Unseld, Wes (1946-2020), was one of the most dominant centers in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Unseld was comparatively short, at 6 feet 7 inches (201 centimeters) tall, to play center. Yet he was a powerful rebounder and used his strength to score repeatedly from close to the basket. In his first season in the NBA, Unseld became the only player in league history to win the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year Awards the same season.
Westley Sissel Unseld was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 14, 1946. He played for the University of Louisville, graduating in 1968. He was selected by the Baltimore (later Washington) Bullets as the second player in the 1968 NBA draft. Unseld played his entire career with the franchise, retiring as a player in 1981. He led Washington to the NBA championship for the 1977-1978 season.
Unseld led the NBA in rebounding for the 1974-1975 season. He averaged 14 rebounds a game during his regular season career. Unseld coached Washington from 1987 to 1994. He then became an executive with the team. Unseld was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. He died on June 2, 2020.
