Jump shot pioneer dead at 78

Paul Arizin, chosen one of the 50 greatest NBA players, died Tuesday, December 12, in his sleep. Arizin was cut from his high school basketball team, but found success at Villanova University where he was named The Sporting News College Player of the Year in 1950. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors, and by his second year, led the league in scoring. Following two years serving in the Marines during the Korean War, Arizin returned to Philly and in 1956 led them to the NBA championship on the strength of his jump shot, a recent evolution in the game. Arizin retired a ten-time NBA All Star in 1962 at age 34 when the Warriors moved to San Francisco. In 1978 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Arizin was 78.

Sources: HoopHall.com, Yahoo! News, NBA.com