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Alvan Adams

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This article is about the basketball player. For the shipping magnate, see Alvin Adams.

Alvan Adams
Adams in 1987
Personal information
Born (1954-07-19) July 19, 1954 (age 70)
Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolPutnam City
(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
CollegeOklahoma (1972–1975)
NBA draft1975: 1st round, 4th overall pick
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Playing career1975–1988
PositionPower forward / center
Number33
Career history
1975–1988Phoenix Suns
Career highlights and awards
Career statistics
Points13,910 (14.1 ppg)
Rebounds6,937 (7.0 rpg)
Assists4,012 (4.1 apg)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing the United States United States
Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1973 Moscow Team competition

Alvan Leigh Adams (born July 19, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Adams was named as the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1975 and selected as an NBA All-Star in 1976. He retired in 1988 and holds Suns records for games played (988), minutes played (27,203), rebounds (6,937) and steals (1,289). Raised in Oklahoma City, Adams was nicknamed the "Oklahoma Kid".[1]

Early life

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Adams was born in Lawrence, Kansas, and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[1] His mother, Ilse, was from Austria and met his father, Richard Paul, when they were students at the University of Kansas.[2] Adams was named after the biblical figure Alvan.[3] His father worked as a petroleum geologist.[2][3]

Adams attended Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City where he led the basketball team to a 67–11 record as a three-year starter.[3] The team was undefeated during his senior year and won a state championship.[1] He was named as the Oklahoma High School Player of the Year and a Parade All-American in 1972.[1]

College career

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During 26 games of the 1973–74 season Adams tied an Oklahoma school record with 21 double-doubles for a season by a Sooner (Garfield Heard, 1969–70 also had 21 in 27 games). That record stood until it was broken by Blake Griffin on February 14, 2009.[4][5]

Adams is one of only three players in the history of the University of Oklahoma men's basketball program to score at least 40 points and get 20 rebounds in a game along with Wayman Tisdale (61 points, 22 rebounds against Texas–San Antonio in 1983) and Blake Griffin (40 points, 23 rebounds against Texas Tech on February 14, 2009).[6][7] After his junior season, Adams declared for hardship status in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and made himself eligible for the 1975 NBA draft.[3]

Adams is one of only four Sooners to have his college jersey (#33) retired by the OU program (Wayman Tisdale (#23), Mookie Blaylock (#10) and Stacey King (#33) are the other three).[8][9]

Professional career

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Adams was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the fourth pick of the 1975 NBA draft. Adams was a rookie on a Suns team whose season included an improbable playoff run that took them all the way to the 1976 NBA Finals. In the same year, he was selected to play in the All-Star Game and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award as well as being named to the All-NBA Rookie Team.

On February 22, 1977, Adams recorded a triple-double with 47 points, 18 rebounds and 12 assists against the Buffalo Braves. He is one of five players in NBA history (along with Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Russell Westbrook and Vince Carter) to have as many as 46 points and 16 rebounds in a triple-double performance.[10][11] Furthermore, until the 7'4" Victor Wembanyama entered the NBA for the 2023–24 season, the 6'9" Adams was the only rookie to have recorded multiple games of at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks in the NBA during their rookie season.[12]

Adams's jersey number (33) was retired by the Suns, but on the signing of free agent Grant Hill, Adams granted him permission to wear his familiar No. 33 with the Suns.[13]

Adams is the franchise leader in games played (988), minutes played (27,203), rebounds (6,937), and steals (1,289);[1] second in field goals made and attempted; third in assists; and fourth in blocks.

