Gail Goodrich is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He won an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
Player Profile and Early Life
Gail Charles Goodrich Jr. was born on April 23, 1943, in Los Angeles, California.
He stands 185 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 77 kg. A guard known for his scoring ability despite his relatively small frame for professional basketball.
| Position | Point Guard |
| Height / weight | 1.85 m / 77 kg |
| Born | 23 Apr 1943 |
| Nationality |
United States
|
| Playing Style | Left Handed |
| Nickname | The Stump |
| Team History | |
New Orleans Jazz
|
1976 - 1979 |
Los Angeles
|
1970 - 1976 |
Phoenix
|
1968 - 1970 |
|
Los Angeles
|
1965 - 1968 |
High School and College Career
Goodrich began his basketball journey at John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in Los Angeles, California. He then attended UCLA from 1962 to 1965, where he established himself as one of college basketball’s elite players.
During his collegiate career, he led the Bruins to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1964 and 1965. He was named Helms Foundation Player of the Year and earned Consensus First-Team All-American honors. He was also selected First-Team All-AAWU in both 1964 and 1965.
The university later retired his jersey number 25.
Professional Career
Goodrich entered the NBA as a territorial pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1965. His professional career spanned from 1965 to 1979, during which he wore numbers 11 and 25.
He began his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers and was there from 1965 to 1968 before joining the Phoenix Suns, playing for them from 1968 to 1970.
His most successful period came during his second stint with the Lakers in 1970 to 1976, where he won an NBA championship in 1972. He concluded his playing career with the New Orleans Jazz and was there from 1976 to 1979.
Throughout his NBA career, Goodrich was selected to the NBA All-Star team five times between 1969 and 1975. He earned All-NBA First Team honors in 1974. The Lakers later retired his number 25.
Career Highlights
- 1972 - NBA Champion
- 1969, 1972-1975 - NBA All-Star
- 1974 - All-NBA First Team
- 1964, 1965 - NCAA Champion
- 1965 - Helms Foundation Player of the Year
- 1965 - Consensus First-Team All-American
- 1964, 1965 - First-Team All-AAWU
- Jersey Number 25 Retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and the UCLA Bruins
