This article is about the very talented American basketball player Bob Cousy, who, despite life’s obstacles, managed to become a professional basketball player. Read more about his childhood, development and further progress in the sports arena at i-manhattan.
Early years
Bob Cousy, or Robert Joseph Cousy, is a well-known former American basketball player. He was born on August 9, 1928, in Manhattan to a low-income immigrant family. The boy developed a passion for sports from a young age. He often enjoyed playing stickball, a game similar to baseball, on the streets. When he turned 12, the family moved to Queens. Here, he attended Andrew Jackson High School, where he began playing basketball. However, the boy’s success did not happen immediately, as he was expelled from the school basketball team twice.
However, an unfortunate incident later opened the door to further success. The boy fell from a tree and injured his right arm. This accident forced Bob to play with his left hand, eventually developing a very valuable skill. He was able to play professionally with both hands, which was rare. The school coach noticed this and invited the young man to join the school team, where he played as a point guard. A few years later, Bob Cousy was already a sought-after player. He later enrolled at the College of the Holy Cross, where he received a scholarship and played for the local team. However, he faced another setback here. The coach treated Bob with disdain and occasionally limited his playing time. As a result, the boy considered leaving college.
Formation and further development of the athlete
In 1950, Bob Cousy declared for the NBA draft. As a result, the young athlete was selected by the American professional basketball team, the Atlanta Hawks. But due to some misunderstandings, Cousy soon moved to the National Basketball Association team, the Chicago Stags. After the dissolution of that team, he joined the Boston Celtics. Although the management was not very pleased with the new player, Bob managed to prove his competence and led the team to a record of 39–30 points in the 1950-1951 NBA season. However, in the 1951 NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics lost to the New York Knicks. In the next season, Bob’s performance improved even more. With an average of 7.7 assists per game, he won his first of eight assist titles. In 1953, during the NBA playoffs, Cousy played for 66 minutes and scored 50 points despite a leg injury, making a record-breaking 30 free throws out of 32 attempts. This game is considered one of the greatest scoring feats in NBA history. Over the next three years, Cousy became one of the best point guards in the league. Cousy led the league in assists in three seasons and averaged 20 points and 7 rebounds. He was named NBA’s best point guard three times and was also recognized as the Most Valuable Player. Bob’s style of play was truly unique and captivated many. His methods differed from those of other NBA players, which likely made him special.
In the 1956-1957 season, the basketball player scored 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists, for which he received his first NBA Most Valuable Player award. Additionally, he earned his second NBA All-Star Game MVP award. In the 1957-1958 NBA season, Cousy had another fruitful year. He made 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game, which earned him a nomination for the All-NBA First Team and the All-Star team. Bob again became the NBA leader in assists. In the following 1958-1959 NBA season, Cousy claimed another assists title and several more nominations. At the end of the season, the player once again demonstrated his dominance on the court by setting an NBA record with 28 assists in a game against the Minneapolis Lakers. In the 1959-1960 season, Bob continued showing the best results. His 19.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game brought him his eighth assists championship and another spot on the All-NBA First Team and the All-Star team. In the 1961-1962 season, Cousy began to lose his statistics as he got older, making 15.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists. He retired from professional sports on March 17, 1963, at the age of 34. In 1963, Bob Cousy continued his sports career as the coach of the Boston College Eagles, where he also achieved significant success.