Background
Rackley was born in Bainbridge, Georgia and grew up in Troy, New York, where he attended Troy High School.
Rackley was born in Bainbridge, Georgia and grew up in Troy, New York, where he attended Troy High School.
Xavier University.
In his senior season at Troy, Rackley led the team in scoring and rebounding as the Flying Horses went 22-0. The team earned a ranking of Number. 1 in the nation from a University of Kentucky scout, and Rackley was named All-American.
The entire team was inducted into the Capital District Hall of Fame in 2011.
Rackley played college basketball at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a sophomore starting center, he averaged 15.0 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
He had a season-high 25 points against both the University of Utah and Saint Bonaventure University and its All-American center Bob Lanier. Against the University of Detroit, he posted 24 points and 19 rebounds, and he snared 25 rebounds against the University of Dayton.
In his junior season he was limited to seven games due to ineligibility due to his grades, and averaged 9.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
As a senior, Rackley came on strong with team-leading 17.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and a.552 field goal percentage. He had a career-high 29 points in two games. Rackley earned a bachelor"s degree in American Government and Political Science.
He was inducted into the Xavier University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.
Rackley was selected in the third round (37th overall) of the 1969 National Basketball Association Draft by the Cincinnati Royals and by the American Basketball Association"s Minnesota Pipers. He signed with the National Basketball Association"s Royals.
In his rookie season of 1969-1970, he served primarily as the backup to starting center Connie Dierking, playing 66 games and averaging 19 minutes per game, 7.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. On May 11, 1970 he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association expansion draft.
In 1970-1971 for the Cavs, he averaged just over 19 minutes per game, again averaging 7.6 points along with 5.3 rebounds per game.
In 1971-1972, his third season, he played nine games for the Cavaliers, then on November 15, 1971 he was traded to the New York Knicks. He remained a backup center, and for the season averaged 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Foreign the 1972-1973 season, he played one game for the Knicks.
He later signed with the American Basketball Association Memphis Tams.
He played in 57 games, averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. On September 28, 1973 he was claimed on waivers from the Knicks by the Philadelphia 76ers.
He played nine games before being waived on November 28, 1973, ending his five-year professional career. Rackley earned his real estate license and worked as a real estate broker in New York City.
He served as Vice President of Walt Frazier Enterprises and organized teams consisting of National Basketball Association players to play all over the world.
He served as an National Basketball Association scout and owned a casting office for commercials and films. He spent several years as a teacher in the White Plains, New York school system. Rackley also appeared in several television commercials.
Rackley is retired and lives in Manhattan, New New York
He also acted in two movies, The Last Dinosaur and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild.