Sidney Wicks

2.1. Early Life and Education

Sidney Wicks was born on September 19, 1949, in Contra Costa County, California. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles. Although he aspired to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), his initial high school grades did not meet the university's entrance requirements. Consequently, Wicks enrolled at Santa Monica College for one year to improve his academic standing before successfully matriculating at UCLA. He later achieved Academic All-America honors at UCLA in 1971 and earned a degree in sociology.

2.2. UCLA Playing Career

Wicks, a formidable player measuring 80 in ^{(203 cm)} and weighing 225 lb ^{(102 kg)} who played as a power forward and center, became a pivotal figure for the UCLA Bruins. He contributed to three consecutive NCAA Championships from 1969 to 1971. In his first season (1968-69), he joined a UCLA team that had won the previous NCAA Tournament, featuring star player Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). Despite Wicks averaging 7.5 points per game largely as a bench player that year, most observers did not foresee his future potential. However, legendary coach John Wooden recognized Wicks's exceptional athletic ability and progressively increased his playing time.

After Alcindor graduated following the 1969 championship, many doubted UCLA's ability to achieve a third consecutive title without their dominant star. Wicks rose to the occasion, effectively filling the void left by Alcindor. In the 1969-70 season, he averaged 18.6 points and 11.9 rebounds. Defying expectations, UCLA advanced through the tournament, culminating in a championship victory against Jacksonville University. In the final, Wicks notably matched up against the 87 in ^{(221 cm)} center Artis Gilmore, recording five blocks and leading his team to an 80-69 win, securing UCLA's impressive three-peat. For his outstanding performance, Wicks was named the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1970, was selected to the AP All-America Third Team, and was recognized as a Helms Athletic Foundation Player of the Year.

His performance continued to excel in the following season (1970-71), where he averaged 21.3 points and 12.8 rebounds, guiding UCLA to an unprecedented fourth consecutive NCAA championship. He earned First Team All-American honors and was named Player of the Year by both the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and The Sporting News. Wicks was a Consensus All-American in both 1970 and 1971. In recognition of his significant contributions to the program, UCLA retired his jersey number, #35, in a halftime ceremony at Pauley Pavilion on February 1, 1996. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1985 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

3.1. Portland Trail Blazers

Wicks entered the 1971 NBA draft as a highly anticipated prospect. The Portland Trail Blazers, holding the second overall pick, were determined to acquire him. To ensure Wicks's availability, they reportedly paid the Cleveland Cavaliers, who held the first overall pick, 250.00 K USD to pass on selecting him. The Cavaliers ultimately chose Austin Carr as the top pick. Wicks was also selected by the Dallas Chaparrals in the 1971 ABA draft.

His transition to the NBA was seamless. In his rookie season (1971-72) with the Trail Blazers, Wicks immediately became the team's leading player, averaging 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. His stellar performance earned him a selection to the NBA All-Star Game and the prestigious NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Despite Wicks's individual brilliance, the Trail Blazers, an expansion team in only their second year, finished with a challenging 18-64 record. The team had promising young talent, including Wicks and Geoff Petrie, the previous year's Rookie of the Year.

However, a significant internal conflict arose between Wicks and Petrie, who reportedly had a very strained relationship and vied for team leadership, even criticizing each other through the media. In an effort to resolve their animosity, the team's front office arranged for Wicks and Petrie to travel to Israel with their families. During this trip, an incident occurred where Wicks nearly drowned in a lake, and Petrie came to his rescue. This event, though unfortunate, served as a catalyst for reconciliation between the two players, and their relationship subsequently improved. Ironically, by the time their personal differences were resolved, the Trail Blazers' internal team chemistry had already deteriorated significantly.

The team's fortunes did not immediately improve. In the 1975-76 season, Bill Walton, another highly touted rookie from UCLA, joined the Trail Blazers. The team improved their record to 37-45 but still missed the playoffs. Following this season, the Blazers' front office decided to rebuild the team around Walton, leading to significant changes, including the dismissal of head coach Lenny Wilkens and the hiring of Jack Ramsay. As part of this overhaul, Wicks was traded to the Boston Celtics, and Petrie retired due to a knee injury. In a twist of fate, the Trail Blazers achieved their first playoff berth and went on to win their inaugural NBA championship in the very next season, 1976-77.

During his five seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers from 1971 to 1976, Wicks maintained averages of 22.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game for four consecutive years, from 1972 to 1975. Wicks also set a franchise record for the most rebounds in a single game with 27, a testament to his rebounding prowess, a record that was later surpassed by Enes Kanter Freedom. As of 2009, his total of 4,086 rebounds ranked fifth all-time for the team, and his 8,882 points ranked ninth.

3.2. Boston Celtics and San Diego Clippers

In October 1976, Wicks's playing rights were sold to the Boston Celtics. While with the Blazers, Wicks had consistently averaged over 20 points per game for his first four seasons, but his scoring output had gradually declined after his peak rookie year. This trend continued after his move to the Celtics. He played for the Celtics from 1976 to 1978.

Following his two seasons in Boston, Wicks joined the San Diego Clippers for the 1978-79 season. His scoring average continued to fall, dropping below double digits for the first time in his career. He remained with the Clippers until 1981, after which he concluded his NBA career. Over his ten seasons and 760 games in the NBA, Wicks accumulated 12,803 points, 6,620 rebounds, and 2,437 assists, averaging 16.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

3.3. International Career

After his NBA career, Sidney Wicks played one final season of professional basketball in Italy.

6.1. Major Achievements and Honors

Wicks's career was marked by a string of significant achievements and honors, underscoring his status as a premier player of his era:

• Three-time NCAA Champion: 1969, 1970, 1971
• NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player: 1970
• Two-time Helms National Player of the Year: 1970, 1971
• USBWA Player of the Year: 1971
• The Sporting News Player of the Year: 1971
• Two-time Consensus All-American
  • First-Team All-American: 1971
  • Second-Team All-American: 1970
• NBA Rookie of the Year Award: 1972
• NBA All-Star: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 (four selections)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1972
• UCLA Bruins retired his jersey number, #35.
• Inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame: 1985
• Inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame: 2010

6.2. Impact and Team Records

Wicks's influence extended beyond individual statistics. At UCLA, he was instrumental in extending the Bruins' dominant run of NCAA championships even after the departure of Lew Alcindor, demonstrating his ability to lead a powerhouse program.

With the Portland Trail Blazers, he made an immediate impact as the team's first true star. He held the franchise record for the most rebounds in a single game with 27, a testament to his rebounding prowess, a record later surpassed by Enes Kanter Freedom. As of 2009, Wicks ranked among the Trail Blazers' all-time leaders in several categories, including fifth in total rebounds with 4,086 and ninth in total points with 8,882. His contributions laid foundational elements for the team's future success, even though he was traded before their championship season.

7.1. Regular Season

The following table details Sidney Wicks's performance during his regular season NBA career.

7.2. Playoffs

The following table details Sidney Wicks's performance during his NBA playoff career.

Legend for Statistics Tables:

• 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