Alvan Adams

Alvan Leigh Adams (born July 19, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player. After playing college basketball for the Oklahoma Sooners, the power forward/center was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 4th pick of the 1975 NBA draft. Adams was a rookie on a Suns team whose season included an improbable playoff run that took them all the way to the 1976 NBA Finals. In the same year, he was selected to play in the All-Star Game and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award as well as being named to the All-NBA Rookie Team. Adams spent his entire career with the Suns and retired in 1988 as the second all-time Suns scorer with 13,910 career points.[1][2]

Alvan Adams

Adams in 1987
Personal information
Born	July 19, 1954 Lawrence, Kansas
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school	Putnam City (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
College	Oklahoma (1972–1975)
NBA draft	1975 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Playing career	1975–1988
Position	Power forward / Center
Number	33
Career history
1975–1988	Phoenix Suns
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (1976) NBA Rookie of the Year (1976) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1976) No. 33 retired by Phoenix Suns Third-team All-American – NABC (1975) Big Eight Player of the Year (1975) 3× First-team All-Big Eight (1973–1975) No. 33 honored by the University of Oklahoma Second-team Parade All-American (1972)
Career statistics
Points	13,910 (14.1 ppg)
Rebounds	6,937 (7.0 rpg)
Assists	4,012 (4.1 apg)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals Men's basketball Representing the United States Universiade 1973 Moscow Team competition

College career

During 26 games of the 1973–74 season Adams tied an Oklahoma school record with 21 double-doubles for a season by a Sooner (Garfield Heard, 1969–70 also had 21 in 27 games). That record stood until it was broken by Blake Griffin on February 14, 2009.[3][4]

Adams is one of only three players in the history of the University of Oklahoma men's basketball program to score at least 40 points and get 20 rebounds in a game along with Wayman Tisdale (61 points, 22 rebounds against Texas–San Antonio in 1983) and Blake Griffin (40 points, 23 rebounds against Texas Tech on February 14, 2009).[5][6]

He is one of only four Sooners to have his college jersey (#33) retired by the OU program (Wayman Tisdale (#23), Mookie Blaylock (#10) and Stacey King (#33) are the other three).[7][8]

Professional career

On February 22, 1977, Adams recorded a triple-double with 47 points, 18 rebounds and 12 assists against the Buffalo Braves. He is one of five players in NBA history (along with Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Russell Westbrook and Vince Carter) to have as many as 46 points and 16 rebounds in a triple-double performance.[9][10]

Adams's jersey number (33) was retired by the Suns, but on the signing of free agent Grant Hill, Adams granted him permission to wear his familiar No. 33 with the Suns.[11]

Adams is the franchise leader in games played, minutes played, rebounds, and steals; second in field goals made and attempted; third in assists; and fourth in blocks.

He is currently the Suns Vice President for Facility Management for the Talking Stick Resort Arena.

NBA career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1975–76	Phoenix	80	–	33.2	.469	–	.735	9.1	5.6	1.5	1.5	19.0
1976–77	Phoenix	72	–	31.6	.474	–	.754	9.1	4.5	1.3	1.2	18.0
1977–78	Phoenix	70	–	27.3	.485	–	.730	8.1	3.2	1.2	.9	15.5
1978–79	Phoenix	77	–	30.7	.530	–	.799	9.2	4.7	1.4	.8	17.8
1979–80	Phoenix	75	–	28.9	.531	.000	.797	8.1	4.3	1.4	.7	14.9
1980–81	Phoenix	75	–	27.4	.526	.000	.768	7.3	4.6	1.4	.9	14.9
1981–82	Phoenix	79	75	30.3	.494	.000	.781	7.4	4.5	1.4	1.0	15.1
1982–83	Phoenix	80	75	30.6	.486	.333	.829	6.9	4.7	1.4	.9	14.2
1983–84	Phoenix	70	13	20.7	.462	.000	.825	4.6	3.1	1.0	.4	9.6
1984–85	Phoenix	82	69	26.0	.520	.000	.883	6.1	3.8	1.4	.6	14.7
1985–86	Phoenix	78	45	25.7	.502	.000	.783	6.1	4.2	1.3	.6	10.8
1986–87	Phoenix	68	40	24.9	.503	.000	.788	5.0	3.3	.9	.5	11.1
1987–88	Phoenix	82	25	20.1	.496	.500	.844	4.5	2.2	1.0	.5	7.5
Career		988	342	27.5	.498	.133	.788	7.0	4.1	1.3	.8	14.1
All-Star		1	0	11.0	.500	–	–	3.0	–	–	–	4.0

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
1976	Phoenix	19	–	35.2	.452	–	.817	10.1	5.2	1.4	1.1	17.9
1978	Phoenix	2	–	35.5	.455	–	1.000	8.0	2.0	1.0	.5	16.0
1979	Phoenix	12	–	31.0	.475.	–	.710	7.5	4.4	.9	1.0	12.8
1980	Phoenix	8	–	31.4	.566	–	.895	9.6	5.8	.9	1.3	16.1
1981	Phoenix	7	–	31.1	.450	–	.714	5.9	3.7	.6	.1	10.6
1982	Phoenix	7	–	33.3	.522	–	.786	7.9	3.7	2.0	.7	16.9
1983	Phoenix	3	–	28.0	.469	–	.714	6.0	4.7	.6	1.7	11.7
1984	Phoenix	17	–	18.4	.421	–	.679	5.1	2.5	1.0	.6	18.4
Career		78	–	29.3	.473	–	.766	7.5	4.1	1.1	.9	13.8

See also

• List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise

References

1. "Alvan Adams Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
2. "Alvan Adams College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
3. Helsley, John (February 15, 2009). "Blake Griffin has 40 points, 23 boards for No. 2 Sooners against Texas Tech". The Oklahoman.
4. "Capel's Sooners Still Streaking". Oklahoma Sports / SoonerSports.com (CBS Interactive). Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
5. Latzke, Jeff (February 14, 2009). "Blake Griffin has 40 points, 23 boards for No. 2 Sooners against Texas Tech". Associated Press – (c/o The Oklahoman).
6. "Alvan Adams Makes NBA History After Eating 47 Chicken Wings". Phoenix Suns. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
7. "Retired Jerseys". Oklahoma Sports / SoonerSports.com (CBS Interactive). Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
8. NOTE: OU does not retire the number, but the jersey, "Tisdale 23"; Griffin also wears #23.
9. Elias, Peter. – Elias Says: "Kidd, Carter match feat not done since Jordan, Pippen in 1989". – Associated Press. – (c/o ESPN).
10. Writer, Joe Buettner | Transcript Sports. "OU men's basketball all-time team: Alvan Adams was a star from start to finish of Sooner career". Norman Transcript. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
11. Faye, Brad G. (July 11, 2007). "Oklahoma Kid 'OK' With Grant Hill Wearing No. 33". National Basketball Association – NBA.com.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from NBA.com  or Basketball-Reference.com