🏀 George “The Iceman” Gervin – Career Overview
📍 Early Life & High School
Born: April 27, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan
High School: Martin Luther King High School (Detroit)
Late bloomer; cut from the varsity team as a sophomore before developing into a star.
🎓 College Career
Attended Long Beach State briefly under Jerry Tarkanian, then transferred to Eastern Michigan University.
At EMU: Averaged 29.5 points per game in 1971–72.
Career was cut short due to disciplinary issues, but his talent caught the eye of ABA scouts.
🏀 Professional Career
➤ ABA (1972–1976)
Joined the Virginia Squires (ABA) in 1972.
Played with stars like Julius Erving before being sold to the San Antonio Spurs in 1974.
Made an immediate impact as an elite scorer.
➤ NBA (1976–1986)
When the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, Gervin and the Spurs entered the league.
Known for his smooth scoring touch and his signature move, the finger roll.
Won four NBA scoring titles: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982.
Career High: 63 points (April 9, 1978) in a game to clinch the scoring title over David Thompson.
Played with the Spurs until 1985, then finished his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls (1985–86), where he briefly played alongside a young Michael Jordan.
➤ International Play
After the NBA, played one season in Italy (Banco di Roma, 1986–87).
📊 Career Stats
ABA + NBA Combined
Games: 1,060
Points: 26,595
Rebounds: 5,602
Assists: 2,798
Points Per Game (NBA career): 26.2
Points Per Game (ABA career): 25.4
Career FG%: 50.4%
Highlights
9× NBA All-Star (1977–1985)
All-Star MVP (1980)
5× All-NBA First Team (1978–1982)
2× All-NBA Second Team (1977, 1983)
ABA All-Star (1974, 1975, 1976)
🏆 Hall of Fame & Honors
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: 1996
Named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996)
Named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team (2021)
Jersey #44 retired by the San Antonio Spurs
📖 Legacy
Widely regarded as one of the greatest pure scorers in basketball history.
Nicknamed “The Iceman” for his cool demeanor and effortless scoring.
Popularized the finger roll, making it one of the most iconic shots in NBA history.
Served as a mentor to younger players and worked with the Spurs organization post-retirement.
Basketball Legend George “The Iceman” Gervin Enshrinement Speech
Hall of Famer George “The Iceman” Gervin signs the Original Basketball Hall of Fame Sign at the Lucky’s Show in White Plains County Center
March 22, 2025
When you get down to the nitty-gritty, I’ve always said I like good players who are experienced, That’s what we have