Larry Bunce

{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1945)}}

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Larry Bunce

| image = Larry Bunce 1968.jpeg

| image_size = 125px

| height_ft = 7

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 240

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|7|29}}

| birth_place = Tacoma, Washington, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| high_school = Ramona (Riverside, California)

| college =

• Riverside CC (1964–1966)
• Utah State (1966–1967)

| draft_year = 1967

| draft_round = 4

| draft_pick = 43

| draft_team = Seattle SuperSonics

| career_number = 52, 25, 33

| career_position = Center

| career_start =

| career_end =

| years1 = 1967–1968

| team1 = Anaheim Amigos

| years2 = 1968–1969

| team2 = Denver Rockets

| years3 = 1969

| team3 = Dallas Chaparrals

| years4 = 1969

| team4 = Houston Mavericks

| years5 = 1975

| team5 = Alviks BK

| highlights =

• ABA All-Star (1968)

}}

Lawrence Melvin Bunce (born July 29, 1945, in Tacoma, Washington) is an American former professional basketball player.

He was drafted in 1967 by the Seattle SuperSonics in the fourth round of that year's NBA draft, but opted to start and end his professional career in the ABA.

A 7'0" center from Utah State University, Bunce played two seasons (1967–1969) in the American Basketball Association as a member of the Anaheim Amigos, Denver Rockets, Dallas Chaparrals, and Houston Mavericks. He averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in his career and appeared in the 1968 ABA All-Star Game.{{cite basketball-reference |id=b/buncela01 |name=Larry Bunce |accessdate=August 12, 2007}} He was also the tallest player in the ABA during its first season of operation.[http://www.remembertheaba.com/Anaheim-Amigos.html Anaheim Amigos] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306022726/http://www.remembertheaba.com/Anaheim-Amigos.html |date=2007-03-06 }} at Remember the ABA

In 1970, Bunce was arrested and charged with extortion by the Riverside County, California District Attorney. Bunce sent a letter to a Riverside physician demanding $2,000 or else he would harm their family.{{cite news |title=Larry Bunce Arrested |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SBS19700901.1.13&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22Anaheim+Amigos%22+radio-------1 |access-date=13 April 2021 |work=San Bernardino Sun |date=1 September 1970 |location=San Bernardino, California |page=13}} Following Bence's arrest, a bank employee at the Security Pacific National Bank in Riverside reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that they had received a similar letter from Bunce demanding $1,000.{{cite news |title=New Extortion Charge Filed Against Bunce |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/384783362/?terms=%22Larry%20Bunce%22&match=1 |access-date=13 April 2021 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=2 September 1970 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=44}} Bunce pleaded guilty to the extortion charges and was fined $625 and sentenced to five years probation.{{cite news |title=Ex-pro cager fined in extortion attempt |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/527838025/?terms=%22Larry%20Bunce%22&match=1 |access-date=13 April 2021 |work=Oakland Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=10 November 1970 |location=Oakland, California |page=53}}

Bunce made a return to professional basketball in 1975 when he signed with Alviks BK in Stockholm, Sweden.{{cite news |title=Bunce Goes To Sweden |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/335000772/?terms=%22Larry%20Bunce%22&match=1 |access-date=13 April 2021 |work=The Tampa Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=11 August 1975 |location=Tampa, Florida |page=25}}