Willie Naulls
William Dean "Willie" Naulls (October 7, 1934 – November 22, 2018) was an American professional basketball player who competed for ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1966.[1] Born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in California, Naulls excelled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he helped lead the Bruins to a Pacific Coast Conference title and earned All-American honors as a forward.[2][3] Drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Hawks in 1956, Naulls played for five NBA teams, including stints with the New York Knicks, San Francisco Warriors, and Boston Celtics, averaging 14.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over 716 regular-season appearances.[1] A four-time All-Star selection during his time with the Knicks, he became the first African American team captain in the franchise's history—and reportedly in integrated professional sports—when voted into the role by his teammates in the early 1960s.[4][5] Naulls achieved his greatest team success with the Celtics, contributing to three NBA championships in 1963, 1964, and 1965 as a key reserve forward under coach Red Auerbach.[6][7] After retiring, he transitioned into business ventures, including real estate and automotive sales, while maintaining ties to basketball through alumni activities.[8] Naulls passed away in Laguna Niguel, California, from respiratory failure related to a rare autoimmune disorder.[6]
Early Life
Childhood and Family Background
William Dean Naulls was born on October 7, 1934, in Dallas, Texas, to parents Daily Naulls and Bettie Arlene (or Artis) Naulls.[9][10] The family resided in a segregated ghetto in Dallas during Naulls's early childhood, amid the racial restrictions prevalent in the Jim Crow South.[4] Naulls grew up with at least two brothers, Billy and Jerry, in a household influenced by his mother's strong Christian faith, which emphasized looking beyond racial divisions.[4][3] In 1943, during World War II, the Naulls family relocated to the Los Angeles area—specifically San Pedro, California—when Willie was nine years old, seeking greater diversity and opportunities away from Southern segregation.[9][11][12] This move marked a significant shift, exposing Naulls to a less racially restrictive environment that facilitated his later athletic pursuits, though his foundational years in Texas shaped an awareness of systemic racial barriers.[4][13]High School and Early Athletic Development
Naulls attended San Pedro High School in Los Angeles, California, where he excelled in basketball.[14][15] As a senior in 1952, he was named California Mr. Basketball, becoming the first player from the Los Angeles area and the third overall recipient of the award.[16][14] He also secured two-time All-City honors, establishing a reputation for dominant play driven by his 6-foot-6 frame and physical style.[4] Naulls' early athletic development began in junior high, where he innovated a running jump shot in seventh grade, later claiming to be the first athlete in San Pedro to employ such a technique.[4] This skill, combined with his rebounding prowess and scoring ability, propelled him to statewide prominence by high school, setting the foundation for his future success at UCLA and in the NBA.[14]College Career
UCLA Tenure and Statistical Performance
Willie Naulls competed for the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team from 1953 to 1956 under head coach John Wooden, playing primarily as a center and forward despite standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall.[17] [18] He led the team in both scoring and rebounding during each of his three seasons, establishing himself as the program's dominant interior presence during that period.[17] Naulls's statistical output progressed markedly across his college career. As a sophomore in 1953–54, he averaged 8.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.[19] His junior year (1954–55) saw improvements to 13.5 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, followed by a senior season (1955–56) breakout of 23.6 points and 14.6 rebounds per game, during which he earned second-team All-American honors.[20] [21] [18]| Season | Points per Game | Rebounds per Game |
|---|---|---|
| 1953–54 | 8.5 | 7.9 |
| 1954–55 | 13.5 | 11.3 |
| 1955–56 | 23.6 | 14.6 |
Academic and Personal Growth
Naulls' academic pursuits at UCLA were secondary to his athletic commitments during his varsity years from 1953 to 1956, with no publicly documented details on his major, coursework, or scholastic honors from that period. He departed the university without completing his undergraduate degree, prioritizing a professional basketball career, and returned after retiring from the NBA in 1966 to finish it.[5][2] Under the mentorship of Coach John Wooden, Naulls experienced significant personal development, evolving from a high school standout into a disciplined leader and All-American forward. Wooden emphasized fundamentals and character, which Naulls credited for shaping his approach to the game and life, including improvements in defensive skills absent from his earlier training.[9][24] As one of UCLA's early prominent Black athletes, Naulls navigated racial barriers, such as segregated facilities during a 1953 tournament in Lexington, Kentucky, where he advocated for team unity by pushing for integrated accommodations, hotels, and theaters—an effort that fostered resilience and interpersonal skills among players. This experience, detailed in his later writings, highlighted his growth in confronting adversity without compromising team cohesion.[5] Naulls' tenure also honed his leadership, as he captained the Bruins, led in scoring and rebounding for three seasons, and contributed to the 1956 Pacific Coast Conference title, setting a single-game rebound record of 28 against Arizona State on January 1956—achievements that built his confidence and prepared him for professional demands.[2][9]Professional NBA Career
New York Knicks Period (1956–1962)
