Real-Life Glory Road Star Comes to Expo Square Pavilion
February 7, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Tulsa 66ers News Release
TULSA, Okla., Feb. 7, 2006 - Former Texas Western star player David "Big Daddy" Lattin will make a special appearance at the Expo Square Pavilion, Friday, Feb. 10 when the 66ers host the Austin Toros at 7 p.m. Lattin's notable contributions to the storied legacy of the 1966 Texas Western national championship team was recently captured in the Jerry Bruckheimer film "Glory Road."
"The outcome of the 1966 NCAA Championship game proved to be an important moment in the civil rights movement of the 1960s," said Tulsa 66ers president Joe Berry. "It's an honor for the 66ers to recognize Mr. Lattin during his visit to Tulsa."
A native of Houston, Lattin played basketball at Evan E. Worthing Senior High School and led the team to a state title in 1962. Averaging 29 points, 19 rebounds and 13 blocked shots per game during the 62 season; Lattin was the state's first high school All-American and was considered, at the time, to be the best high school basketball player in Texas.
After graduating from high school, Lattin began his collegiate career at Tennessee State University. Following a short stint at TSU, Lattin landed at Texas Western and played freshman ball in 1964-65 before starting for the title team as a sophomore. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder averaged 14 points and 8.6 rebounds per game during the 1965-66 championship season.
Led by Coach Don Haskins, known as "The Bear," the 1966 Texas Western Miners made history by winning the NCAA Championship with an all-black starting five. A tight-knit group, the Miners played their way to the NCAA championship game against Adolph Rupp's top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, an all-white team.
In the historic victory, Lattin scored 16 points and had nine rebounds, including a thunderous dunk over Kentucky's Pat Riley. Lattin was also named MVP of the NCAA Midwest Regional, totaling 44 points and 25 rebounds in games against national powerhouses Cincinnati and Kansas.
Until Texas Western, now Texas El-Paso (UTEP), no team had ever started five blacks in an NCAA championship game. When Texas Western defeated Kentucky on March 18, there were no black basketball players in the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast or Southwest conferences. In fact, until Texas Western coach Haskins did it earlier that season, no major-college team had ever started five black players in any game.
Lattin moved on to the NBA after Texas Western as a first-round pick by the San Francisco Warriors. The following season, Lattin became a member of the expansion Phoenix Suns. He later played in the American Basketball Association (ABA), playing at both Pittsburgh and Memphis, and spent three years as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Lattin resides in Houston and is keeping busy with a number of business projects, including buying and selling homes as a real estate investor. He's also working on a book about his life, "Slam Dunk to Glory," which he hopes to publish soon.
Lattin's appearance kicks off the 66ers' Black History Month with a night full of appreciation and celebration for African-American heritage. Events scheduled for the night include recognition of Lattin's involvement in what may be called a turning point in basketball history. Lattin will be designated as the Honorary Coach and sit next to Tulsa 66ers head coach Joey Meyer. In addition to special on-court recognition, Lattin will be on-hand to participate in a pre-game Q&A session for season ticket holders and invited guests, as well as a post-game autograph session for all fans.
Additional activities highlighting Black History Month will include a special halftime presentation recognizing Tulsa-area persons heavily involved in community outreach in the Tulsa African-American community.
Tickets start as low as $9. For individual tickets, call the Expo Square box office at (918) 376-6000 or log on to tulsa66ers.com. For season or group tickets, contact the Tulsa 66ers front office at (918) 585-8444.
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