Wayne Embry

Wayne Richard Embry (born March 26, 1937) is a retired American basketball player & basketball executive. Embry's 11-year playing career as a center/forward spanned from 1958 to 1969 playing for the Cincinnati Royals, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, all of the NBA. After his playing career, Embry transitioned to a career as a professional basketball executive, becoming the first African-American general manager & team president in NBA history.

Wayne Embry
Embry in the 1964-65 Cincinnati Royals program.
Personal information
Born (1937-03-26) March 26, 1937
Springfield, Ohio
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High schoolTecumseh (New Carlisle, Ohio)
CollegeMiami (Ohio) (1955–1958)
NBA draft1958 / Round: 3 / Pick: 22nd overall
Selected by the St. Louis Hawks
Playing career1958–1969
PositionCenter / Power forward
Number34, 32, 15, 28
Career history
1958–1966Cincinnati Royals
1966–1968Boston Celtics
1968–1969Milwaukee Bucks
Career highlights and awards

As executive:

Career statistics
Points10,380 (12.5 ppg)
Rebounds7,544 (9.1 rpg)
Assists1,194 (1.4 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006
Wayne Embry (left) and David Robinson meeting with Reuven Rivlin, President of Israel, at Beit HaNassi, August 2017

Since 2004, Embry has served as a senior basketball advisor for the Toronto Raptors.

Early life

Embry attended Tecumseh High School near New Carlisle, Ohio, where he was a three-year letter winner and earned Honorable Mention All-State honors.[1]

College career

Embry went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

As a two-time all-Mid-American Conference center, Embry, a team captain, led the then-Redskins to conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1957 and 1958. He led the MAC in scoring and rebounding in two seasons and still holds several school records, including best career rebounding average (15.5). He ranks among Miami leaders in the all-time scoring list with 1,401 points and rebounding list with 1,117. He holds both Miami and MAC records for most rebounds in a game (34) and season (488). During his career, he was one of only 10 players in MAC history to total more than 1,000 career points and rebounds.

He was selected to the Helms Athletic Foundation All-America third team as a senior, and he was a two-time honorable mention All-America selection in 1957 and 1958.[2]

He was inducted in the second class of the Miami Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970.[2] He became the fourth player in Miami history to have his jersey (23) retired.[1]

Embry earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Miami.[3]

NBA playing career

He played in the NBA All-Star game for five consecutive seasons (1961–1965) and won the NBA Championship with the Celtics in 1968.

Embry was originally drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in 1958. He was then traded closer to home weeks later to the Cincinnati Royals. The Royals were rebuilding due to the collapse of the team following the hospitalization of team star Maurice Stokes. Star center Clyde Lovellette was traded to St. Louis for Embry and four others.

Oscar Robertson arrived to the team in 1960, reviving the Royals. Embry, Robertson and Jack Twyman were all NBA All-Stars for Cincinnati over the next three years. Embry's play was notable for his pick and roll play with Robertson, whose encouragement improved Embry's game. A powerful 6'8" and 240 pounds, Embry at times appeared to be a blocker on the court, a protector of teammates. But he also had a fine all-around game.

In 1963, he was named team captain of the Royals. The 1963–64 Cincinnati Royals surged to the second-best record in the NBA, with teammate Jerry Lucas now added. But the team was not able to surpass the Boston Celtics of Red Auerbach and Bill Russell, or the Philadelphia 76ers with Wilt Chamberlain in their quest for an NBA title.

Retiring to be a regional sales leader for Pepsi-Cola, Embry was talked out of retirement by friend Bill Russell, the new player/coach for Boston. Embry played crucial reserve minutes for Russell and aided that team's surprising 1967–68 NBA title run. When the Milwaukee Bucks were formed, they claimed Embry from the Celtics and Embry centered the Bucks for the 1968–69 season.

NBA front-office career

Embry later became an assistant manager for the Bucks, keeping an eye for former Royals teammates he could lure to the rising contender. He was instrumental in numerous signings to aid the team, including Robertson. His remarkable teaming with then-named Lew Alcindor quickly produced an NBA title, with Embry by then rising into Milwaukee's front office.

After retiring as a player he became the first African American NBA general manager, managing the Milwaukee Bucks (1972–1979), Cleveland Cavaliers (1986–1999), and Toronto Raptors (2006). He was selected NBA Executive of the Year in 1992 and 1998.

In 2004, Embry was hired to be the Senior Basketball Advisor to the rookie General Manager for the Toronto Raptors, Rob Babcock. After one season, Embry was elevated from Senior Advisor to President, bypassing Babcock in the chain of command when the board cited a lack of confidence in Babcock's moves. On January 26, 2006, Embry was also named the interim general manager for the Raptors after the firing of Babcock, a position he held for two months until Bryan Colangelo was hired as the new general manager. Embry has since continued to serve as Senior Basketball Advisor for the Raptors.

Personal life and legacy

Embry and his wife Terri have two daughters and one son. He also has a granddaughter.[4][3]He is distantly related to Marty Embry, another professional basketball player.

He has been a founder and CEO of his own businesses, and member of numerous nonprofit and corporate boards of directors, including Kohl's, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Centerior Energy and Ohio Casualty Insurance.[3]

He is also the author of an autobiography, "The Inside Game: Race, Power and Politics in the NBA" (University of Akron Press, 2004), with Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Embry has been a trustee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame since 1974 and has served on various senior-level committees for the NBA and USA Basketball. In recognition of his career both on the court and in the front office, he was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport in 1999. He also served as a member of Miami's Board of Trustees for 14 years, including one year as chair.[5]

Embry was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 as a member of the charter class.[1] He was the 2013 recipient of the Ohio Heritage Award, recognizing an Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame inductee for his or her contributions to the state of Ohio off the court.

A portion of US Route 40 in front of Tecumseh High School near Springfield, Ohio, was named in Wayne Embry's honor.[6]

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References
  1. "Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame". ohiobasketballhalloffame.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  2. "Miami University RedHawks Official Athletic Site". www.miamiredhawks.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  3. "Wayne Embry". www.nndb.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  4. "WAYNE EMBRY - THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE TORONTO RAPTORS". www.nba.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  5. "Wayne Embry '58". www.miamiathleticfund.org. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  6. "MURedHawks.com - The Official Athletic Website of Miami University". www.muredhawks.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
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