American · New York City · Born 4 June 1921 · Died 2016-01-23American basketball player who starred for Rochester Royals, winning 1951 NBA Championship and earning Hall of Fame induction for exceptional shooting
Robert Francis Wanzer was born on 4 June 1921 in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Benjamin Franklin High School before playing college basketball at Seton Hall and Colgate, his studies interrupted by wartime service. The Rochester Royals selected Wanzer with the tenth overall pick in the 1948 draft, and he spent his entire ten-year playing career with the franchise, developing into one of the most efficient guards of his era and earning five consecutive All-Star selections between 1952 and 1956. Wanzer won an NBA championship with the Royals in 1951, and served as player-coach during his final two seasons before transitioning fully into coaching, leading the Rochester and Cincinnati Royals for one additional season. Wanzer went on to coach St. John Fisher College for 24 years, from 1963 to 1987, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987 and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. He died on 23 January 2016, at age 94, in Pittsford, New York, closing out one of the longest continuous careers in basketball history spanning both playing and coaching.
Being a skilled guard and key player for the Rochester Royals' 1951 NBA Championship team
How They Played
Fundamentally sound guard with excellent shooting and basketball IQ
Lasting Impact
Hall of Fame guard known for his fundamentally sound play and leadership during early NBA years
Career Honours
- NBA Champion (1951)
- All-Star 5x
- All-NBA Second Team 3x
- Hall of Fame (1987)
- 92% free throw season
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Rochester Royals | 1947–1957 | 502 |
American Athletes