Dick Atha
Personal information
Born(1931-09-21)September 21, 1931
Otterbein, Indiana
DiedFebruary 6, 2020(2020-02-06) (aged 88)
Oxford, Indiana
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolOtterbein (Otterbein, Indiana)
CollegeIndiana State (1950–1953)
NBA draft1953: 6th round, 50th overall pick
Selected by the New York Knicks
Playing career1955–1958
PositionPoint guard
Number17, 7
Career history
1955–1956New York Knicks
1957–1958Detroit Pistons
Career statistics
Points137
Rebounds66
Assists51
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Representing  United States
Men's basketball
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1951 Buenos Aires Team competition

Richard E. Atha (September 21, 1931 – February 6, 2020) was an American basketball player and coach.

Basketball career

He played collegiately for the Indiana State Sycamores and scored 1,119 career points. He led the team in scoring during the 1951–52 and 1952–53 seasons. He was a 3-time All-Indiana Collegiate Conference guard and was selected as an Helms Athletic Foundation All-American for the 1953 season; leading the Sycamores to a 3rd-place finish in the National NAIA Tournament. He started every game during his 3-yr varsity career (85 games), as the Sycamores compiled a 57–28 (20–10 ICC) record. During the 2nd round of the 1952–53 NAIA Tournament,[1] he scored his career high (32 points) vs Arkansas Tech as the Sycamores soundly defeated the Wonder Boys, 100-81.

During his sophomore season, (1950–51), Atha was a member of the US National Men's Basketball team; he averaged 4.3 ppg in helping the U.S. to a 6–0 record and the first gold medal in Pan Am Games history.[2]

He was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1953 NBA draft; however, he served two years in the United States Army before beginning his professional career; he played for the Knicks (1955–56) and Fort Wayne Pistons (now the Detroit Pistons) (1957–58) in the NBA for 43 games before an injury ended his playing career.

Later career

Following his NBA career, Atha was the head basketball coach at Oxford High for ten seasons. When Oxford High consolidated into Benton Central High School in Oxford, Indiana, he became the principal, serving during the 1970s and 1980s. He moved to the athletic director post in the summer of 1986, and retired from that position in 1997.

He was inducted into the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984[3] and into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.[4]

Atha died on February 6, 2020, at age 88.[5][6]

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

NBA

Source[7]

Regular season

Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1955–56 New York 25 11.5 .409 .778 1.7 1.3 3.7
1957–58 Detroit 18 8.9 .362 .833 1.3 1.1 2.4
Career 43 10.4 .393 .795 1.5 1.2 3.2

References

  1. ↑ Benson, Michael (2007-09-27). Everything You Wanted to Know About the New York Knicks: A Who's Who of Everyone Who Ever Played On or Coached the NBA's Most Celebrated Team. Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 9781461734789.
  2. ↑ "Usab: First Pan American Games 1951". Archived from the original on 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
  3. ↑ "Dick Atha – Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame – GoSycamores.com Official Web Site of Indiana State Athletics". www.gosycamores.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  4. ↑ "Dick Atha | Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame". www.hoopshall.com. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  5. ↑ Golden, Todd Aaron (February 6, 2020). "ISU basketball legend Atha dies at 88". Tribune-Star. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Richard "Dick" Atha Obituary (1931–2020) Journal & Courier". Legacy.com.
  7. ↑ "Dick Atha". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 14 April 2023.


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