Education
He attended Corona del March High School, where he was a guard turned forward.
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John Vallely
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He played for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins and in the National Basketball Association. He was selected to the all California Interscholastic Federation team and twice captured All Irvine League honors. As a 6"2" forward for Orange Coast College, Vallely averaged 26 points per game and broke 18 scoring records.
He was selected a junior college All American.
He dribbled with his left hand and shot with his right hand. Vallely was quick to make the transition from forward to guard at University of California, Los Los Angeles In his first season, he was the Bruins" third leading scorer (129 ppg) and adapted smoothly to head coach John Wooden"s "attack and gamble offense".
Vallely majored in economics at University of California, Los Angeles and had a 3.36 grade point average as a junior. He was selected to the twelve man 1968 Olympic trials team coached by Jerry Tarkanian which competed in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He was taken by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 1970 National Basketball Association Draft.
He sat on the bench much of the time, playing behind Pete Maravich, Lou Hudson, Walt Hazzard, and Herm Gilliam. Vallely was acquired by the Houston Rockets in November 1971 along with 6"7" forward Jim Davis. Vallely was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2003.
He had a single stem cell treatment which was unsuccessful.
He received a second offer from a stem cell donor bank, which received a nearly exact match from a winemaker who lived near Frankfurt, Germany. This time the treatment was a success.
Vallely was able to meet his donor following a two-year waiting period.
Achievements
Membership
Vallely was an integral member of the Bruins" backcourt after transferring from Orange Coast College in 1968.
Personality
He was especially good at shooting an outside jump shot.
