Background
Lovellette, Clyde was born on September 7, 1929 in Petersburg, Indiana, United States.
Lovellette, Clyde was born on September 7, 1929 in Petersburg, Indiana, United States.
A two-time All-State performer at Garfield High School in Terre Haute, Indiana, the six-foot-nine Lovellette later attended the University of Kansas where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
He was the first basketball player in history to play on an National Collegiate Athletic Association championship team, Olympics gold medal basketball team, and National Basketball Association championship squad. As a high school junior (1946/47), Lovellette"s previously undefeated high school team in Terre Haute, Indiana lost in the Indiana state championship finals to Shelbyville, Indiana led by Bill Garrett. Lovellette fostered the trend of tall, physical and high-scoring centers.
While at the University of Kansas he led Jayhawks to the 1952 National Collegiate Athletic Association title, capturing Most Valuable Player honors and scoring a then-National Collegiate Athletic Association-record 141 points.
A two-time first-team All-American at Kansas, Clyde led the Big Seven in scoring in each of his three seasons. Lovellette and basketball legend Dean Smith were teammates at Kansas.
Lovellette"s dominance in the paint landed him a place on the 1952 Summer Olympics gold medal team in Helsinki, Finland and he was the team"s dominating player and leading scorer. At the pro level, Clyde became one of the first big men to move outside and utilize the one-handed set shot that extended his shooting range and offensive repertoire.
This tactic enabled him to play either the small forward, power forward or center positions, forcing the opposition"s big man to play out of position.
In 704 National Basketball Association games with the Minneapolis Lakers, Cincinnati Royals, Saint Louis Hawks and Boston Celtics, Lovellette scored 11,947 points (170 ppg) and grabbed 6,663 rebounds (93 rpg). Selected to play in three National Basketball Association All-Star Games, Lovellette was an integral component of championships in Minneapolis (1954) and Boston (1963, 1964). He is also featured in the "50s All-Star roster on National Basketball Association Live 2007.
After retiring he participated in a variety of activities including serving as Sheriff of Vigo County, Indiana, farming, business activities, and then found a position at Whites Residential Services, a faith-based school in Wabash County, Indiana for at-risk teenagers where he served for 20 years and was successful in providing a positive influence on their lives.
He resided at one time in the small town of Munising in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where he served as the Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach and on the city council. Lovellette died from cancer in North Manchester, Indiana at the age of 86.