Bill Stricker

{{Short description|American basketball player (1948–2020)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Bill Stricker

| image = Bill Stricker.png

| image_size =

| caption = Stricker as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 9

| weight_lb = 210

| nationality = American

| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|1|22}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|7|3|1948|1|22}}

| death_place = Stockton, California

| high_school = Quincy (Quincy, California){{cite news |author1=Barry Lavelle |title=Edwards looks for 3-way improvement in UOP quint |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/619225605/ |access-date=16 March 2022 |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=1 December 1968 |page=90}}

| college = Pacific (1967–1970){{cite news |author1=Don Bloom |title='Quincy' Stricker is pro prospect |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/619721516/ |access-date=16 March 2022 |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=15 March 1970 |page=73}}

| draft_year = 1970

| draft_round = 4

| draft_pick = 54

| draft_team = Baltimore Bullets

| career_start =

| career_end =

| career_position = Forward

| career_number = 34

| years1 = {{nbay|1970|start}}

| team1 = Portland Trail Blazers

| highlights =

• 2× First-team All-PCAC (1969, 1970)

}}

William Louis Stricker (January 22, 1948 – July 3, 2020) was an American professional basketball player who spent one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in just two minutes of one game with the inaugural 1970–71 Portland Trail Blazers season. Despite his lack of play, Blazers fan took a liking to Stricker and chanted "We want Stricker, We want Stricker" in blowout games. He was allowed to play in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a day before being placed on waivers.{{cite web|title=Blazers History: Bill Stricker|url=http://www.nba.com/blazers/history/Player_History_Bill_Stricker-72777-41.html|publisher=Portland Trail Blazers|accessdate=30 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230235026/http://www.nba.com/blazers/history/Player_History_Bill_Stricker-72777-41.html|archive-date=30 December 2013|url-status=dead}}

Stricker was drafted from the University of the Pacific by the Baltimore Bullets during the third round (54{{sup|th}} pick overall) of the 1970 NBA draft, but he did not sign. He was also selected by the Los Angeles Stars (who later became the Utah Stars) in the 1970 American Basketball Association draft.{{cite news |title=Stricker picked |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/619390104/?terms=%22Bill%20Stricker%22&match=1 |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=24 March 1970 |location=Sacramento, California |page=24}} He signed with the Stars, but the club released him in September 1970, before the start of the regular season.{{cite news |title=4 Rookies Dropped |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/271126422/?terms=%22Bill%20Stricker%22&match=1 |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |agency=United Press International |date=19 September 1970 |location=Honolulu, Hawaii |page=14}} Stricker's NBA rights were traded by the Bullets on October 22, 1970, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Dorie Murrey.{{cite news |title=Portland Cagers Give Up Center |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/582919653/?terms=%22Bill%20Stricker%22&match=1 |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=Tucson Citizen |agency=Associated Press |date=23 October 1970 |location=Tucson, Arizona |page=35}}

After his basketball career was over, Stricker had a long and successful career as a high school coach and administrator at East Union High School in Manteca, California. He coached future NBA player and coach Scott Brooks.{{cite web | last = Rembulat | first = Vince | title = Bill Stricker scores spot in Sports Hall of Fame | work = Manteca Bulletin | date = February 26, 2009 | url = http://www.mantecabulletin.com/archives/1745/ | accessdate = August 9, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160825233021/http://www.mantecabulletin.com/archives/1745/ | archive-date = August 25, 2016 | url-status = dead }}

Stricker died on July 3, 2020, at age 72.{{cite web|title=Tigers remember Bill Stricker|url= https://pacifictigers.com/news/2020/7/8/general-tigers-remember-bill-stricker.aspx|work=Pacific Tigers|date=July 8, 2020|access-date=October 13, 2021}}{{cite news |author1=Scott Linesburgh |title=Gentle Giant: Basketball legend, coach Bill Stricker dies at 72 |url=https://eu.recordnet.com/story/sports/college/basketball/2020/07/07/gentle-giant-basketball-legend-coach-bill-stricker-dies-at-72/42033767/ |access-date=16 March 2022 |work=Recordnet.com |date=7 July 2022}}