march american basketball player center played college basketball national collegiate athletic association ncaa high school career recruited time led team ncaa tournament championship voted outstanding player event point scandal revealed year accused involved denied left december university banned squad march testified grand jury new_york indicted charges convicted case went trial prevented competing national_basketball_association nba afterward instead played professionally minor league teams seasons teams won championships retired businessman working sales operating restaurants upset accusations early 1950s final years early life born florida moved columbus georgia time taking basketball played high school team points half game action following year moved georgia basketball team arrived principal high school created team came high school seasons forced play shoes school shoes fit wear pairs points year high school career college career recruitment universities wanted basketball scholarship aware georgia newspaper publisher writer called powerful man lexington according cox ran hearing publisher indicated desire attend university notified kentucky men basketball coach elected scout watch play following positive feedback scout gave invitation camp held alumni gymnasium try leading high school seniors received scholarship camp day players offered scholarship seven foot concerned weight pounds told play added pounds pounds summer time year players allowed compete varsity teams spent year kentucky freshman team varsity team won second consecutive teams practiced varsity team member later said american center olympic team players practiced lexington gained knowledge skills team members competed games freshman teams including posted points games averaged points game season lost leading players championship winning teams graduation including beard response focal point team team exceeded expectations february game won broke team record points game scored game previous season record broken field goal attempts remain school record tied point scoring records march point performance sec game kentucky won tennessee win seventh consecutive season kentucky ended regular season record averaged points game despite record sec title ncaa tournament selection committee team berth tournament kentucky gain berth eliminated game forced bench final minutes half accumulating personal end season named sec team associated_press selected american team set school record february game gathering rebounds remains tied team record number rebounds game season averaged points game added rebounds game point total led sec regular season points league history time record regular season entered postseason ranked team country losses came sec tournament affect team prospects ncaa tournament berth sec decided send regular season champion newly expanded team tournament kentucky advanced tournament final points rebounds win illinois faced ncaa championship game despite falling early contest took lead second half pulled away win played important role victory scoring points pulling rebounds said game difference went work performance final named event outstanding player later selected american team sec team second straight season gambling scandal revealed series college basketball players points ensure teams lost point spread according manhattan district attorney players involved point match fixing games affected figure included kentucky players beard engaged point game having sidelined early season knee surgery gave eligibility play december denied rumors involved scandal calling false intended return situation resolved kentucky athletic association expected february association directors agreed testify grand jury new_york grand jury appearance later february university banned permanently march statement kentucky athletic board said evidence pointed fixing games sugar bowl tournament charged players engage point tournament games eventually pleaded guilty grand jury testimony denied receiving points games december january talking april grand jury indicted charges lying oath testimony claiming seven occasions trial june arrested new_york released pending trial started january testified asked included point upset payment role sugar bowl game anticipated contradicted original grand jury testimony mention involvement told grand jury west met west declined testify leading criminal contempt charges denied taking scandal stating turned different occasions according teammate mentioned grand jury said learned line trial lasted days case went jury margin majority supported hung jury caused grand jury eventually dropped charges professional career found guilty scandal found nba league president banned players involved scandal life later tried sign refused approve contract filed lawsuit nba seeking damages afterward claimed rights act violated sued league federal court dropping initial case response offered settle accepted according sportswriter felt choice accept court schedule won case old viable nba prospect case future kentucky coach said people feel centers time chance mature nba instead spent professional career playing numerous minor league teams october played games scoring points contests season member detroit team seasons spent time teams connected harlem exhibition team game got fight player hall seasons played team later renamed kentucky beginning season spent remaining professional seasons seasons spent led team consecutive league championships april scored points title game setting playoff record player league history point season points march game play reached agreement join semi professional years points game average exceeded moved season played seasons club season bullets points game highest average career outside competition received opportunity play opposite leading nba center chamberlain exhibition game held connecticut point rebound performance statistics comparable chamberlain recorded point rebound game bullets won league championship played seasons different hawaii chiefs named second team averaging points game rebounds game chiefs total points second season shortened league suspended operations average points game games history points scored fourth rebounds returned join scranton miners played seasons highest scoring average miners came season points game final professional season went barons playing salary contest points game february participated final professional game taking advantage nba rules took star game baltimore featuring players bullets san_diego rockets game led teams scoring points team lost point day later retired saying meant finish career game like end career physical condition declined played kentucky said completely disabled barely walk later life retiring basketball businessman moved kentucky majority jobs involved sales included selling building materials insurance helped develop real estate owned restaurants including lexington based time state deputy insurance commissioner ran primary election lieutenant governor kentucky democrat came seven person race final public appearance reunion team lexington writer says time according wife got accusation college basketball scandal bill let devastated living florida later hurt automobile accident aggravated lower injury son said recovery affected posture chronic pain post accident bone operation piece equipment lodged lower according won small hospital lawsuit moved costa_rica friend months come couple separate legally found dead natural causes age received notable honors posthumously jersey number retired january kentucky sports hall fame inducted september
Bill Spivey