George Gervin – San Antonio Spurs Biography

George Gervin Biography and Interesting Facts

George “The Ice Man” Gervin was one of the greatest scoring machines the NBA has ever seen. He was nicknamed “Iceman” because of his poise on the court and the way he had the ability to hit the “big shot” with the game at stake.

Gervin was an ABA legend long before he made his mark in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs. He could hit open bridges like a machine. However, his claim to fame was when he could spin in midair making vanishing jump shots and reverse layups without looking that no one could defend. When the “Iceman” got hot, no one could cool him down.

Gervin was so good on the court that even his opponents were some of his fans. In the semifinals of the 1978 Eastern Conference, he drove to the rim against the infamous Elvin Hayes. The “Iceman” drove to the basket and delivered a miraculous bench shot with an off-balance hand from a seemingly impossible angle. Those were just two of his 46 points that night. The astonished Elvin Hayes walked over and gave Gervin a “high five.”

During George Gervin’s basketball career, his shooting hand rarely got cold. In 9 of the 10 NBA seasons, he averaged more than 20 points per NBA game. His points per game weren’t even the most exciting part of his game. When Gervin entered the court, everyone knew that the game was about to heat up.

Towards the latter part of Gervin’s career, he developed a drug habit. In 1989, he overdosed on cocaine and checked into a Houston rehab clinic when he realized the seriousness of his problem. After a successful drug treatment, Gervin turned to basketball to help him in the rehabilitation process. That winter, he played for the Quad City Thunder Continental Basketball Association (CBA). At 37, George averaged more than 20 points per game.

Interesting Facts About George Gervin:

• George Gervin was a struggling bench player on his 10th grade high school team. He was only 5 ‘”8 at the time. After summer break he came back and his coach was surprised when he showed up at 6’3″. He had no problems anymore and became the starter after that.
• He had a brother named Derrick who played for the New Jersey Nets between 1989 and 1991.
• He played in 12 consecutive All Star Games.
• Gervin once had 407 games in a row from November 23, 1978 to December 16, 1983 in which he scored 10 points or more.