Nick Mantis

Nick Mantis
Personal information
Born	December 7, 1935; East Chicago, Indiana
Died	August 13, 2017 (aged 81); Schererville, Indiana
Nationality	American / Greek
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school	Washington (East Chicago, Indiana)
College	Northwestern (1956–1959)
NBA draft	1959: 5th round, 37th overall pick
	Selected by the St. Louis Hawks
Playing career	1960–1964
Position	Shooting guard
Number	16, 11, 23
Career history
1960	Minneapolis Lakers
1961–1962	Kansas City Steers
1962	St. Louis Hawks
1962–1963	Chicago Zephyrs
1962–1964	Grand Rapids Tackers
Career highlights and awards
	MPBL MVP (1964); All-ABL Second Team (1962);
Career NBA statistics
Points	236
Rebounds	91
Assists	92
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Nicholas Mantis (December 7, 1935 – August 13, 2017) was an American-Greek professional basketball player.^[1]

College career

After having a standout career as a high school player at East Chicago Washington High, while playing for head coach Johnny Baratto; Mantis enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Northwestern, where he led the Wildcats in field goal percentage as a senior. That season (1958–59), he served as team captain, and led them to their best finish in the Big Ten - a tie for 2nd with an 8-6 conference record, 15-7 overall. The Wildcats won nine of their first ten games, dropping a stunner to #5 ranked North Carolina in the University of Louisville-hosted 'Bluegrass Festival Tournament.' The Wildcats spent seven consecutive weeks on the AP Poll, and knocked off the Jerry West-led West Virginia Mountaineers.^[2]

Professional career

Mantis was selected in the 1959 NBA draft, by the St. Louis Hawks, after a collegiate career at Northwestern University.^[1] He played for the Hawks, Minneapolis Lakers, and Chicago Zephyrs, during a two-year NBA career.^[1] Mantis also played in the American Basketball League in the 1961–62 season, and in the Midwest Professional Basketball League, earning league MVP and first-team all-league honors, in the 1963–64 season.^[3]

Death

Mantis died on August 13, 2017, at the age of 81.^[4]

Career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Source^[1]

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1959–60	Minneapolis	10	7.1	.256	.500	.6	.9	2.1
1962–63	St. Louis	9	6.4	.400	.333	.7	.8	2.1
1962–63	Chicago	33	19.0	.384	.600	2.4	2.3	5.9
Career		52	14.5	.367	.549	1.8	1.8	4.5

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Nick Mantis NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nw/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/1213MBBYearbook.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ Midwest Professional Basketball League History. Retrieved on February 7, 2016.
^ Hutton, Mike (August 14, 2017). "Nick Mantis, a man among boys in basketball at East Chicago Washington, dies". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 15, 2017.

External links

Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame entry

This biographical article relating to a United States basketball player, coach, or other figure born in the 1930s is a stub. You can help Wik.ipedia.Pro by expanding it.

[bbr-1] "Nick Mantis NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 24, 2023.

[2] ttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nw/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/1213MBBYearbook.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}

[3] Midwest Professional Basketball League History. Retrieved on February 7, 2016.

[4] Hutton, Mike (August 14, 2017). "Nick Mantis, a man among boys in basketball at East Chicago Washington, dies". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 15, 2017.

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