Introduction
Wayne A. Hightower (January 14, 1940 – April 18, 2002) was an American professional basketball player who had a long and productive career in the NBA and ABA, during the 1960s and early 1970s. He was a 6'8" power forward and center. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
College career
Hightower played college basketball at Kansas, with the Kansas Jayhawks.
Professional career
After graduating from college, Hightower moved to Spain, and signed with Real Madrid, whom he led to the 1961–62 season Spanish national domestic league championship, and the 1962 final of FIBA European Champions Cup (now called EuroLeague), which the team lost. He led the Spanish League in scoring that season.
He was drafted in the 1962 NBA draft, at the 7th spot overall, by the San Francisco Warriors, with whom he played for 3 seasons.
The pinnacle of his NBA career came with the Warriors, when together his teammate and fellow Philadelphia native, Wilt Chamberlain, he reached the 1964 NBA Finals. Hightower recorded his best season that year, averaging 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
He later played for several other teams, and moved on to play in the ABA, in 1967, before retiring in 1972.
Death
Hightower died on April 18, 2002, in his hometown of Philadelphia.