Naulls joined the New York Knicks early in his rookie season after being drafted 10th overall by the St. Louis Hawks in the 1956 NBA Draft and traded to the Knicks in exchange for guard Slater Martin.[1] During the 1956–57 season, he appeared in 52 games for the Knicks, averaging 10.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while adapting to professional play.[1] His role expanded in subsequent years, establishing him as a key forward on a Knicks team that struggled with consistent winning records but benefited from his scoring and rebounding prowess. Over the next seasons, Naulls emerged as one of the Knicks' top performers, leading the team in scoring multiple times and earning All-Star nods. In 1957–58, he boosted his averages to 18.1 points and 11.8 rebounds across 68 games.[1] By 1959–60, he averaged 21.4 points and 14.2 rebounds, securing his first All-Star selection, and in 1960–61, he set a Knicks single-season scoring record with 1,846 points at 23.4 points per game alongside 13.4 rebounds.[1] [8] His peak continued in 1961–62 with career-high averages of 25.0 points and 11.6 rebounds in 75 games, during which he recorded seven consecutive 30-plus point games, a franchise streak.[1] [11]| Season | Games | Points per Game | Rebounds per Game | Assists per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956–57 | 52 | 10.1 | 8.7 | 1.2 |
| 1957–58 | 68 | 18.1 | 11.8 | 1.4 |
| 1958–59 | 68 | 15.7 | 10.6 | 1.5 |
| 1959–60 | 65 | 21.4 | 14.2 | 2.1 |
| 1960–61 | 79 | 23.4 | 13.4 | 2.4 |
| 1961–62 | 75 | 25.0 | 11.6 | 2.6 |
Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics Stint (1962–1967)
On December 5, 1962, the New York Knicks traded Naulls to the San Francisco Warriors in exchange for forward Kenny Sears and cash considerations.[27] During the 1962–63 season with the Warriors, Naulls appeared in 47 games, averaging 12.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game across 27.2 minutes while shooting 41.7% from the field.[1] His tenure in San Francisco was brief and transitional, as the team finished with a 31–49 record amid internal challenges, including the dominant but unintegrated play of center Wilt Chamberlain.[28] On September 4, 1963, the Warriors traded Naulls to the Boston Celtics for forward Jim King and cash.[27] Naulls joined a dynasty led by Bill Russell and Sam Jones, transitioning to a complementary forward role off the bench. In the 1963–64 season, he averaged 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 78 games, contributing to Boston's NBA championship victory over the San Francisco Warriors in five games.[1] [29] Naulls remained with the Celtics through the 1965–66 season, helping secure back-to-back titles. In 1964–65, he posted 10.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 80 appearances en route to the Finals win against the Los Angeles Lakers.[1] The following year, 1965–66, he averaged 10.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 71 games, aiding the championship sweep of the Lakers despite a reduced starting role amid competition from players like John Havlicek.[1] [30] Over 220 games with Boston, Naulls totaled 10.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, providing veteran scoring and rebounding depth to the league's most successful era team, which won 11 championships in 13 years.[31] He retired after the 1965–66 season at age 32, having earned three NBA titles without All-Star nods during this period.[32]Playing Style and On-Court Impact
Naulls played as a versatile small forward and power forward, renowned for his rugged rebounding and effective use of body contact to secure possession under the basket. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing 225 pounds, he combined physical strength with precise timing in positioning and jumping, allowing him to excel in board battles despite not being the tallest competitor.[8][33] Offensively, Naulls was an explosive scorer with a soft touch and good ball control, particularly as a fine outside shooter capable of jump shooting from distance. His aggressive style emphasized fast court movement and running the floor, skills honed from high school where he pioneered such techniques and adapted to fast-break systems in college and with the Knicks. During his tenure with New York, he demonstrated scoring prowess, averaging 15.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over six seasons, peaking at 23.1 points in the 1961-62 season, which contributed to his four All-Star selections.[33][4][1] Defensively, Naulls adapted to team schemes, including the screen-heavy offense under coach Red Holzman early in his career and the defensive-oriented system of the Boston Celtics, where he played alongside Bill Russell and K.C. Jones. His on-court impact was most pronounced with the Knicks, where he served as the first African-American captain in major professional sports, leading by example in scoring and rebounding to help elevate the team's competitiveness. With the Celtics from 1964 to 1966, he contributed as a role player to three NBA championships, averaging 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, providing scoring punch off the bench in a dynasty built on defense and team play.[4][1][34]Career Statistics and Accomplishments
Regular Season and Playoff Averages
Over his 10-season NBA career spanning 716 regular-season games, Willie Naulls averaged 15.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, while logging 28.2 minutes per contest.[1] His field goal shooting stood at 40.6% on 6.2 makes out of 15.5 attempts, with free-throw accuracy at 80.1% (2.9 makes out of 3.6 attempts); advanced metrics like three-point shooting, steals, and blocks were not officially tracked during his era.[1] In 35 playoff appearances across six postseason runs, Naulls' per-game averages dipped to 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 17.5 minutes of play.[1] He shot 34.8% from the field (3.7 makes out of 10.4 attempts) and 74.2% from the free-throw line (1.8 makes out of 2.4 attempts), reflecting reduced efficiency and role in high-stakes games, particularly during his championship-winning stints with the Boston Celtics from 1964 to 1966.[1]| Statistic | Regular Season (Per Game) | Playoffs (Per Game) |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 716 | 35 |
| Minutes | 28.2 | 17.5 |
| Points | 15.8 | 9.2 |
| Rebounds | 9.1 | 5.2 |
| Assists | 1.6 | 0.8 |
| FG% | 40.6% | 34.8% |
| FT% | 80.1% | 74.2% |