Nov 9, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; The Philadelphia 76ers logo on the warm up shirt of center Jahlil Okafor (not pictured) prior to action against the Chicago Bulls at Wells Fargo Center. The Bulls won 111-88. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Red Kerr-7
Johnny Graham “Red” Kerr was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in the first round of the 1954 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, 1954-55, he joined Dolph Schayes, Paul Seymour, Earl Lloyd, and Ephraim “Red” Rocha on a team that won the Eastern Division. The Syracuse Nationals, the “Nats”, then rode over the Boston Celtics and the Fort Wayne Pistons to capture the team’s only championship while in Syracuse (the Nationals became the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963).
Kerr spent 11 of his 12 seasons with the franchise — nine in Syracuse, two in Philadelphia — before playing his last year with the Baltimore Bullets. Although overshadowed by the more prolific Schayes, the 6-9 Kerr was the steadiest of forces. He averaged double figures in scoring for 10 straight seasons, beginning with his rookie campaign. He also pulled down more than 12.0 rebounds per game in eight straight seasons from 1956 through 1964, with a high of 14.7 boards per game in 1961-62.
Red Kerr scored 11,699 points for the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers team, and pulled down 9,506 rebounds. But his most outstanding statistic is his streak of 844 consecutive games played from 1954-1965. To avoid missing games, he would place his injured joints into the snow he had shoveled from his driveway. Despite playing during the reign of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, Kerr was an All-Star in 1956, 1959, and 1963. He retired in 1966 with 12,480 points and 10,092 rebounds.
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