Ossie Schectman
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|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 30, 1919 Queens, New York |
| Died | July 30, 2013 (aged 94) Delray Beach, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
Samuel J. Tilden (Brooklyn, New York) |
| College | LIU Brooklyn (1938–1941) |
| Position | Shooting guard / Small forward |
| Career history | |
| 1941–1946 | Philadelphia Sphas |
| 1946–1947 | New York Knicks |
| 1947–1948 | Paterson Crescents |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
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Oscar Benjamin "Ossie" Schectman (March 30, 1919 – July 30, 2013) was an American professional basketball player. He is credited with having scored the first basket in the National Basketball Association (NBA), at that time the Basketball Association of America (BAA).
Schectman was born on March 30, 1919, in Kew Gardens in Queens, New York City. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Russia. He had four siblings. He played basketball while attending Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn, New York, and played under coach Clair Bee at Long Island University. He was a member of the team in 1939, when they won the National Invitation Tournament and National Championship. He was named to the Converse All-American first team in 1941.
After obtaining his degree from LIU, Schectman played for Eddie Gottlieb's Philadelphia Sphas in the American Basketball League. The Sphas joined the ABL in 1933 and won the league championship in 1942–43. He was second in the league in scoring with 199 points (10.5 average) in 1943–44. He played with the Sphas until 1946, when he joined the New York Knicks of the Basketball Association of America.
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