Zelmo Beaty

Zelmo "Big Z" Beaty Jr. (October 25, 1939 – August 27, 2013) was an American basketball player whose professional career spanned both the National Basketball Association and the rival American Basketball Association. He excelled in high school and college basketball before the St. Louis Hawks selected him in the first round of the 1962 draft. Over seven years with the Hawks he was named an All-Star twice. In 1970 he jumped to the ABA's Utah Stars, where he played four seasons and was named an ABA All-Star three times. Beaty was a key figure in the Stars' run to the 1971 ABA championship, recording 36 points and 16 rebounds in the decisive Game 7 and earning Playoffs MVP honors; it remains the only professional basketball championship for the state of Utah. His physical style of play over the years took a toll on his knees, and the resulting injuries brought his career to a close when he retired in 1975 at the age of 36. A two-time NBA All-Star and three-time ABA All-Star, Beaty was also selected to the ABA All-Time Team. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2016.