Archie Clark was chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers 37th overall from Minnesota in 1966. With that draft spot, it can be ascertained that he took the NBA by surprise when he averaged over 10 Points per Game and was third in Rookie of the Year voting.
One of the early utilizers of the crossover dribble, Clark was often referred to as “Shake and Bake.” Stylistically, he has one of the sweetest shots in the game and was an All-Star in his second season. However, he was traded to Philadelphia on the other coast, where he was part of the large deal that sent Wilt Chamberlain the other way.
Clark did not assimilate well in his first season with the Sixers but regained his scoring touch the years after with 19.7 and 21.3 PPG seasons, respectively. After one game in the 1971/72 campaign, Clark was traded to the Baltimore Bullets (later Capitol Bullets), where he had the season of his life. The Guard averaged 25.2 Points per Game, was an All-Star for the second time, and earned his first All-NBA Selection. After another good year, Clark wound down his career with a season each for Seattle and Detroit.
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