Remember The ABA: Ron "Chief" Boone

Описание: After graduating from Idaho State University, Ron Boone was selected by both the American Basketball Association's Dallas Chaparrals in the 1968 ABA draft and by the Phoenix Suns in the 1968 NBA draft. Boone opted to play for Dallas in the ABA.

Of his choice to play in the ABA, Boone said: "I chose the ABA because my college coach said it was a young league and I’d probably have a better chance of making professional basketball there. I felt that by going to the ABA I probably had a shot. I still had to prove myself. At the time Cliff Hagan, who is a legend, was the coach for the Chaparrals. We had to play two-on-two and he would always play. I remember hearing about this hook shot that he had that was awesome, left and right, and during that time I blocked his hook shot a couple of times. I really think, even today, that’s the reason I ended up making the team."

Boone played two seasons with the Dallas Chaparrals (today's San Antonio Spurs) from 1968 to 1971. As a rookie in 1968–1969, Boone averaged 18.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists under Coach Cliff Hagan. Dallas finished 41–37, losing to the New Orleans Buccaneers 4 games to 3 in the ABA Playoffs. Boone made the ABA All-Rookie First Team.

Boone averaged 17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 201 games with the Dallas Chaparrals.

Boone was traded to the Utah Stars from Dallas in mid-season 1970, while averaging 20.0 points in 42 games with Dallas. In January 1971, the Stars traded Donnie Freeman and Wayne Hightower to the Chaparrals for Boone and Glen Combs.

Boone, alongside Zelmo Beaty, Willie Wise and Glen Combs, helped lead the Utah Stars to the 1971 ABA championship under Coach Bill Sharman. Utah finished the 1970-1971 regular season 57–27, with Boone averaging 18.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists after coming over in the trade from Dallas. Boone averaged 17.6 points in the ABA Finals 4 games to 3 victory over the Kentucky Colonels, with Dan Issel and Louis Dampier. The Stars had defeated the Indiana Pacers 4 games to 3 and his former team, the Dallas Chaparrals 4 games to 0 to reach the ABA Finals. Boone averaged 21.0 points in the Dallas series and 14.9 in the Indiana series.

Over the course of six seasons with the Utah Stars, Boone averaged 18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 396 games.

The Utah Stars franchise folded after 16 games in 1975–1976, with the NBA and ABA merger imminent. Boone played for the Spirits of St. Louis for the remainder of the 1975–76 season. Overall, Boone averaged 26.2 points for Utah and 21.0 in 62 games for St. Louis, playing alongside Hall of Famer Moses Malone as well as Marvin Barnes, Maurice Lucas, M.L. Carr, Caldwell Jones, Gus Gerard and Mike D'Antoni. St. Louis then disbanded after the demise of the ABA.

Boone was a four-time ABA All-Star (1971, 1974–1976).