Spencer Haywood Teams and NBA Journey
Spencer Haywood played for several NBA teams after a landmark Supreme Court case allowed him to leave college early. He joined the Denver Rockets in the ABA in 1970, then moved to the NBA with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1971. He later played for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Bullets. His path is documented on his official NBA player page at nba.com/history/hall-of-fame/spencer-haywood.
Haywood won the ABA Rookie of the Year and an NBA championship with the Lakers in 1980. His career averages include 20.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game over 13 NBA seasons. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, cementing his legacy among the players who changed the league's eligibility rules.
ABA and Early Career Teams
Denver Rockets and ABA Dominance
Haywood joined the Denver Rockets in 1970 after leaving the University of Detroit. He averaged 30.0 points and 19.5 rebounds in his first ABA season and won the ABA Most Valuable Player award. His performance helped the Rockets reach the ABA Finals and established him as one of the top big men in the league.
The ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, and four ABA teams joined the NBA. Haywood's earlier move set a precedent for players entering the league before graduating. His case is referenced in legal and sports history sources such as supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/401/223/.
Later NBA Stints and Final Teams
New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers
Haywood was traded to the New York Knicks in 1975, where he played alongside Walt Frazier and Bill Bradley. He joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and won an NBA championship in his first season with the team. He also played for the Washington Bullets before retiring in 1984.
After his playing career, Haywood remained connected to basketball through business and advocacy roles. His career is tracked by the Basketball Reference database at basketball-reference.com/players/h/haywoods01.html.