Marvin Webster

Marvin Webster

No. 10, 40
Center
Personal information
Date of birth	April 13, 1952(1952-04-13)
Place of birth	Baltimore, Maryland
Nationality	American
Date of death	April 4, 2009(2009-04-04) (aged 56)
Place of death	Tulsa, Oklahoma
High school	Edmondson (Baltimore, Maryland)
Listed height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
College	Morgan State (1971–1975)
NBA Draft	1975 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Pro career	1975–1987
Career history
1975–1977	Denver Nuggets (ABA and NBA)
1977–1978	Seattle SuperSonics
1978–1984	New York Knicks
1987	Milwaukee Bucks
Career highlights and awards
3× MEAC Player of the Year (1973–1975)
Career ABA and NBA statistics
Points	4,302 (7.0 ppg)
Rebounds	4,218 (6.8 rpg)
Blocks	881 (1.4 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Marvin Nathaniel Webster (April 13, 1952 – April 4, 2009) was an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Human Eraser" and "Marvin the Magnificent", he played one season in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and nine in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Denver Nuggets (1975–77), Seattle SuperSonics (1977–78), New York Knickerbockers (1978–84) and Milwaukee Bucks (1986–87).

College career

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of a Baltimore preacher, Webster attended Edmondson High School in the city.^[1] A four-year basketball letterman at Morgan State University, he earned the nickname "The Human Eraser" as a junior when he averaged eight blocked shots a game while helping the Bears capture the 1974 NCAA Division II Championship. He averaged 21 points and 22.4 rebounds and was named Division II player of the year.^[2]

Webster still holds eight career school records: 1,990 points, 2,267 rebounds, 19.5 rebounds per game, 785 field goals made, 424 free throws made, 644 free throws attempted, 722 blocks and 110 games started.^[3] His 740 rebounds in 1974 and 2,267 career total are still second all-time in NCAA history in their respective categories.^[4] He was named to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball 50th Anniversary All-Elite Eight Team in 2006.^[5]

Professional career

Webster was selected in the first round of both the NBA and ABA Drafts in 1975 (third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, first overall by the Denver Nuggets, respectively). After signing with the Nuggets, he was diagnosed with a form of hepatitis, and played only 38 games as a rookie in 1975–76.^[6]

A 7' 1" center, Webster helped the Nuggets win the 1976-77 NBA Midwest Division and the SuperSonics the 1977-78 NBA Western Conference title. His finest season was his single year with Seattle, in which he averaged 14.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game.^[7] He raised his performance in the SuperSonics’ 22-game playoff run that year, averaging 16.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, and more than 2.6 blocks per game.^[7] Webster still holds the SuperSonics' record for rebounds in one half with 21.^[8]

Webster was found dead in a Tulsa, Oklahoma hotel room on April 4, 2009.^[9] He was 56 years old. It is believed that he died of a coronary artery disease.^[2]

Family

Webster's son, Marvin Webster Jr., was recruited to play basketball at Temple University, but died at age 19 from a heart attack prior to his sophomore season.^[10]

Later in his life, Webster lived in Metuchen, New Jersey.^[11]

References

1. ^ Hannon, Kent. "Cashing In On Marvin's Guardin'," Sports Illustrated, January 6, 1975.
2. ^ ^{a b} Goldstein, Richard (April 8, 2009). "Marvin Webster, Basketball’s Human Eraser, Dies at 56". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/sports/basketball/09webster.html?ref=obituaries. 
3. ^ 2008–09 Morgan State University Men's Basketball Media Guide – Bears Records.
4. ^ Official 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book – Individual Collegiate Records (Career).
5. ^ "Walt Frazier, Phil Jackson, Earl Monroe, Jerry Sloan Highlight NCAA Division II Men's Basketball 50th Anniversary All-Elite Eight Team". NCAA. March 6, 2006. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=4520. Retrieved 2009-04-09. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ Moss, Irv. "Webster center of attention for Nuggets in '70s," The Denver Post, Thursday, April 9, 2009.
7. ^ ^{a b} "Basketball-Reference.com:Marvin Webster". basketball-reference.com. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/webstma01.html. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
8. ^ "Sonics 40th Anniversary Team: 1976-83 Era". nba.com. http://www.nba.com/sonics/history/40th_anniversary_nominees.html. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
9. ^ Ken Murray. Marvin Webster dead at 56. The Baltimore Sun. Thursday, April 9, 2009. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
10. ^ "Marvin Webster Jr., 19, Dies After Heart Attack". Seattle Times. 1997-08-14. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19970814&slug=2554725. Retrieved 2009-04-09. 
11. ^ Araton, Harvey. "Remembering Marvin Webster, Once a Knicks Savior", The New York Times, April 8, 2009. Accessed June 27, 2011. "I had an address for him at a condominium development in Metuchen, N.J., where he was said to be working in real estate. A few months after Marvin Jr.’s death, I slipped a note under his door, with my telephone number, which went uncalled. A neighbor told me that Webster was not seen very often and generally kept to himself."

External links

• Latzke, Jeff. "Ex-Sonics star Marvin Webster found dead in hotel," The Associated Press, Wednesday, April 8, 2009.
• Allen, Percy. "Former Sonic Marvin Webster dies at 56," The Seattle Times, Thursday, April 9, 2009.
• Marvin Webster – Sports Illustrated cover, October 16, 1978.
• Kirkpatrick, Curry. "Heavens, What A Year Ahead!" Sports Illustrated, October 16, 1978.
• Pearlman, Jeff. "Catching Up With...SuperSonics center Marvin Webster-May 22, 1978," Sports Illustrated, May 5, 1997.
• Seattle PI: Photos | Death of Marvin Webster

Persondata
Name	Webster, Marvin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 13, 1952
Place of birth	Baltimore, Maryland
Date of death	April 4, 2009
Place of death	Tulsa, Oklahoma