286:
270:
441:. The 6'4" Sellers changed to the guard position, having played forward in college, and struggled with the increased ball-handling responsibilities. Sellers said, "I couldn't play guard. They had doubts. Even me, I had doubts." Sellers spent the year with Detroit, playing the tumultuous
472:
Sellers returned to
Rutgers as an assistant coach for four years in the 1980s before moving to work in the private sector. Sellers was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. Former Rutgers President Dr.
424:
106-92. Sellers graduated from
Rutgers in 1976 and is still the school's all-time leading scorer (2,399) and rebounder (1,115). On January 16, 1988, he had his jersey number (#12) retired, making him one of only three Scarlet Knights players to have ever been so honored.
477:, said of Sellers that he "epitomized and symbolized in ways that people who gain the public eye sometimes do, a movement at Rutgers toward quality and self-assurance. He helped instill a sense of confidence in the university that persists today."
374:. His decision to become a Scarlet Knight was initially criticized as Rutgers was a small, unheralded and independent program at the time but Sellers found instant success, averaging 19.5 ppg in his freshman season, helping lead Rutgers to the
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464:. He tried out for the Pistons again in 1979, under his former assistant coach at Rutgers Dick Vitale, but was cut before the season began.
348:
396:
Rutgers took another step in 1975-76. Sellers, a senior and
Consensus Second Team All-American, led the team to a 31–0 start, averaging a
914:
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226:
215:
105:
670:
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91-75 to advance to the Final Four. The team finished 31–2, with their only two losses occurring in the national semifinals, 86-70 to
401:
386:
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1017:
390:
343:
honors at
Jefferson and received over 200 scholarship offers from colleges across the country to play basketball. Sellers signed a
336:
335:'s Dapper Dan Tournament, a tournament with the nation's top high school players, at the end of his senior season. He also earned
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1216:
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Sellers and
Rutgers continued their winning ways in 1974-75, finishing with a 22-7 record and the first
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370:, Sellers was recruited by and played under then-assistant coach and future college basketball legend
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Phil
Sellers died in Livingston, New Jersey from a stroke on September 19, 2023, at the age of 69.
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After graduating from
Rutgers, Sellers was picked in the third round (38th overall) of the
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8:
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285:
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1380:
1320:
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1412:
490:
List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
344:
222:
1708:
1428:
1340:
452:
After his release by
Detroit, Sellers played for the Jersey Shore Bullets in the
449:, averaging 4.5 ppg in 44 games. He was released prior to the following season.
438:
304:
174:
127:
378:(NIT) and then following that up in his second season with 23.2 ppg and another
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844:"Phil Sellers to be Inducted into New York City Basketball Hall of Fame"
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299:(November 20, 1953 – September 19, 2023) was an American professional
1224:
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113:
863:"Phil Sellers, Whose Basketball Stardom Was Short-Lived, Dies at 69"
264:
363:
specially designed to help students from low-income backgrounds.
327:
in
Brooklyn. He achieved success at the prep level, winning the
351:, but academic concerns made him reconsider and so he attended
400:
of 19.2 ppg and 10.2 rpg, the
Scarlet Knights advanced to the
1812:
American expatriate basketball people in the Netherlands
826:"Phil Sellers (1993) - Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame"
1837:
Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
715:"Rutgers vs. Connecticut Box Score, March 18, 1976"
915:1976 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans
649:"Rutgers vs. Louisville Box Score, March 15, 1975"
697:"Rutgers vs. Princeton Box Score, March 13, 1976"
1847:Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball players
1842:Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball coaches
1778:
733:"Rutgers vs. Michigan Box Score, March 27, 1976"
1867:Thomas Jefferson High School (Brooklyn) alumni
1807:All-American college men's basketball players
1011:
899:
751:"UCLA vs. Rutgers Box Score, March 29, 1976"
538:
323:, Sellers played high school basketball at
1802:21st-century African-American sportspeople
1797:20th-century African-American sportspeople
1025:
1018:
1004:
906:
892:
755:College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
737:College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
719:College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
701:College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
671:National Association of Basketball Coaches
653:College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
635:College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
602:Thomas Jr., Robert M. (January 11, 1988).
601:
284:
268:
796:. March 18, 1983 – via NYTimes.com.
604:"SPORTS WORLD SPECIALS; The Right Choice"
389:appearance, losing a first round game to
860:
571:
539:Kirschenbaum, Jerry (January 20, 1975).
784:
782:
1779:
790:"PHIL SELLERS REMEMBERS A BETTER TIME"
428:
393:91-78 with Sellers scoring 29 points.
16:American basketball player (1953–2023)
999:
887:
861:Sandomir, Neil (September 26, 2023).
