American-Greek basketball player (1935–2017)
Nicholas Mantis (December 7, 1935 – August 13, 2017) was an American-Greek professional basketball player.[1]
College career
After having a standout career as a high school player at East Chicago Washington High, while playing for head coach Johnny Baratto; Mantis enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Northwestern, where he led the Wildcats in field goal percentage as a senior. That season (1958–59), he served as team captain, and led them to their best finish in the Big Ten - a tie for 2nd with an 8-6 conference record, 15-7 overall. The Wildcats won nine of their first ten games, dropping a stunner to #5 ranked North Carolina in the University of Louisville-hosted 'Bluegrass Festival Tournament.' The Wildcats spent seven consecutive weeks on the AP Poll, and knocked off the Jerry West-led West Virginia Mountaineers.[2]
Professional career
Mantis was selected in the 1959 NBA draft, by the St. Louis Hawks, after a collegiate career at Northwestern University.[1] He played for the Hawks, Minneapolis Lakers, and Chicago Zephyrs, during a two-year NBA career.[1] Mantis also played in the American Basketball League in the 1961–62 season, and in the Midwest Professional Basketball League, earning league MVP and first-team all-league honors, in the 1963–64 season.[3]
Death
Mantis died on August 13, 2017, at the age of 81.[4]
Career statistics
NBA
Source[1]
Regular season
Year
|
Team
|
GP
|
MPG
|
FG%
|
FT%
|
RPG
|
APG
|
PPG
|
1959–60
|
Minneapolis
|
10 |
7.1 |
.256 |
.500 |
.6 |
.9 |
2.1
|
1962–63
|
St. Louis
|
9 |
6.4 |
.400 |
.333 |
.7 |
.8 |
2.1
|
1962–63
|
Chicago
|
33 |
19.0 |
.384 |
.600 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
5.9
|
Career
|
52 |
14.5 |
.367 |
.549 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
4.5
|
References
External links