Former SPHA Ossie Schectman who scored first points in NBA history dies

December 9, 2011; Westwego, LA, USA; A detailed view of the NBA logo and signature of the commissioner David Stern on a basketball on the first day of New Orleans Hornets training camp practice at the Alario Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s a sad day for NBA historians as Ossie Schectman, who scored the first points in NBA history, has passed away at 94.

Schectman was one of the best point guards of his generation though became most famous for scoring the first basket in league history, a two-handed layup against the Toronto Huskies on Nov. 1, 1946.

The New York native was the prototypical point guard scouts and coaches hope for their players to become, excelling in sharing the ball and seeing the game action develop before it ever actually took place.

"“Ossie was one of the pioneers of basketball, certainly Jewish basketball, in the 20th century,” said sports historian Douglas Stark. “His game was based on passing, moving the ball and high-percentage shots.”"

The Queens native played at Long Island University under legendary coach Clair Bee, winning the NIT Championship (which at the time was considered more prestigious than the NCAA championship) in both 1939 and 1941.

He eventually won a championship with the Philadelphia Sphas before joining the New York Knicks of the Basketball Association of America which eventually morphed into the NBA.

Schectman was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and remains one of the most talented players to ever grace the hardwood.

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