Willie Wise

Willie M. Wise, born March 3, 1947, was an American professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward out of Drake University, he earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's Los Angeles Stars in 1969, a franchise that later relocated to Utah. He established himself as one of the league's best all-around players, combining proficient scoring with highly regarded defense; he averaged 19.2 points per game over his ABA career, and Sports Illustrated described him as "the best two-way performer in pro basketball." With the Stars, Wise won the 1971 ABA Championship. He later played for the Virginia Squires.

Over his professional career, Wise appeared in 552 regular-season games, averaging 17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.16 steals. He raised those marks in the postseason, averaging 19.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.39 across 74 contests. His honors included two selections to the All-ABA Second Team and two selections to the All-ABA Defensive First Team.

Following the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, Wise played one full season in the NBA before a knee injury brought his career to a premature end. He was later named to the ABA All-Time Team.