KU's Mario Chalmers Wins NBA Title
June 21, 2012
Former Kansas standout Mario Chalmers joined elite company when his Miami Heat team won the 2012 NBA Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday. Chalmers joined former KU great Clyde Lovellette in becoming only the second Jayhawk to win an NCAA National Championship and an NBA title.
Lovellette, who will be inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in November 2012, was the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the 1952 NCAA Tournament in which Kansas won in Seattle. He later won three NBA titles with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1954 and the Boston Celtics in 1963 and 1964. Chalmers was the MOP of Kansas’ 2008 NCAA National Championship team which won in San Antonio.
Chalmers becomes the 11th Jayhawk to win an NBA title and the second for the Miami Heat. Current KU team chaplain and former KU All-American Wayne Simien was a member of the 2006 Miami Heat NBA title team.
The 2012 NBA Finals guaranteed former Jayhawks would win an NBA title as Nick Collison and Cole Aldrich play for the Thunder.
KU NBA Champions
Clyde Lovellette (1950-52 at KU), Minneapolis Lakers – 1954; Boston Celtics – 1963, 1964
Maurice King (1955-57 at KU), Boston Celtics – 1960
Wilt Chamberlain (1957-58 at KU), Philadelphia 76ers – 1967; L.A. Lakers – 1972
Jo Jo White (1966-69 at KU), Boston Celtics – 1974, 1976
Bill Bridges (1959-61 at KU), Golden State Warriors – 1975
Wayne Simien (2002-05 at KU), Miami Heat – 2006
Jacque Vaughn (1994-97 at KU), San Antonio Spurs – 2007
Paul Pierce (1996-98 at KU), Boston Celtics – 2008
Scot Pollard (1994-97 at KU), Boston Celtics – 2008
Mario Chalmers (2006-08 at KU), Miami Heat – 2012
Kansas NBA Finals Most Valuable Players
Wilt Chamberlain – 1972
Jo Jo White – 1976
Paul Pierce – 2008