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Mel Counts

Full name: Melvin Grant "Mel" Counts
Gender: Male
Height: 7'0" (213 cm)
Weight: 225 lbs (102 kg)
Born: October 16, 1941 in Coos Bay, Oregon, United States
Affiliations: Oregon State Beavers, Corvallis (USA)
Country: USA United States
Sport: Basketball

Medals: 1 Gold (1 Total)

Biography

Before Tommy Burleson came along in 1972, Mel Counts was the tallest U.S. Olympian ever The 7-0 (2.13), 230 lb. (105 kg.) hoopster from Oregon State played center for the 1964 U.S. Olympic team and helped lead the team to victory Counts then began a 12-year professional career, starting out as a back-up center to Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics. Counts played little in those years, as Russell was the dominant force in the league, but his association with the Celtics provided him with the rare double of an Olympic gold medal and an NBA championship. Counts later played for the Los Angeles Lakers (backing up Wilt Chamberlain), the Phoenix Suns, and the New Orleans Jazz. He was never a great center, and, in fact, rarely started, but his height and size made him a player to be reckoned with.

Results

Glossary ▪ CSV ▪ PRE
Games Age City Sport Event Team NOC Rank Medal
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball Men's Basketball United States USA 1 Gold

Men's Basketball

Glossary ▪ CSV ▪ PRE ▪ Event History ▪ Mouseover for column descriptions
Games Age City Sport Team NOC Phase Unit Rank Date Result P
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Final Round Match 1/2 1 1964-10-23 USA 73, URS 59 4
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Semi-Finals Match #1 1 1964-10-21 USA 62, PUR 42 0
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Group B Match #4 1 1964-10-11 USA 78, AUS 45 4
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Group B Match #7 1 1964-10-12 USA 77, FIN 51 5
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Group B Match #9 1 1964-10-13 USA 60, PER 45 8
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Group B Match #13 1 1964-10-14 USA 83, URU 28 9
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Group B Match #23 1 1964-10-17 USA 86, BRA 53 5
1964 Summer 22 Tokyo Basketball United States USA Group B Match #25 1 1964-10-18 USA 116, KOR 50 18