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Sacramento Kings: 25 Best Players To Play For The Kings

By Phil Watson

Apr 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; DJ Mixmaster Mike performs during half time of the game between the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings won 114-112. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; DJ Mixmaster Mike performs during half time of the game between the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings won 114-112. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Original Caption) Rochester’s Bob Wanzer, (9) of the West All-Stars, dribbles past Bob Cousy, Boston, of the Eastern Team, during the 1955 All-Star game at Madison Square Garden tonight.
(Original Caption) Rochester’s Bob Wanzer, (9) of the West All-Stars, dribbles past Bob Cousy, Boston, of the Eastern Team, during the 1955 All-Star game at Madison Square Garden tonight. /

1947-57. Bobby Wanzer. 8. player. 67. <strong>How acquired: </strong>Signed out of Seton Hall, July 1, 1947; 10th overall pick from Seton Hall, 1948 BAA Draft.. SG-PG

The Rochester Royals wanted Seton Hall guard Bobby Wanzer so badly they signed him … then drafted him.

Wanzer signed with the Royals and played with them as a reserve in their final season in the National Basketball League in 1947-48, then took him with the 10th overall pick in the 1948 BAA Draft … just to be sure.

SAC_08_WANZER
SAC_08_WANZER /

Wanzer was a five-time All-Star with Rochester and a three-time All-NBA selection.

He led the NBA in free-throw shooting in 1951-52—becoming the first player in league history to shoot better than 90 percent for a season—and was also third in that category in both 1948-49 (BAA) and 1950-51.

Wanzer was third in the league in field-goal percentage in 1949-50 and fourth in 1951-52.

He was also part of the Royals’ NBA championship club in 1951, averaging 12.4 points and 3.6 assists in the seven-game NBA Finals victory over the New York Knicks.

Wanzer became Rochester’s coach after the 1954-55 season and held the position until December 1958, when he was fired early in the Royals’ second season in Cincinnati. He had a career mark of 98-136 and was 0-2 in the postseason.

The final two years of his playing career were as a player-coach, but he took off the uniform after the 1956-57 campaign.

In nine seasons with Rochester in the BAA and NBA, Wanzer averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32.5 minutes per game, shooting 39.3 percent from the floor and 80.2 percent from the free-throw line.

Wanzer was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. He died Jan. 23, 2016, at his home in Pittsford, N.Y., near Rochester, at the age of 94.

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