Barry Clemens obit

Former Cavs forward Barry Clemens dies

 

He was not on the list.

Barry Clemens was part of the Cavaliers before most of the moments that define the franchise today. His basketball story, though, reached well beyond his two seasons in Cleveland.

The Cavs announced Tuesday that Clemens has died. The Dayton native and Ohio Wesleyan standout played 143 games for Cleveland from 1972 to 1974 during an 11-year NBA career.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group are saddened to learn of the passing of former Cavalier, Barry Clemens,” the organization said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Clemens arrived in Cleveland when the franchise was still finding its footing. He averaged 6.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists during his two seasons with the Cavs, shooting 49.4% from the field.

His path to the NBA began close to home, first at Xenia High School and then at Ohio Wesleyan. By the time he finished college, Clemens was the career scoring leader at both the school and in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

He totaled 1,905 points and 1,230 rebounds in college, earning conference MVP honors after averaging 23 points and 14.7 rebounds as a senior. The Knicks drafted the 6-foot-6 forward in 1965, launching a professional career that also included stops with the Bulls, SuperSonics and Trail Blazers.

Known for his outside shooting, Clemens appeared in 790 NBA games and scored 5,316 points before retiring in 1976. He was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Eleven seasons in the NBA is a substantial career by any measure. For Clemens, it also included the opportunity to return to his home state and become part of the Cavs’ earliest chapters.

 

Personal information

Born    May 1, 1943 (age 83)

Dayton, Ohio, U.S.

Listed height   6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Listed weight  210 lb (95 kg)

Career information

High school     Xenia (Xenia, Ohio)

College            Ohio Wesleyan (1961–1965)

NBA draft        1965: 3rd round, 19th overall pick

Drafted by       New York Knicks

Playing career 1965–1976

Position           Power forward

Number           10, 16, 43, 40

Career history

1965–1966      New York Knicks

1966–1969      Chicago Bulls

1969–1972      Seattle SuperSonics

1972–1974      Cleveland Cavaliers

1974–1976      Portland Trail Blazers

Career highlights

OAC Player of the Year (1965)

Career NBA statistics

Points  5,312 (6.7 ppg)

Rebounds        2,532 (3.2 rpg)

Assists 905 (1.1 apg)