| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1949-08-21)August 21, 1949 (age 76) Hamburg, West Germany |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Saint Casimir (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) |
| College | George Washington (1968–1971) |
| NBA draft | 1971: 4th round, 65th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Phoenix Suns |
| Playing career | 1971–1984 |
| Position | Small forward |
| Number | 21 |
| Career history | |
| 1971–1972 | Pittsburgh Condors |
| 1972–1973 | Wilkes-Barre Barons |
| 1973–1980 | Real Madrid |
| 1980–1982 | A.P.U. Udine |
| 1983–1984 | Canarias |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Walter Szczerbiak Sr.[a] (bornWolodymir Szczerbiak, August 21, 1949) is an American former professionalbasketball player. At 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), Szczerbiak played at thesmall forward position.
On February 3, 2008, Szczerbiak was chosen as one of the50 most influential personalities to European club basketball, over the previous half-century, by theEuroLeague Basketball Experts Committee.[1]
Born Wolodymir Szczerbiak in aUkrainian refugee camp inHamburg,West Germany, he received a sponsorship from a Ukrainian Catholic Church to immigrate toPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in December 1951. He later attended St. Basil College, a Ukrainian Catholic minor seminary inStamford, Connecticut, where he first learned to play basketball. He later graduated from St. Casimir High School in Pittsburgh.[2]
Szczerbiak attendedGeorge Washington University, where he playedcollege basketball. In 1985, he was inducted into the GW Athletics Hall of Fame.[3]
After college, Szczerbiak was drafted by thePhoenix Suns, in the 4th round (14th pick, 65th overall) of the1971 NBA draft.[4] He was also drafted by theDallas Chaparrals, of theAmerican Basketball Association (ABA), in the 1971ABA Draft.[5]
Szczerbiak played in the ABA during the1971–72 season, as a member of thePittsburgh Condors. He then joined theKentucky Colonels, who selected him in the Condors' dispersal draft, but he was later cut from Kentucky's roster.[6]
Szczerbiak played for theWilkes-Barre Barons of theEastern Basketball Association (EBA) during the 1972–73 season and was selected to the All-EBA First Team.[7]
Szczerbiak won threeEuroLeague titles with theSpanish League clubReal Madrid (1974,1978, and1980). He also won theFIBA Intercontinental Cup three times with Real Madrid (1976,1977, and1978). He wasnamed the MVP of the1977 FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
Szczerbiak was born inWest Germany toUkrainian parents who met in arefugee camp,[which?] afterWorld War II. They later emigrated toPittsburgh.[8] His sonWally is a formerNBA player.