597:
595:
593:
591:
589:
587:
507:
505:
779:
534:
532:
530:
667:"All-America - Division I (1970's)"
376:1973 National Invitation Tournament
13:
584:
502:
454:Continental Basketball Association
241:retired by Rutgers Scarlet Knights
14:
1878:
1817:American men's basketball players
527:
420:and then the third-place game to
314:
72:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
1862:Basketball players from Brooklyn
574:"SELLERS ACCEPTS NOTRE DAME BID"
467:
854:
836:
818:
808:"Phil Sellers 1976-77 Game Log"
800:
761:
743:
725:
309:National Basketball Association
121:: 3rd round, 48th overall pick
707:
689:
659:
641:
623:
565:
443:1976-77 Detroit Pistons season
1:
572:Goldaper, Sam (May 9, 1972).
495:
1832:Jersey Shore Bullets players
848:Rutgers University Athletics
830:Rutgers University Athletics
773:Rutgers University Athletics
631:"Phil Sellers College Stats"
325:Thomas Jefferson High School
203:Career highlights and awards
7:
1822:Detroit Pistons draft picks
483:
289:at Basketball-Reference.com
10:
1883:
769:"The Unforgettable Season"
515:. basketball-reference.com
221:Third-team All-American –
1034:
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541:"One Very Stormy Sellers"
513:"Phil Sellers Statistics"
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101:
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68:
51:
31:
26:
812:Basketball-Reference.com
580:– via NYTimes.com.
447:Marvin "Bad News" Barnes
80:195 lb (88 kg)
1827:Detroit Pistons players
210:Consensus second-team
62:Livingston, New Jersey
404:, winning games over
184:Jersey Shore Bullets
97:(Brooklyn, New York)
27:Personal information
475:Edward J. Bloustein
429:Professional career
297:Phillip Sellers Jr.
236:winner (1975, 1976)
23:
949:Richard Washington
867:The New York Times
794:The New York Times
578:The New York Times
553:on January 2, 2013
546:Sports Illustrated
361:Rutgers University
353:Livingston College
321:Brooklyn, New York
85:Career information
55:September 19, 2023
45:Brooklyn, New York
21:
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42:November 20, 1953
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673:. Archived from
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549:. Archived from
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345:letter of intent
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126:Selected by the
94:Thomas Jefferson
58:
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1852:Shooting guards
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677:on May 24, 2024
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439:Detroit Pistons
431:
402:NCAA Tournament
387:NCAA Tournament
317:
305:Detroit Pistons
303:player for the
279:
263:
175:Detroit Pistons
128:Detroit Pistons
96:
60:
56:
43:
37:
35:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1880:
1870:
1869:
1864:
1859:
1857:Small forwards
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1741:Mamukelashvili
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1027:Haggerty Award
1023:
1022:
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1008:
1000:
991:
990:
988:
987:
982:
977:
972:
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961:
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934:Adrian Dantley
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609:New York Times
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435:1976 NBA draft
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380:NIT appearance
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315:Amateur career
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234:Haggerty Award
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164:Career history
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150:shooting guard
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134:Playing career
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59:(aged 69)
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975:Mitch Kupchak
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872:September 26,
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468:Personal life
465:
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459:
458:BV Amstelveen
456:and then for
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151:
147:
146:Small forward
