William Archie Dees (February 22, 1936 – April 4, 2016) was an American professional basketball player. Dees was the second-overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft from Indiana University.

Basketball career

A 6'8" forward/center born in Ethel, Mississippi, Dees started his basketball career at Mount Carmel High School in Mount Carmel, Illinois. He was later named an All-American his senior year, scoring a record 2,337 points. Afterward, he attended Indiana University, where he received the Big Ten Conference Most Valuable Player award twice, in 1957 and 1958. Dees is one of three people (the others being Jerry Lucas and Scott May) to have received multiple Big Ten MVP honors. When he graduated in 1958, Dees was drafted as the second-overall pick by the Cincinnati Royals of the National Basketball Association. He went on to play four seasons in the league with the Royals, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Packers, and St. Louis Hawks.

Honors and personal life

Dees was inducted into the Indiana University Hall of Fame in 1983. In 2001, he was named to the Indiana University All-Century Team. Dees died April 4, 2016, in Bloomington, Indiana.

Career statistics

NBA

Source

Regular season

Playoffs