Jerry Graves
American basketball player (1938–2021)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jerry Lynn Graves (September 12, 1938 – February 7, 2021) was an American basketball player.[1] He was banned from the National Basketball Association (NBA) for his involvement in the 1961 college basketball point shaving scandal during his senior season playing for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.[2]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 12, 1938 |
| Died | February 7, 2021 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Lexington (Lexington, Tennessee) |
| College | Mississippi State (1958–1961) |
| NBA draft | 1961: 2nd round, 19th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Chicago Packers |
| Position | Forward |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Graves played at Lexington High School in his hometown of Lexington, Tennessee, where he set a state record for points scored in a season with 1,156 during his senior year.[3] Graves played college basketball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs from 1958 to 1961 and was a two-time first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection.[4] He was voted "Mr. Mississippi State" as the university's most popular student in 1960 and led the Bulldogs to the SEC regular season championship in 1961.[5]
Graves was selected by the newly-formed Chicago Packers as the 19th overall pick in the 1961 NBA draft but elected to sign with the Chicago Majors of the American Basketball League (ABL).[6] On April 27, 1961, he was alleged to have been involved in a point shaving scandal during his senior season.[7] He refused the allegation and said he "played [his] best for Coach McCarthy in every game".[8] However, Graves admitted that he accepted $4,750 in bribes from gamblers who bet on Bulldogs games and paid him if he won.[8][9] He was expelled from Mississippi State University and banned from the NBA.[2][9]
Graves worked as a teacher, principal, coach and superintendent for 42 years.[1][3]