 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1935-12-12)December 12, 1935 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | July 5, 2021(2021-07-05) (aged 85) Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | William L. Dickinson (Jersey City, New Jersey) |
| College | Washington and Lee (1954–1958) |
| NBA draft | 1958: 4th round, 31st overall pick |
| Selected by theBoston Celtics | |
| Position | Point guard |
| Number | 44, 45 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Dominick Anthony Flora (June 12, 1935 – July 5, 2021) was anAll-American college basketball standout atWashington and Lee University (W&L), located inLexington, Virginia.[1][2][3] Flora played for the W&L Generals from 1954–55 to1957–58.[2] Dom Flora was a native ofJersey City,New Jersey and played high school football, baseball, and basketball forWilliam L. Dickinson High School.[1]
Apoint guard, Flora was an explosive scorer whose accuratejump shot and crisp ball-handling ability helped him average 21 points per game for his career.[2] He was able to score despite being double– and triple–teamed by opposing defenses, and his aggressive style of play led him to become one of the most prolificfree throw shooters inNCAADivision I history.[2][4] As of the conclusion of the2011–12 season, Flora's 696 free throws made are still in the top 25 all-time in Division I history.[4] He shot 696-for-954 (73.0%) in 109 career games played.[4]
As asenior in 1957–58, Flora was named theSouthern Conference Player of the Year, the Virginia Big Six Player of the Year, and a First Team All-America selection by theHelms Foundation that also included NBA all-time legendsWilt Chamberlain,Oscar Robertson, andElgin Baylor.[2] He also earned his second straight First Team All-Southern Conference selection.[2] When his career ended, Flora finished with 2,310 points, which at the time was the fifth–highest total in NCAA history.[1][2]
Dom was also a standout on the baseball diamond playing baseball all four years while at W&L after turning down a contract from theNew York Giants (baseball) MLB team.[2]
Dom was drafted by theBoston Celtics in the 1958NBA draft (31st overall pick). That team already hadBob Cousy,Bill Russell,Bill Sharman, andTom Heinsohn (and would go on to win the NBA championship in 1959). Dom was traded after the pre-season camp to TheAkron Goodyear Wingfoots as part of the prestigiousNational Industrial Basketball League inAkron, OH from 1958 to 1960.
He eventually moved from playing into the front office including being a Sales and Marketing Executive for thePortland Thunder of theWorld Football League, Director of Marketing for theNew York Cosmos in theNorth American Soccer League (including the 1977 championship team led by soccer superstarPelé), as well as General Manager for theCleveland Force of theNational Indoor Soccer League.
Bill Brill, a sports writer forThe Roanoke Times & World News, once wrote about Flora:
“Flora left the fans gasping with one bit of razzle-dazzle, on which he dribbled with his left hand, jumped into the air, switched the ball behind his back to his right hand, and made a jump shot. It was worth the price of admission.”[2]