SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Zelmo Beaty, a combined five-time NBA and ABA All-Star and a member of the ABA’s All-Time Team, died Saturday at the age of 73.
Beaty averaged 17.1 points and 10.9 rebounds over his 12-year career with the Hawks – where he played alongside player-coach Richie Guerin, the Knicks great who will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame Sunday – the ABA’s Utah Stars, with whom he won an ABA title in 1971, and the Lakers.
The 6-foot-9 center was a physical presence inside, twice leading the league in personal fouls, and was the MVP of the ABA playoffs in 1971, averaging 23.2 points and 14.1 rebounds per game to help lead the Stars to their only ABA title.