Ranking the 25 best Kansas basketball NBA careers of all-time
462. . C. Jayhawks . Walt Wesley. 20. player
Career statistics: 590 games, 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.7 APG, 43.4% FG
Cincinnati Royals, 1966-1969
Chicago Bulls, 1969-1970
Cleveland Cavaliers, 1970-1972
Phoenix Suns, 1972-1973
Capital Bullets, 1973-1974
Philadelphia 76ers, 1974
Milwaukee Bucks, 1974-1975
Los Angeles Lakers, 1975
After earning All-American honors twice with the Jayhawks, Wesley was selected sixth overall in the 1966 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He’d later go on to score 50 points against the team that drafted him years later. His peak did not last long, but he had a string of very impressive seasons.
In 1970-71, Wesley averaged a career-high 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds while playing all 82 games. He was the leading scorer for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who happened to end the year with a record of 15-67. Once he was traded to a better team, Wesley’s role diminished quickly, and he was nothing more than a backup.
Even if he is not one of the sexiest names on this list, Wesley played a decade in the league and had an exceptional career. His numbers in limited minutes were not terrible, though he is ranked as high as he is for his short-lived prime.