17 Facts About Leon Douglas

Leon Douglas was born on August 26,1954 and is an American basketball coach and former professional player.

Leon Douglas played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association before transitioning to an extensive professional career overseas in Europe.

Leon Douglas played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection and two-time SEC Player of the Year.

Leon Douglas played at Alabama for coach CM Newton, who would start five black players in a time of racial turbulence and progress.

Leon Douglas was a member of the United States national basketball team that won a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games.

Leon Douglas was the first Crimson Tide player to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft when he was chosen fourth overall by the Detroit Pistons in 1976.

Also, relative to his draft position and the depth of the 1976 draft, the selection of Leon Douglas would come to be viewed with some frustration as four Hall of Fame players were all selected after Leon Douglas.

Leon Douglas then signed as a veteran free agent with the Kansas City Kings in 1980, with Detroit receiving a compensatory pick in return, which they used to draft Kelly Tripucka in the 1981 NBA draft.

Over seven NBA seasons, Leon Douglas averaged 7.9 ppg and 6.5 rpg.

Leon Douglas finished his playing career with Pallacanestro Trieste in 1992.

Leon Douglas coached the semi-professional Magic City King Courts of the World Basketball Association for their 2005 season.

Leon Douglas then left Stillman in 2006 to become the head basketball coach at Tuskegee University.

Leon Douglas won the 2014 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year award, despite having been suspended for six games in the season after two players suffered heat exhaustion in pre-season workouts, and would then leave the university after a contract dispute.

Leon Douglas was replaced by his assistant coach, Nathan Sanders, in 2020.

Leon Douglas hosted a youth basketball clinic in his home state in 2021.

Leon Douglas appeared as a member of the Detroit team in the cult classic basketball film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh in 1979 alongside Pistons teammates Lanier, Eric Money, John Shumate, Chris Ford, and Kevin Porter.

Leon Douglas was inducted into the Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.