Bill Bridges (basketball)
William C. Bridges was an American basketball player.
A 6'6" power forward from Hobbs, New Mexico, Bridges played collegiately for the University of Kansas. At Kansas, he averaged 13.2 points and 13.9 rebounds per game, was chosen All-Big Eight three seasons, and was an All-American in 1961.
Bridges played for the Kansas City Steers of the American Basketball League prior to entering the NBA. Bridges led the ABL in rebounding during both seasons he played for the Steers, and led the league in scoring during his second season. He set the ABL single-game scoring record with 55 points on December 9, 1962. The league folded at the end of 1962, and the Steers were declared ABL champions.
Bridges then entered the National Basketball Association and spent 13 seasons as a member of the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors. Bridges won an NBA Championship with the Warriors in 1975 and appeared in three All-Star Games during the course of his career. Though somewhat undersized for his position, Bridges was a strong rebounder and averaged a double-double over the course of his NBA career. He is also the only player besides Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Willis Reed to record more than 35 rebounds in a playoff game. Bridges' league leading 366 personal fouls during the 1967–68 season was, at the time, an NBA record.
Bridges died in Los Angeles, California at the age of 76 following a battle with cancer.
