Mel Peterson

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Mel Peterson

| image =

| width =

| caption =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lb = 185

| nationality = American

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|3|23}}

| birth_place = Thief River Falls, Minnesota

| death_date =

| death_place =

| high_school = Stephenson (Stephenson, Michigan)

| college = Wheaton (1956–1960)

| draft_year = 1960

| draft_round = 11

| draft_pick = 78

| draft_team = Detroit Pistons

| career_start = 1963

| career_end = 1970

| career_number = 16, 40, 44

| career_position = Shooting guard / small forward

| years1 = {{nbay|1963|full=y}}

| team1 = Baltimore Bullets

| years2 = 1967–1969

| team2 = Oakland Oaks

| years3 = 1969–1970

| team3 = Los Angeles Stars

| highlights =

ABA champion (1969)
NCAA College Division champion (1957)
NCAA College Division Tournament MVP (1957)

| stat1label = Points

| stat1value = 1,032 (7.7 ppg)

| stat2label = Rebounds

| stat2value = 635 (4.7 rpg)

| stat3label = Assists

| stat3value = 160 (1.2 apg)

| medal_templates =

{{MedalCountry | {{flagu|United States}} }}

}}

Melvin Lowell Peterson (born March 23, 1938) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA) player.

Collegiate career

Mel attended Wheaton College. While at Wheaton College, Mel was selected as a three-time All-American basketball player.{{cite web|title=Wheaton College Athletics – Men's Basketball All-Americans|url=http://athletics.wheaton.edu/sports/2011/4/8/MBB_All-Americans.aspx?path=mbball|work=athletics.wheaton.edu|accessdate=13 July 2012}} He was also selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the 1957 NCAA Men's Division II basketball tournament, as Wheaton College won the inaugural NCAA Division II tournament.{{cite web|title=2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Records and Statistics: Division II men's basketball Championship|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_champs_records/2010/d2/champs.pdf|accessdate=13 July 2012}} Mel finished his career at Wheaton College, averaging 22.7 points and 15.8 rebounds per game. He still ranks as Wheaton College's all-time leader in points per game, career points, field goals made, and career rebounds.{{cite web|title=Wheaton College Athletics – Men's Basketball Career Records|url=http://athletics.wheaton.edu/sports/2007/5/29/mbb-careerrecords.aspx|work=athletics.wheaton.edu|accessdate=13 July 2012}}

Professional career

Mel was drafted with the fourth pick in the 11th round of the 1960 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. On August 15, 1963, Mel signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Bullets. In two games with the Bullets, Mel recorded a total of two points and one rebound. Peterson did not play for the following three seasons. Mel made his ABA debut on October 13, 1967, for the Oakland Oaks.{{cite web|title=Mel Peterson NBA & ABA statistics|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/peterme01.html|website=Basketball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|accessdate=23 March 2024}}