The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane basketball program is a successful mid-major team and one of the top schools in Conference USA. While the school has not produced many NBA players in recent years, 11 players from the University of Tulsa have reached the pros, including former All-Defensive player Paul Pressey.
Paul Pressey:
Paul Pressey, a former swingman with the Bucks, Spurs, and Warriors, is one of the best NBA players from the University of Tulsa. Pressey was a great athlete, ball-handler, and defensive player, spending the bulk of his 11-year career as a leader for the Bucks. From 1985 to 1988, he posted three straight seasons of seven-plus assists per game, totaling 3,272 to become the Bucks’ all-time assists leader. He made three consecutive All-Defensive teams while averaging 11 points, four rebounds, and five assists per game for his career as a whole.
Bingo Smith:
A leading NBA player from Tulsa, small forward Bingo Smith played nine-plus seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1970s and had his number retired by the team. With the Golden Hurricane, Smith scored 25 points and grabbed ten rebounds per game as a senior. Smith was drafted by the Rockets, spending only his rookie season with the team before joining the Cavs in their expansion draft. In Cleveland, he put together three seasons of at least 15 points and five board per game, totaling more than 10,000 points in his professional career.
Jim King:
Guard Jim King played ten seasons with the Lakers, Warriors, Royals, and Bulls and was one of the top NBA players from the University of Tulsa. King was mostly a journeyman role player in the NBA, averaging 7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists for his career. He broke out in 1967-68 with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists per contest to earn a spot in the NBA All-Star Game. After he retired from playing, King returned to the Golden Hurricane as head coach.
Steve Harris:
Backup guard Steve Harris was one of the top five NBA players from the University of Tulsa. During his junior and senior years with the Golden Hurricane, Harris was a 20-plus per game scorer to lead the university to three NCAA Tournaments. He played five seasons in the NBA from 1985 to 1990, spending most of his time with the Houston Rockets, retiring with an average of seven points per game.
Steve Bracey:
Point guard Steve Bracey spent three seasons in the pros from 1972 to 1975 as one of the more successful NBA players from Tulsa. Bracey served as Pete Maravich’s backup for two seasons, averaging seven points and two-and-a-half assists per game in the role. He scored ten points per game in the 1973 playoffs with the Hawks and played on the 1975 Golden State Warriors championship team, though he was not a major contributor.
References:
NBA & ABA Players Who Attended University of Tulsa. Basketball-Reference.com
