Arizin, Paul

▪ 2007

“Pitchin' Paul” 

      American basketball player (b. April 9, 1928, Philadelphia, Pa.—d. Dec. 12, 2006, Philadelphia), was a jump-shot specialist who was hailed in 1996 as one of the 50 greatest players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his 10 years (1950–52 and 1954–62) of playing for the Philadelphia Warriors (military service interrupted his career), he averaged at least 20 points per game, and he helped the team clinch the 1956 NBA championship over the Fort Wayne Pistons. Arizin, who did not make his high-school basketball team but was picked up as a sophomore by Villanova (Pa.) University's basketball team, led the country in scoring as a senior, with 25.3 points per game. As a professional he was named to the All Star team 10 times, and he was the All-Star game Most Valuable Player in 1952. Arizin was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.

* * *