Dennis Awtrey was a professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 seasons. He was born on October 22, 1948, in Hollywood, California, and attended Santa Clara University, where he played college basketball.
Awtrey was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 1970 NBA draft but was traded to the Phoenix Suns before the start of the season. He played for the Suns for two seasons before being traded to the Chicago Bulls in 1972.
Awtrey played for the Bulls for four seasons and was known for his defensive skills and rebounding ability. He was a key player on the Bulls team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 1975.
In 1976, Awtrey was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, where he played for two seasons. He was a member of the SuperSonics team that won the NBA championship in 1979.
After his time with the SuperSonics, Awtrey played for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers before retiring in 1982. He was known for his toughness and physical play on the court.
Throughout his career, Awtrey was a solid role player who provided valuable contributions to his teams. He was not a prolific scorer but was a reliable defender and rebounder. He finished his career with averages of 3.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
After retiring from basketball, Awtrey worked as a financial advisor and also served as an assistant coach for the Santa Clara University men's basketball team. He was inducted into the Santa Clara University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.
In summary, Dennis Awtrey was a professional basketball player who played in the NBA for 12 seasons. He was known for his defensive skills and rebounding ability and was a key player on several successful teams throughout his career. After retiring from basketball, he worked as a financial advisor and also served as an assistant coach for his alma mater's basketball team.
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