Scott Wedman

American basketball player

Scott Dean Wedman (born July 29, 1952) is an American former professional basketball player who played thirteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Kansas City Omaha Kings with the sixth pick in the first round in the 1974 NBA draft from Colorado and was a two time NBA champion and two time NBA All Star.

Wedman was born in Harper, Kansas, the son of Tom and Georgia Wedman. He lived on a 100 acre farm. His father, Tom, was a Boeing engineer, farm equipment manufacturer and car dealer. His family moved to Denver, Colorado before moving back to Kansas. His older brother, Mike, was a national class pole vaulter and decathlete at the University of Colorado. Scott was a member of the 4 H club and participated in all aspects of farm life. Though undersized and a late bloomer, Wedman excelled at basketball, also at the University of Colorado. Wedman's parents encouraged the strict dietary regimen that he has carried with him his entire life. When he was twelve years old, Wedman's midget league basketball team won the city championship. Wedman was not a varsity starter until his Senior year, when a growth spurt invigorated his game. He averaged 19 points a game and made All State at Mullen High School in Denver. He was recruited heavily by both the University of Wyoming and the University of Colorado.

Wedman was the 2nd overall pick in the 1974 ABA draft by the Memphis Tams of the American Basketball Association and the 6th overall pick of the Kansas City Kings in the 1974 NBA draft. Wedman signed with the Kings. Wedman was a proficient shooter for the Kings playing under coaches Phil Johnson and Cotton Fitzsimmons and alongside Tiny Archibald and Otis Birdsong among others. He represented the Kansas City Kings twice in the NBA All Star Game. During his time in Kansas City, Wedman gained the nickname "The Incredible Hulk" because of his extensive sessions in the weight room. On March 4, 1979, Wedman was involved in a 1 car accident in which his Porsche overturned on a rainy highway in Kansas City. At the time, doctors credited his conditioning with keeping him out of action for only a few games. He hit a career summit in 1979–80 and 1980–81, with a scoring average of 19.0 points per game. On January 2, 1980, he scored 45 points in an overtime win at Utah for his career high. Wedman was a key to Kansas City's postseason success in 1981. Despite finishing the regular season with only a 40–42 record, the Kings caught fire in the playoffs, beating Portland 2–1 and Phoenix 4–3 before losing 1–4 to Houston in the Western Conference finals. At the 1981 NBA draft, seeing that the Kings could not afford to keep both Wedman and fellow All Star Otis Birdsong, Kansas City traded Birdsong and let Wedman sign with Cleveland. A small forward, Wedman averaged 34.7 minutes, 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 547 games for the Kings over seven seasons, shooting 80% from the line, 49.0% from the field and 32.3% from three (after the 3 point line was introduced in 1979).

Signing a 1 million dollar contract as a free agent, Wedman's scoring initially declined due to injuries, as he averaged 10.9 points per game in 1981–82, playing 30 minutes per game in 54 games for the Cavaliers. Overall, Wedman averaged 13.8 points in 89 games and 32.9 minutes for Cleveland, shooting 78% from the line, 46% from the field and 31.1% on three point shots. Boston fans remember Wedman's performance in the Memorial Day Massacre, an appellation for Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Finals. Coming off the bench, Wedman hit all 11 of his shots, including four three pointers, in Boston's 148–114 win over the Lakers. He often spelled Larry Bird and Kevin McHale or replaced them when they were injured. Wedman was a strict vegetarian during his playing career, not for any moral reasons but for health purposes. For this, Wedman was teased mercilessly by both Bird and McHale in practices and at meals. In 2015, Wedman was inducted into the Colorado University Athletic Hall Of Fame.