In 2000, Adams served as the vice president for facility management for the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.[1]

NBA career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1975–76 Phoenix 80 – 33.2 .469 – .735 9.1 5.6 1.5 1.5 19.0
1976–77 Phoenix 72 – 31.6 .474 – .754 9.1 4.5 1.3 1.2 18.0
1977–78 Phoenix 70 – 27.3 .485 – .730 8.1 3.2 1.2 .9 15.5
1978–79 Phoenix 77 – 30.7 .530 – .799 9.2 4.7 1.4 .8 17.8
1979–80 Phoenix 75 – 28.9 .531 .000 .797 8.1 4.3 1.4 .7 14.9
1980–81 Phoenix 75 – 27.4 .526 .000 .768 7.3 4.6 1.4 .9 14.9
1981–82 Phoenix 79 75 30.3 .494 .000 .781 7.4 4.5 1.4 1.0 15.1
1982–83 Phoenix 80 75 30.6 .486 .333 .829 6.9 4.7 1.4 .9 14.2
1983–84 Phoenix 70 13 20.7 .462 .000 .825 4.6 3.1 1.0 .4 9.6
1984–85 Phoenix 82 69 26.0 .520 .000 .883 6.1 3.8 1.4 .6 14.7
1985–86 Phoenix 78 45 25.7 .502 .000 .783 6.1 4.2 1.3 .6 10.8
1986–87 Phoenix 68 40 24.9 .503 .000 .788 5.0 3.3 .9 .5 11.1
1987–88 Phoenix 82 25 20.1 .496 .500 .844 4.5 2.2 1.0 .5 7.5
Career 988 342 27.5 .498 .133 .788 7.0 4.1 1.3 .8 14.1
All-Star 1 0 11.0 .500 – – 3.0 – – – 4.0

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1976 Phoenix 19 – 35.2 .452 – .817 10.1 5.2 1.4 1.1 17.9
1978 Phoenix 2 – 35.5 .455 – 1.000 8.0 2.0 1.0 .5 16.0
1979 Phoenix 12 – 31.0 .475. – .710 7.5 4.4 .9 1.0 12.8
1980 Phoenix 8 – 31.4 .566 – .895 9.6 5.8 .9 1.3 16.1
1981 Phoenix 7 – 31.1 .450 – .714 5.9 3.7 .6 .1 10.6
1982 Phoenix 7 – 33.3 .522 – .786 7.9 3.7 2.0 .7 16.9
1983 Phoenix 3 – 28.0 .469 – .714 6.0 4.7 .6 1.7 11.7
1984 Phoenix 17 – 18.4 .421 – .679 5.1 2.5 1.0 .6 8.4
1985 Phoenix 3 3 26.3 .500 – .833 5.7 3.7 2.3 0.3 17.0
Career 78 – 29.3 .473 – .766 7.5 4.1 1.1 .9 13.8

Personal life

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Adams is married and has two children.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Adams, Alvan Leigh". The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Hersom, Bob (January 29, 1998). "Adams An OU Architect Putnam City Star Helped Build Program, Not Arena". The Oklahoman. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Jares, Joe (March 15, 1976). "A rising young Sun". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Helsley, John (February 15, 2009). "Blake Griffin has 40 points, 23 boards for No. 2 Sooners against Texas Tech". The Oklahoman.
  5. ^ "Capel's Sooners Still Streaking". Oklahoma Sports / SoonerSports.com (CBS Interactive). Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  6. ^ Latzke, Jeff (February 14, 2009). "Blake Griffin has 40 points, 23 boards for No. 2 Sooners against Texas Tech". Associated Press – (c/o The Oklahoman).
  7. ^ "Alvan Adams Makes NBA History After Eating 47 Chicken Wings". Phoenix Suns. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  8. ^ "Retired Jerseys". Oklahoma Sports / SoonerSports.com (CBS Interactive). Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  9. ^ NOTE: OU does not retire the number, but the jersey, "Tisdale 23"; Griffin also wears #23.
  10. ^ Elias, Peter. – Elias Says: "Kidd, Carter match feat not done since Jordan, Pippen in 1989". – Associated Press. – (c/o ESPN).
  11. ^ Writer, Joe Buettner | Transcript Sports (April 11, 2020). "OU men's basketball all-time team: Alvan Adams was a star from start to finish of Sooner career". Norman Transcript. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  12. ^ "Jackson scores 28, including winner in final seconds, as Grizzlies top Wembanyama, Spurs, 99-97". March 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Faye, Brad G. (July 11, 2007). "Oklahoma Kid 'OK' With Grant Hill Wearing No. 33". National Basketball Association – NBA.com.
  14. ^ "Adams' Father Dies". The Oklahoman. May 3, 1988. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
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