Swen Nater

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Swen Nater
No. 31, 10, 35, 41
Center
Personal information
Born January 14, 1950 (1950-01-14) (age 62)
Den Helder, North Holland, Netherlands
Nationality Dutch
High school Wilson (Long Beach, California)
Listed height 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight 240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College UCLA (1971–1973)
NBA Draft 1973 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pro career 1973–1985
Career history
1973 Virginia Squires (ABA)
1973–1975 San Antonio Spurs (ABA)
1975–1976 New York Nets (ABA)
1976 Virginia Squires (ABA)
1976–1977 Milwaukee Bucks
1977–1983 Buffalo Braves / San Diego Clippers
1983–1984 Los Angeles Lakers
1984–1985 Udinese (Italy)
Career highlights and awards
Career ABA and NBA statistics
Points 8,980 (12.4 ppg)
Rebounds 8,340 (11.6 rpg)
Assists 1,235 (1.7 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Swen Eric Nater (born January 14, 1950 in Den Helder, Netherlands) is a retired Dutch professional basketball player, primarily in the ABA and NBA.

Contents

[edit] Basketball career

Nater helped John Wooden's UCLA Bruins win two NCAA titles.

Though Nater never started a collegiate game,[1] he was drafted by The Floridians in the 1972 ABA Draft, and then by the Virginia Squires in the June 1972 ABA dispersal draft after the Floridians' demise.[2][3] Nater was also drafted in the first round of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks but in August 1973 opted to sign with the Virginia Squires of the ABA.[3] On November 21, 1973 the Squires traded Nater to the San Antonio Spurs for a draft pick and $300,000.[3]

With the Spurs Nater was the American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year in 1974, led the ABA in field goal percentage in 1974, and led the ABA in rebounding in 1975. He was named to the All-ABA Second Team in 1974 and 1975, and participated in the ABA All-Star Game both seasons. During his three seasons in the ABA, Nater played for the San Antonio Spurs, the Virginia Squires, and the New York Nets.

Nater's NBA career began with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he was traded after one season to the Buffalo Braves. When the Braves played in San Diego, Nater became a local favorite. Nater led the NBA in rebounding average during the 1979-80 season, making him the only player ever to lead both the NBA and ABA in rebounding.

Before the 1983-84 season, Nater was traded by the Clippers along with a just-drafted Byron Scott to the Los Angeles Lakers for Norm Nixon, Eddie Jordan, and a 1986 second-round draft pick (which would eventually be dealt to the Phoenix Suns and become Jeff Hornacek). Nater and Scott helped lead the Lakers to the NBA Finals that year, after which Nater retired as a player.

[edit] After NBA

He built the basketball program Christian Heritage College in San Diego, California, and coached from 1985 to 1995.[4] He left the position because it "was high on work and low on pay" for employment at Costco.[4] As of 2010 he still works there.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Dan Raley, Where Are They Now?, Seattle Post Intelligencer, January 9, 2008
  2. ^ BasketballReference.com Swen Nater page
  3. ^ a b c RememberTheABA.com Virginia Squires detailed year by year notes page
  4. ^ a b Broussard, Chris (January 11, 2004). "THEN AND NOW -- Swen Nater; Big Man Loved the Game, Then Learned to Play It". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/11/sports/then-and-now-swen-nater-big-man-loved-the-game-then-learned-to-play-it.html. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Brian Taylor		 American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year
1974		 Succeeded by
Marvin Barnes
First round
Second round

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swen_Nater&oldid=467343487"
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