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Joseph Wayne Ruklick ( ; August 3, 1938 – September 17, 2020) was an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Northwestern Wildcats and was an All-American in 1959. Ruklick was selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 1959 NBA draft. He was known for passing the ball for the assist on Warriors teammate Wilt Chamberlain's final score en route to his NBA record 100-point game.Berkow, Ira. "PRO BASKETBALL; A Footnote To History After 40 Years", The New York Times, July 2, 2002. Accessed November 1, 2007. "Ruklick's contribution to the record? He threw the pass to Chamberlain with 46 seconds left in the game for the basket that resulted in the 99th and 100th points."
Ruklick guarded Wilt Chamberlain in his first collegiate game with Kansas in 1956. Chamberlain had 52 points and 31 rebounds, and his scoring total remains a Kansas single-game record. Ruklick countered with 22 points but fouled out with 9:30 remaining in the game. "I held him to 52", quipped Ruklick in 2002.
After Ruklick's third season with the Warriors, the team moved to San Francisco. Averaging only 3.5 points and eight minutes per game in his career as a backup to Chamberlain, he asked to be traded in order to play more. However, the team refused. According to Ruklick, owner Eddie Gottlieb told him, "We need you next year. Fans won't buy tickets if you have too many Negroes." Ruklick left the team over moral objections.
Ruklick lived in Evanston, and frequently attended Northwestern games while reporting for the Aurora Voice. He died of natural causes at 82 on September 17, 2020.
Professional career
Ruklick was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the second round of the 1959 NBA draft with the ninth overall pick. In teammate Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, he got the assist for Wilt's 100th point and played eight minutes. Late in the game after Chamberlain has already scored 100, Ruklick missed two , stating afterwards that he intentionally missed the second in hopes that Chamberlain might rebound it and get 102 points.
Career statistics
Regular season
1959–60 Philadelphia Warriors 39 9.8 . 397 . 722 3.5 . 6 5.0 1960–61 Philadelphia Warriors 29 7.7 .358 .615 2.1 .3 3.2 1961–62 Philadelphia Warriors 46 6.6 .327 .462 1.9 .3 2.3 Career 114 8.0 .366 .613 2.5 .4 3.5
Playoffs
Source:
1960 Philadelphia Warriors 4 3.8 .222 — 1.3 .0 1.0 1962 Philadelphia Warriors 2 4.0 . 250 . 500 2.0 .3 1.5 Career 6 3.8 .231 .500 1.5 .4 1.2
Later years
After his NBA career, Ruklick worked in investment banking. He received a graduate degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism at the age of 50. He worked at newspapers including The Galesburg Register-Mail and later The Chicago Defender, where he was the only white among the African-American newspaper's 22-person editorial staff.
External links
Categories: 1938 Births, 2020 Deaths, 20th-century American Sportsmen, All-american College Men's Basketball Players, American Men's Basketball Players, Basketball Players From Illinois, Businesspeople From Evanston, Illinois, Centers, Journalists From Illinois, Northwestern Wildcats Men's Basketball Players, People From Princeton, Illinois, Philadelphia Warriors Draft Picks, Philadelphia Warriors Players, Power Forwards
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