Hall of Famer Paul Arizin Dies: Paul Arizin, one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players, who led the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1956 NBA championship, died in his sleep at his Philadelphia home Tuesday night. He was 78. Nicknamed “Pitchin’ Paul,” the former Villanova Wildcat had a sensational 10-year run in the NBA. For his career, he averaged 22.8 points per game and pioneered the jump shot, which was a recent evolution of the game at the time. He was drafted in 1950 by the Warriors before going away for two years to serve in Korea with the Marines. He returned to lead Philadelphia to the 1956 NBA title.
Arizin, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, is survived by his wife, Maureen, four sons, a daughter and 14 grandchildren. [12/14/06]