144:
140:
136:
132:
129:
124:
120:
117:
115:
111:
107:
104:
100:
95:
92:
88:
83:
79:
77:Listed weight
75:
71:
69:Listed height
67:
63:
54:
50:
46:
34:
30:
25:
19:
1413:Callandrillo
1364:
1356:
980:Phil Sellers
979:
970:Bernard King
870:. Retrieved
866:
856:
847:
838:
829:
820:
811:
802:
793:
772:
763:
754:
745:
736:
727:
718:
709:
700:
691:
679:. Retrieved
675:the original
661:
652:
643:
634:
625:
613:. Retrieved
607:
577:
567:
555:. Retrieved
551:the original
544:
517:. Retrieved
479:
471:
451:
432:
395:
384:
365:
359:, a part of
341:All-American
338:
318:
296:
295:
250:All-American
247:
212:All-American
57:(2023-09-19)
22:Phil Sellers
18:
1792:2023 deaths
1787:1953 births
958:Second Team
929:Kent Benson
462:Netherlands
412:93-79, and
410:Connecticut
372:Dick Vitale
347:to play at
337:Third-Team
245:Third-team
108:(1972–1976)
90:High school
1781:Categories
1577:Richardson
1537:A. Griffin
1529:J. Griffin
1521:Karnišovas
1461:M. Jackson
1257:Ba. Kramer
1241:T. Jackson
1217:Cunningham
1169:MacGilvray
1049:Be. Kramer
985:Earl Tatum
939:John Lucas
922:First Team
496:References
391:Louisville
357:New Jersey
349:Notre Dame
333:Pittsburgh
301:basketball
273:at NBA.com
38:1953-11-20
1701:Whitehead
1341:Schaeffer
1321:Yelverton
1313:McMillian
1305:McMillian
1297:McMillian
1129:Tanenbaum
1121:Tanenbaum
1081:Garfinkel
965:Phil Ford
944:Scott May
406:Princeton
331:Award of
189:1978–1979
170:1976–1977
137:1976–1979
114:NBA draft
1685:Harrison
1677:L. Jones
1637:Thompson
1545:C. Jones
1517:Buchanan
1405:Springer
1333:Sullivan
1153:S. White
1113:Kotsores
1089:J. White
1073:Auerbach
681:June 11,
615:June 11,
557:June 11,
519:June 11,
484:See also
418:Michigan
319:Born in
142:Position
1757:Estrada
1709:Delgado
1693:Pointer
1669:Machado
1661:Jenkins
1653:Jenkins
1645:Jenkins
1601:Barrett
1569:Claxton
1457:Houston
1381:Johnson
1365:Sellers
1357:Sellers
1349:Campion
1265:Werkman
1233:Sanders
1201:Thieben
1145:McGuire
1137:Schayes
1105:McGuire
1065:Torgoff
1057:Fliegel
1029:winners
460:in the
437:by the
408:54-53,
368:Rutgers
307:of the
239:No. 12
106:Rutgers
102:College
1765:Thomas
1763:2024:
1755:2023:
1749:Harper
1747:2022:
1739:2021:
1733:Powell
1731:2020:
1725:Powell
1723:2019:
1715:2018:
1707:2017:
1699:2016:
1691:2015:
1683:2014:
1675:2013:
1667:2012:
1659:2011:
1651:2010:
1643:2009:
1635:2008:
1629:Jordan
1627:2007:
1619:2006:
1611:2005:
1605:Flores
1603:&
1599:2004:
1593:Flores
1591:2003:
1585:Hatten
1583:2002:
1575:2001:
1567:2000:
1561:Artest
1559:1999:
1551:1998:
1543:1997:
1535:1996:
1527:1995:
1519:&
1515:1994:
1509:Dehere
1507:1993:
1499:1992:
1491:1991:
1485:Harvey
1483:1990:
1477:Morton
1475:1989:
1469:Bryant
1467:1988:
1459:&
1455:1987:
1447:1986:
1441:Mullin
1439:1985:
1433:Mullin
1431:&
1427:1984:
1421:Mullin
1419:1983:
1411:1982:
1403:1981:
1397:Ruland
1395:1980:
1387:1979:
1379:1978:
1373:Laurel
1371:1977:
1363:1976:
1355:1975:
1347:1974:
1339:1973:
1331:&
1329:Garner
1327:1972:
1319:1971:
1311:1970:
1303:1969:
1295:1968:
1287:1967:
1279:1966:
1271:1965:
1263:1964:
1255:1963:
1247:1962:
1239:1961:
1231:1960:
1225:Seiden
1223:1959:
1215:1958:
1207:1957:
1199:1956:
1193:Conlin
1191:1955:
1185:Conlin
1183:1954:
1175:1953:
1167:1952:
1159:1951:
1151:1950:
1143:1949:
1135:1948:
1127:1947:
1119:1946:
1111:1945:
1103:1944:
1097:Levane
1095:1943:
1087:1942:
1079:1941:
1071:1940:
1063:1939:
1055:1938:
1047:1937:
1041:Bender
1039:1936:
339:Parade
283:
267:
252:(1972)
248:Parade
156:Number
64:, U.S.
47:, U.S.
1717:Ponds
1621:Douby
1613:Clark
1553:López
1501:Sealy
1493:Sealy
1449:Berry
1429:Burtt
1389:Galis
1281:Grant
1273:Isaac
1249:Ellis
1209:Forte
1177:Dukes
1161:Azary
445:with
281:Stats
265:Stats
1289:Dove
874:2023
683:2009
617:2009
559:2009
521:2009
422:UCLA
227:1975
216:1976
181:1978
119:1976
52:Died
32:Born
414:VMI
366:At
355:in
329:MVP
232:2×
1783::
865:.
846:.
828:.
810:.
792:.
781:^
771:.
753:.
735:.
717:.
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669:.
651:.
633:.
606:.
586:^
576:.
543:.
529:^
504:^
382:.
311:.
223:AP
159:11
148:/
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1012:t
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900:t
893:v
876:.
850:.
832:.
814:.
775:.
757:.
739:.
721:.
703:.
685:.
655:.
637:.
619:.
561:.
523:.
229:)
225:(
218:)
214:(
40:)
36:(
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