Maravich's mark, USC, OU, Seton Hall, Iowa in new hoops tourney, Man pleads guilty for trying to extort GT, Pastner, 5 things to know as Antoine Davis is set to pass 'Pistol' Pete's scoring record. After five NBA seasons, on April 30, 1980, Meyers made a surprise announcement that he was retiring from basketball to spend more time with his family and devote more time to his Jehovah's Witness faith. Six months on the road isolates me from that. A member of nine USA Basketball teams from 1975-79, Meyers most notably was on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Women . Ricky Rubio Feels Back to Normal After Comeback Game, Stephen Curry on His Return to Play and Regaining His Rhythm, REPORT: Miami Interested in Buying Out Jae Crowder, Drexel Guard Keishana Washington is One of the Coldest Scorers in the CountryAnd Shes Just Getting Started, How the NBA G League is at the Forefront of Basketball Innovation, from Player Development to Testing New Rules, Frank Jackson on His NBA Journey, Proving Himself and Getting to Play for the City He Calls Home, Michael Beasley Believes He Can Make An Impact in the NBA, REPORT: Bucks, Mavericks, and Wizards Are Interested in Trading for Immanuel Quickley, Giannis Antetokounmpo Reaches Another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Milestone.