 Buntin from 1965Michiganensian | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1942-05-05)May 5, 1942 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | May 9, 1968(1968-05-09) (aged 26) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Northern (Detroit, Michigan) |
| College | Michigan (1962–1965) |
| NBA draft | 1965:territorial pick |
| Drafted by | Detroit Pistons |
| Playing career | 1965–1966 |
| Position | Power forward /center |
| Number | 17 |
| Career history | |
| 1965–1966 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1966–1967 | Battle Creek Braves / Twin Cities Sailors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 324 (7.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 252 (6.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 36 (0.9 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
William L. Buntin (May 5, 1942 – May 9, 1968) was an American professionalbasketball player in theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theMichigan Wolverines. Buntin died of a heart attack at age 26.
Buntin was born on May 5, 1942, to William and Rosa Buntin. He graduated from,Northern High School inDetroit, Michigan, in 1961, playing under Coach Eddie Powers. He attendedMichigan, playing from 1962 to 1965 for CoachDave Strack.[1]
In three seasons playingcenter for Michigan, the 6' 7" Buntin had 1,037 rebounds, ranking second in school history. He averaged 15.7 rebounds a game in1963 and recorded 58 double-doubles in 79 games, still a school record. His 1,725 points ranks 9th in school history. Playing withCazzie Russell in the 1963–1964 season, Buntin helped Michigan win its first Big Ten title in 16 seasons and advance to theFinal Four.
In 1962–1963, Buntin made his varsity debut (freshman didn't play varsity in his era), averaging 22.3 points and 15.7 rebounds for Michigan and Coach Strack. The team finished 16–8.[2]
Michigan improved to 23–5 in 1963–1964, finishing first in theBig Ten Conference. Buntin averaged 23.2 points and 12.5 rebounds, teaming with Cazzie Russell (24.8, 9.0) to lead the Wolverines to the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in program history.[3][4] In the1964 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, Buntin scored 26 points with 15 rebounds in the 84–80 win against Loyola (Il) and 15 points and 10 rebounds in the 69–57 victory over Ohio. Buntin had 19 points and 10 bounds in the NCAA Final Four 91–80 loss to Duke. He then had 33 points and 14 rebounds in the 3rd place 100–90 victory over Kansas State.[5][6]
As a Senior, Michigan finished 24–4 1964–1965, winning the Big Ten title for a second consecutive season. Buntin averaged 20.1 points and 11.5 rebounds alongside Russell (25.7, 7.5).[7] In the1965 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, Buntin had 26 points and 11 rebounds as Michigan won 98–71 Dayton; he had 26 points and 14 rebounds in the 87–85 over Vanderbilt. In the Final Four 93–76 victory overBill Bradley and Princeton, Buntin had 22 points and 14 rebounds. In the NCAA Championship Final loss to UCLA, he fouled out with 14 points and 6 rebounds.[8][9]
In his senior year, the Wolverines advanced to the 1965 NCAA title game, where they lost, 91–80, toJohn Wooden's UCLA team withGail Goodrich.[2] He was named an All-American in both 1964 and 1965.[10]
Overall, Buntin averaged 21.8 points and 13.1 rebounds in 79 games at Michigan.[11]
Before Buntin embarked on his NBA career, he played for Team USA in the 1965Fifth World Games inBudapest, Hungary. He helped the United States to a gold medal.[12]
Buntin was selected by theDetroit Pistons as a territorial pick in the1965 NBA draft.
Buntin played in 42 games as a rookie for the Pistons in the1965–66 season, averaging 7.7 points and 6.0 rebounds.[13] He was ordered by the Pistons to lose weight and was involved in a conflict with player-coachDave DeBusschere. Buntin was suspended and then released by the Pistons before the start of the1966–67 NBA season.[14]
In 1966–1967, Buntin played with the Battle Creek Braves and Twin Cities Sailors of theNorth American Basketball League under Battle Creek CoachMed Park and Twin Cities CoachJohnny Egan.[15][16][17]
In 1967–1968, he played in the preseason with theIndiana Pacers of theAmerican Basketball Association.[18][16]
In January, 1967, Buntin signed a contract with theDetroit Lions of theNational Football League. Weight was cited as an issue in his professional athletic pursuits.[19][20][21]
During a pick-up basketball game on May 9, 1968, Buntin suffered a fatal heart attack. He was survived by his parents William and Rosa, sister Beverly and three children.[22][20][21]
Former teammate George Pomey said, "(Buntin) was a very easy going, jovial guy who could keep his calm during the toughest games. He accepted everything as it was, never letting things bother him. This was his problem in the pros."[20]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Source[13]
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965–66 | Detroit | 42 | 17.0 | .395 | .615 | 6.0 | .9 | 7.7 |
Buntin has received numerous posthumous honors for his accomplishments in basketball, including: