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Legacy and Playing Style: Philadelphia Daily News

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Legacy and Playing Style: Philadelphia Daily News

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moyeso4250
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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al basketball, Hightower joined the Peace Corps and traveled to Tunisia — where he coached basketball.

[125]
Hightower later became an ordained minister and coached basketball at the West Philadelphia Boys Club.
He was employed as an interior designer. When asked about his life and basketball career by Philadelphia
Daily News writer Elmer Smith, Hightower responded, "There are a lot of things I could be bitter about. But is
being bitter going to solve anything? [...] You may ask me why I'm not rich, but I don't go into that side of it.
What I earned as a professional is personal. After my second contract, I never talked about it again. Sometimes
I think I haven't got as much of the game as I put into it. But that's OK. [124]

By 1988, Hightower estimated he suffered three or four heart attacks.[124] Hightower died from a heart attack on
April 18, 2002, in his hometown of Philadelphia, aged 62.[126][127] At the time of his death, he was living with his
mother in the same house in which she raised him.[1]

Legacy and playing style


[edit]

In high school, Hightower was regularly compared to Wilt Chamberlain. There


were a number of biographical similarities between Hightower and Chamberlain, in spite of their
differences in playing styles.

During his time at Overbrook High School, Hightower was compared to Wilt Chamberlain on a number of
occasions.[128][5][16][129][130][131] Both men were born in Philadelphia and played center for Overbrook. Both men led
Overbrook to two championships (Chamberlain: 1954–55, 1955–56; Hightower: 1956–57, 1957–58).[16][132] Later
the biographical parallels continued, as Hightower followed Chamberlain to the University of Kansas.[129] While
Hightower was in college, the press began noting that the two players had different playing styles. [133] The
Kansas City Star reporter Bill Richardson wrote that there may have been undue pressure on Hightower to live
up to Chamberlain's success.[134] The similarities between the two men persisted, as Hightower left college in
1961 with one-year of eligibility left to pursue professional basketball, just like Chamberlain had done in 1958.
After almost joining the Globetrotters, which is what Chamberlain did after leaving college, Hightower signed
with the Spanish basketball team Real Madrid. After waiting out his one-year of college eligibility (to be drafted
in the NBA at the time a player had to graduate or wait out their full college eligibility) Hightower was drafted by
the Warriors — the same team that drafted Chamberlain in 1959. The two men even had to wear protective
face masks at the same time due to facial injuries they sustained during the 1964–65 season.[135][136]

Hightower's jump from the NBA to the ABA in 1967 lent credibility to the new league. [1] Denver Rockets head
coach and general manager Bob Bass said of the team's first season, "The most important thing we did was
sign Wayne Hightower." On Hightower, ABA public relations director Lee Meade said, "It was still a big deal
when he signed with Denver [...] I mean, at least the hard-core fans had heard of him." [2]

Hightower said the reason he jumped leagues is because the management for the Detroit Pistons publicly
stated they were not interested in offering him a contract for the 1967–68 season. He told the United Press
International in September 1967, "As far as I'm concerned I have no obligation to Detroit. If someone tells you
that you don't fit into their future plans, the best thing you can do is seek other employment. That is precisely
what I did."[137] The open question was whether or not the Pistons would take legal action against the Rockets to
stop them from using Hightower during the upcoming season. A legal case involving Rick Barry, who jumped
from the NBA's San Francisco Warriors to the ABA's Oakland Oaks, upheld the NBA's reserve clause and
prevented Barry from playing in the ABA during the 1967–68 season.[137] Ultimately Hightower did accept
Detroit's non-guaranteed contract and reported to their training camp. He was waived before the start of the
season and became a free agent. He re-signed with Denver and played for them for two seasons.

As a player, Hightower was not a high percentage shooter.[58] His speed and defense were considered the
strongest parts of his game.[89][106][138] Billings Gazette sports editor Norm Clarke called Hightower "one of the best
defensive performers in the ABA".[139] Hightower was named to the 1969 ABA All-Star Game as a coaches
selection. Western Division head coach Alex Hannum told the Associated Press, "The writers and broadcasters
go with the glamor boys. There's nothing wrong with that, but I added Hightower to help us win the game. [...]
He has a great ability to play defense. He is big enough to guard a big man and still agile enough to handle a
good size guard."[103] Hightower's head coach with the Utah Stars, Bill Sherman, praised Hightower's ability to
the Deseret News in 1970. He told the publication, "[Hightower] can play anywhere with his speed and I'm not
scared to use him as a guard on defense. I can even use him sometimes as a relief for Zelmo
Beaty at center and he can also bring the ball down with another guard."[106]

Throughout his NBA and ABA career, Hightower was nicknamed "Spain", which referred to his stint with Real
Madrid.[140][141][115] In 1968, Real Madrid head coach Pedro Ferrándiz said Hightower was his team's greatest all-
time player.[142] Ferrándiz said that if Hightower had stayed with his team, he would have been one of the
greatest all-time players in Spanish basketball.[42] In 2019, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez called
Hightower "legendary".[143] During the NBA's 50th anniversary in 1997, the Golden State Warriors honored
Hightower as one of their "50 years, 50 stars" members, their take on the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
[144]
Hightower's tall and slender frame was described as "stringbean-ish" by Detroit Free Press writer Jack
Saylor.[89]

Personal life
[edit]

Hightower, circa 1961

Hightower was born on January 14, 1940, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Earnest and Ruth Hightower.
[145]
Wayne's younger brother, Drake, played basketball at Overbrook High School and was offered an athletic
scholarship to Tennessee State University. He played for the school's basketball team, but dropped out of
college to manage a lounge owned by Wayne in Denver, Colorado, called the Bunny Club.[146] Wayne Hightower
was interested in men's fashion. During his college years, he was known around the University of
Kansas campus as a sharp dresser.[30] His interest led him to open a men's clothing store in Denver when he
was playing for the Denver Rockets in the late 1960s.[106]

Throughout his life, Hightower suffered from depression and what he described as "nervous breakdowns". [124] In
August 1964, Hightower was hospitalized for multiple lacerations after his car collided with a city bus in San
Francisco, California.[147]
San Francisco based Golden Gate National Bank filed suit against Hightower for $2,502.72 (equivalent to
$24,197 in 2023) in unpaid promissory notes in April 1965.[148] In September 1965, Hightower declared
bankruptcy, listing his just $255 (equivalent to $2,465 in 2023) in assets and $51,476 (equivalent to $497,692 in
2023) in debts. His salary during the previous season was $12,500 (equivalent to $120,855 in 2023). At the top
of the list of debts were three cars Hightower purchased for $9,800. His other debts included unpaid hotel bills,
hospital bills, car rentals, legal fees, retail bills and financial institutions.[149] During his time with the Baltimore
Bullets, Hightower was cited by the City of Baltimore for 26 parking violations, all of which were unpaid when he
was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1967.[150]

During his time in Baltimore, Hightower served as a field representative for Big Brothers of America.[151] In 1968,
Hightower endorsed the non-partisan political advocacy group, Peaceful Resources in Democratic Education
(PRIDE), which lobbied for the inclusion of African American history in public school curriculum. The group also
advocated for African studies programs and departments at the university level.[152] He appeared on Pride!, a
television show that aired on KUED in November 1970. During the broadcast, Hightower stated he is pleased
with the response from fans to himself and the Utah Stars.[153]

Career statistics

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