Marvin Webster

Marvin Nathaniel Webster (April 13, 1952 – April 4, 2009) was an American professional basketball player. He played one season in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and nine in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Denver Nuggets (1975–77), Seattle SuperSonics (1977–78), New York Knickerbockers (1978–84) and Milwaukee Bucks (1986–87).

Not to be confused with Martell Webster.
Marvin Webster
Personal information
Born(1952-04-13)April 13, 1952
Baltimore, Maryland
DiedApril 4, 2009(2009-04-04) (aged 56)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
NationalityAmerican
Listed height7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High schoolEdmondson (Baltimore, Maryland)
CollegeMorgan State (1971–1975)
NBA draft1975 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Playing career1975–1987
PositionCenter
Number10, 40
Career history
1975–1977Denver Nuggets
1977–1978Seattle SuperSonics
1978–1984New York Knicks
1986Pensacola Tornados
1987Milwaukee Bucks
Career highlights and awards
Career ABA and NBA statistics
Points4,302 (7.0 ppg)
Rebounds4,218 (6.8 rpg)
Blocks881 (1.4 bpg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2018

College career

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of a Baltimore preacher, Webster attended Edmondson High School in the city.[1] A four-year basketball letterman at Morgan State University, he earned the nickname "The Human Eraser" as a junior when he averaged eight blocked shots a game while helping the Bears capture the 1974 NCAA Division II Championship. He averaged 21 points and 22.4 rebounds and was named Division II player of the year.[2]

Webster still holds eight career school records: 1,990 points, 2,267 rebounds, 19.5 rebounds per game, 785 field goals made, 424 free throws made, 644 free throws attempted, 722 blocks and 110 games started.[3] His 740 rebounds in 1974 and 2,267 career total are still second all-time in NCAA history in their respective categories.[4] He was named to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball 50th Anniversary All-Elite Eight Team in 2006.[5]

Professional career

Webster was selected in the first round of both the NBA and ABA Drafts in 1975 (third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, first overall by the Denver Nuggets, respectively). After signing with the Nuggets, he was diagnosed with a form of hepatitis, and played only 38 games as a rookie in 1975–76.[6]

A 7' 1" center, Webster helped the Nuggets win the 1976-77 NBA Midwest Division and the SuperSonics the 1977-78 NBA Western Conference title. His finest season was his single year with Seattle, in which he averaged 14.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game.[7] He raised his performance in the SuperSonics’ 22-game playoff run that year, averaging 16.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, and more than 2.6 blocks per game.[7] Webster still holds the SuperSonics' record for rebounds in one half with 21.[8]

In 1978, the Knicks signed Webster as a free-agent. As compensation, the NBA awarded the SuperSonics the playing rights to power-forward Lonnie Shelton and the Knicks’ 1979 first-round draft pick.[9] In his first season with the Knicks, Webster averaged 11.3 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game. Webster never again reached double figures in either category in the NBA after that.[7] Webster missed the 1984-85 and start of the 1985-86 season with hepatitis before retiring from the Knicks.[2]

Webster played briefly in the Continental Basketball Association, and later with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1986-87 season.[2]

Webster was found dead in a Tulsa, Oklahoma hotel room on April 4, 2009.[10] He was 56 years old. It is believed that he died of a coronary artery disease.[2]

Family

Webster was married to Mederia Webster.[11] Webster's son, Marvin Webster Jr., was recruited to play basketball at Temple University, but died at age 19 from a heart attack prior to his sophomore season.[12]

Later in his life, Webster lived in Metuchen, New Jersey.[13]

References
  1. Hannon, Kent. "Cashing In On Marvin's Guardin'," Sports Illustrated, January 6, 1975. Archived December 3, 2012, at Archive.today
  2. Goldstein, Richard (April 8, 2009). "Marvin Webster, Basketball's Human Eraser, Dies at 56". The New York Times.
  3. 2008–09 Morgan State University Men's Basketball Media Guide – Bears Records.
  4. Official 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book – Individual Collegiate Records (Career).
  5. "Walt Frazier, Phil Jackson, Earl Monroe, Jerry Sloan Highlight NCAA Division II Men's Basketball 50th Anniversary All-Elite Eight Team". NCAA. March 6, 2006. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  6. Moss, Irv. "Webster center of attention for Nuggets in '70s," The Denver Post, Thursday, April 9, 2009.
  7. "Basketball-Reference.com:Marvin Webster". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  8. "Sonics 40th Anniversary Team: 1976-83 Era". nba.com. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  9. Condotta, Bob (July 9, 2018), "Lonnie Shelton, starter for Sonics' 1979 NBA title team, dies at age 62", The Seattle Times
  10. Ken Murray. Marvin Webster dead at 56. The Baltimore Sun. Thursday, April 9, 2009. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
  11. Robinson, Bob (May 18, 1978). "Mederia Webster's dreams prove prophetic". The Oregonian. p. D1.
  12. "Marvin Webster Jr., 19, Dies After Heart Attack". Seattle Times. 1997-08-14. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  13. Araton, Harvey. "Remembering Marvin Webster, Once a Knicks Savior", The New York Times, April 8, 2009. Accessed June 27, 2011. "I had an address for him at a condominium development in Metuchen, N.J., where he was said to be working in real estate. A few months after Marvin Jr.’s death, I slipped a note under his door, with my telephone number, which went uncalled. A neighbor told me that Webster was not seen very often and generally kept to himself."
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