A marquee player in college, in the Olympics and in the NBA, Walt Bellamy was the first player chosen in the 1961 NBA draft (by the Chicago Packers). A star center at Indiana University, he also played on the USA gold winning 1960 Olympic Basketball Team.

Voted 1961-62 NBA Rookie of the Year for the Chicago Packers when he posted a splendid 31.6 points per game average, 2nd highest in the NBA, and his 19.0 rebounds per/game average and 1,500 total rebounds was 3rd highest among all NBA players, trailing only Wilt the Stilt Chamberlain of Philadelphia and Bill Russell of Boston. A very accurate shooter, Walt Bellamy also led the NBA as a rookie in field goal percentage with .519, hitting 973 of 1875 attempts.

The 6-ft 11-inch 225-pound Walt Bellamy posted almost carbon-copy statistics in his second-year as in his first. However, the Chicago Packers certainly weren't about winning - in 1961-62 they finished with a very lousy 18-62 record and after going 25-55 the next season folded due to lack of building a fan base.

Walt Bellamy moved on to the Baltimore Bullets in 1963-1964 (a 31-49 record). He again was in the top-5 among all NBA players in scoring with 27.0 ppg, in rebounding with 17.0 rpg and in field goal pct with .513. With Baltimore in 1964-65 his all-around play helped the Bullets advance to the NBA West Division Finals before losing 4-games to two to a Elgin Baylor led, Los Angels Lakers. Walt Belmany played in a total of 7 postseason NBA playoffs, including two with the NY Knicks and 4 with the Atlanta Hawks. His playoff totals show 18.5 ppg, 850 points, 680 rebounds, 14.8 rpg in 46 games.  

Walt Bellamy bio reads: A tough player he could go muscle-to-muscle with the leading players of this era, including Russell and Chamberlain. A master of the hardcourt, teammates could count on Walt Bellamy to keep the squad going forward in a positive way. A member of the Naismith Hall of Fame, Walt Bellamy compiled a splendid, near all-time NBA record in his first two seasons with an .894 and .827 points created percentages. In all of the 1900s century he ranked Number 24 on the all-time NBA list with a .622 points created pct.

Walt Bellamy stats: 20,941 points in 1043 games, 7914 field goals in 15340 FGA, .516 pct, 5113 FTM, 8088 FTA, .632 pct, 14241 rebounds, 2544 assists, 20.1 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 2,5 apg.