Lonnie Shelton
School:
Height:
6-8
Position:
Forward
Hometown:
Bakersfield, CA
High School:
Foothill High School
- Averaged 13.3 points and 7 rebounds in three NCAA Tournament games in 1975 (1-2 record)
- Selected by the New York Knicks as a hardship case (after junior season) in second round of 1976 NBA draft (25th pick overall).
- NOTE: During the summer of 1975, he signed a contract with the ABA's Spirits of St. Louis. Shelton subsequently said he was coerced into signing the pact and wanted to return to college, but the NCAA declared him ineligible. He filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, the state of Oregon and Oregon State, and a judge issued an injunction allowing him to play. In late February 1976, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the injunction in favor of the NCAA and Shelton was unable to play the final four games of his junior season.