Walt Wesley, first NBA player from Fort Myers, Florida has passed away age 79

Once a basketball legend at Dunbar High in Fort Myers, Walt Wesley went on to star at the University of Kansas and eventually played a total of 10 seasons in the NBA. Unfortunately, this week he passed away at the age of 79, but his legacy will continue to live on.

The news first came to light by the Kansas City Star, which revealed that the former athlete had been battling with leukaemia for years now. He finally passed away at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa this Thursday morning, alongside his wife Denise.

The tournament director of the City of Palms Classic, Donnie Wilkie, recognised him as a sports icon in his hometown. “He was one of the first building blocks for high-level basketball in Fort Myers,” he said. “I think it’s fairly easy to argue that he was the most successful professional basketball player to come out of our area. I don’t think folks realized just how good he was.”

BREAKING: Former @DunbarHighFL hoops star and 10 year @NBA pro Walt Wesley, 79, has passed away.

He was a two-time All-American at @KUHoops before turning pro.

I had the pleasure and honor to speak with Walt back in February. I'll have more on Walt's legacy on @winknews at 3. pic.twitter.com/kEshVvCdfx

— Zach Oliveri (@Zach_Oliveri) March 28, 2024

Two decades ago, Wesley witnessed his own No. 13 Jayhawks jersey retired at the Allen Fieldhouse, to honour his college career that saw him become a two-time all-Big Eight selection as a junior and senior, plus two All-American centre.

“Walt Wesley is one of the finest men I’ve ever known,” said Ted Owens, his coach at Kansas. “He was so loved by his teammates, his coaches. He was just an extraordinary man. He came to Kansas and worked so hard to develop into the great player that he was. He loved the University of Kansas and loved being a part of Kansas basketball. He touched all of our lives.”

The iconic big man was destined for greatness, as everyone knew he would make it to the big leagues after his 1964/65 season in Kansas, where he averaged 23.5 points per game. He eventually ended his college career as the Jayhawks’ No. 11 all-time scorer, behind Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain.

Wesley is even remembered by people from his high school days, as his former principal called him a legend. “It’s a sad day for Dunbar High School and the Dunbar community,” Carl Burnside said. “A legend has passed on.”

The former center went on to play for eight different franchises during his decade-long NBA career

Walt went on to enter the NBA after being picked as the sixth pick in 1966’s draft by the Cincinnati Royals. Once in the big leagues, he moved around a lot, with stops all around the United States, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Capital Bullets (today’s Washington Wizards), Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He averaged 8.5 points per contest in the NBA, and competed against greats like Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond and Bill Russell. Probably his best ever campaign came in 1970/71, as he led the Cavaliers in both scoring (17.7 points) and rebounds with 8.7 per game.

Even though he harvested a lot of success throughout his career, people around him always remembered him as a “gentleman and a gentle giant.” His former high school principal described him as a humble soul.

“He was a trailblazer that, while being a trailblazer, he could walk down the road at 6-foot-11 and just quietly be in the shadows,” Burnside said. “You were realizing that somebody who grew up in the same area that I did was in the NBA. For many, he probably made the dream or the goals real.”