 What
Dave Cowens lacked in
size as a 6-foot-9
center, he made up for
with an aggressive
desire to win. Rather
than follow the
traditional notion of a
basketball center as a
back-to-the-basket pivot
man, Cowens roamed the
outside, shooting soft
jumpers or driving to
the basket. Although the
"Redhead" didn't begin
playing basketball until
his junior year in high
school, he wound up with
a scholarship to Florida
State University. In his
collegiate career,
Cowens averaged 19
points and 17 rebounds
per game and shot 52
percent from the
field...Book
Dave Cowens for Your Event
On the recommendation of
Hall of Famer and former
great Celtics center
Bill Russell, the
Celtics drafted Cowens
fourth overall in the
1970 NBA draft.
Considered by his
critics as too small to
play center, Cowens
quickly silenced those
doubters. During the
preseason annual Maurice
Stokes Benefit Game in
August 1970, Cowens
scored 32 points,
grabbed 12 rebounds and
was named the game's MVP
During his rookie year
he averaged 17 points
and 15 rebounds a game
and shared the NBA
Rookie-of-the-Year Award
with Portland's Geoff
Petrie. His playing
credo was all-out
intensity at both ends
of the court, a style
that never wavered
during his entire
11-year NBA career.
Cowens played
aggressively, often
recklessly and with
great passion. He always
gave fans their money's
worth.
Cowens spent the entire
1970s with the Boston
Celtics, serving as
player/coach during the
1978-1979 season. The
coaching role was
short-lived, and he
returned to strictly
playing in the 1979-1980
season before calling it
quits. Cowens was coaxed
out of retirement to
play 40 games with the
Milwaukee Bucks in the
1982-83 season before
retiring for good.
During his pro career,
Cowens averaged 17.6
points and 13.6 rebounds
per game, was selected
to seven All-Star Games
and was named to the
All-NBA Defensive First
Team in 1976. In 1973,
Cowens averaged 20.5 ppg
and 16.2 rpg, and was
chosen league MVP as
well as MVP of the
All-Star Game. He was a
member of the Celtics'
1974 and 1976
championship teams.
Prior to the 1994-95 NBA
season, Cowens returned
to the court as an
assistant coach with the
San Antonio Spurs. In
1996, Cowens began the
first of three seasons
as head coach of the
Charlotte Hornets.
>>> Book Dave Cowens for Your Event
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