The 1973 NBA draft class is widely regarded as one of the weakest draft classes ever. It produced only four total All-Stars (Doug Collins, Kermit Washington, Larry Kenon, and George McGinnis), and the most famous draftee made his mark in the coaching game instead of his playing career (Mike D’Antoni). However, there is one player from that draft class who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves: Ernie DiGregorio.
On the surface, DiGregorio’s numbers are not flashy outside of his rookie season, which we’ll get to in a moment. For his career, which lasted only five seasons due to injuries, he averaged 9.6 points and 5.1 assists for the Buffalo Braves, Lakers, and Celtics.
However, DiGregorio’s legacy goes beyond his stats. First off, he had an unbelievable rookie season in which he won Rookie of the Year, and led the league in assists with 8.2 per game. He also led the league in free-throw percentage at more than 90 percent, a number which he would actually increase in the 1976-77 season, when his mark of 94.5 percent was at the time a league record.
In addition to his remarkable rookie campaign, DiGregorio could do some incredible things with the basketball, as evidenced by the incredible behind-the-back pass from beyond half court from a Final Four game where DiGregorio’s Providence Friars took on Memphis State. DiGregorio not only managed to make a successful flashy pass from that distance, but he also hit the cutter in perfect stride for an easy lay-in. Even 40-plus years later, there are few guys in the league who could make a pass like that.
New York Times writer William C. Rhoden profiled DiGregorio back in 1996, and he wrote about one of the most famous passes in Final Four history.
Few players in college or pro basketball have played such a short time yet established such an enduring legacy. DiGregorio grasped the essence of basketball and expressed it with a verve and flair unusual at a time when “cool” was in. He was a playground player who understood that basketball was a simple game with a simple goal: Score points. Lots of them. DiGregorio enjoyed two great seasons, the second ending with Providence’s loss to Memphis State in the national semifinal game. On the second play of that game, DiGregorio whipped a perfect 30-foot behind-the-back pass to Kevin Stacom on a fast break that people still talk about.
DiGregorio may have only lasted seven seasons between college and the pros, but he made his mark in a way that many players who played double that never could have. Here are some more highlights from the career of DiGregorio, including several more of his trademark passes.