Jamaal Wilkes

Four-time NBA champion whose silky shooting stroke was among the most distinctive of his era.

Jamaal Abdul-Lateef Wilkes was born in Berkeley, California in 1953 and attended UCLA under coach John Wooden, winning two NCAA championships. Golden State Warriors selected him 11th overall in the 1974 NBA Draft. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1975 — the same year Golden State won the NBA championship. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1977 and won three more championships (1980, 1982, 1985) — giving him four total. He was selected to three All-Star games. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team twice. He scored 37 points in the deciding game of the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. His shooting form — an extremely unorthodox rolling motion he called his shot — was considered one of the most unusual and yet effective in the league. His smooth, seemingly effortless style earned him the nickname Silk. He averaged 17.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game across his career. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. His four championships with two different franchises across a decade of play make him one of the most quietly successful players of the championship era.

Versatile forward with excellent shooting touch and basketball IQ

Four-time NBA champion known for clutch shooting and fundamentally sound play

• NBA Champion 4x (1975, 1980, 1982, 1985)
• Rookie of the Year (1975)
• All-Star 3x
• All-NBA Second Team 2x