Paul Little (basketball)
{{Short description|American basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Paul Little
| image =
| image_size =
| career_position = Forward
| career_number =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb =
| birth_date = 1960s
| birth_place =
| nationality = American
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school = Boston Latin Academy
(Boston, Massachusetts)
| college = Penn (1979–1983)
| draft_year = 1983
| draft_round = 7
| draft_pick = 154
| draft_team = Portland Trail Blazers
| highlights =
- AP honorable mention All-American (1982)
- Ivy League co-Player of the Year (1982)
- First-team All-Ivy League (1982)
- 3× Second-team All-Ivy League (1980, 1981, 1983)
- Ivy League Rookie of the Year (1980)
}}
Paul Little (born 1960s) is an American former college basketball player who earned many accolades during his time at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), including being named the Ivy League co-Player of the Year in 1982. As of January 2024, Little is the Chief Operating Officer of Protecdiv, an insurance technology company.
Playing career
=High school=
Little grew up in Massachusetts and attended Boston Latin Academy, a public exam school in Boston. He starred for the basketball team, where as a senior in 1978–79 he averaged 24 points and 16 rebounds per game, led them to the Boston City League championship, and was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the league.{{cite news|last =O'Neil| first =Peter| title=Latin takes City title, 51–46 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/436727726 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |location=Boston, Massachusetts |date=February 23, 1979 |page= 49|via =Newspapers.com|access-date = December 22, 2023}}{{cite news|last =Newman| first =Chuck| title=There's lots of enthusiasm but not much experience |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/167929979 |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |date=November 25, 1979 |page= 52|via =Newspapers.com|access-date = December 22, 2023}}
=College=
Little enrolled at Penn in 1979–80 to play for the Quakers. He made an immediate impact: Little averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and helped lead Penn to an Ivy League regular season championship. He was named to the All-Ivy League Second Team and also tabbed the Ivy League Rookie of the Year.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/paul-little-1.html |title=Paul Little college stats |year=2023 |website=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/pennsylvania/men/1980.html |title=1979–80 Penn Quakers Men's Roster and Stats |year=2023 |website=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=December 22, 2023}} He followed his freshman season up with a strong sophomore campaign which saw him repeat as an All-Ivy Second Team selection, although the Quakers finished in second place in conference standings.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/pennsylvania/men/1981.html |title=1980–81 Penn Quakers Men's Roster and Stats |year=2023 |website=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=December 22, 2023}}
As a junior, Little averaged 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Penn won their second Ivy League regular season championship in three years. Little was named to the All-Ivy League First Team, and was honored as the Ivy League co-Player of the Year with Princeton's Craig Robinson.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/pennsylvania/men/1982.html |title=1981–82 Penn Quakers Men's Roster and Stats |year=2023 |website=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite news| title=Lucas is first Red All-Ivy since 1976–77 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/257382826 |newspaper=The Ithaca Journal |location=Ithaca, New York |date=March 15, 1982 |page= 13|via =Newspapers.com|access-date = December 22, 2023}} He was also tabbed by the Associated Press as an honorable mention NCAA All-American.{{cite news| title=AP All-American |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/97941053 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |location=Detroit, Michigan |date=March 11, 1982 |page= 56|via =Newspapers.com|access-date = December 22, 2023}}
In his fourth and final collegiate season in 1982–83, Penn finished second in the Ivy League, but Little garnered a postseason honor by being named to the All-Ivy League Second Team after averaging 12.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He became the first play in University of Pennsylvania history to be named to four all-conference teams.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/pennsylvania/men/1983.html |title=1982–83 Penn Quakers Men's Roster and Stats |year=2023 |website=sports-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221214005014/en/Insurtech-Accelerant-Names-Protecdiv-COO-Paul-Little-to-Board-of-Directors |title=Insurtech Accelerant Names Protecdiv COO Paul Little to Board of Directors |date=December 14, 2022 |website=BusinessWire.com |publisher=Berkshire Hathaway |access-date=December 22, 2023}} In 104 career games, Little scored 1,116 points and grabbed 577 rebounds.
=Professional=
Little was selected in the 1983 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers in the seventh round (154th overall).{{cite web |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Paul-Little/Summary/64419 |title=Paul Little player profile |year=2023 |website=basketball.realgm.com |publisher=RealGM |access-date=December 22, 2023}}{{cite news|last =Silary| first =Ted| title=Caught in the Draft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/185963588 |newspaper=Philadelphia Daily News |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |date=June 29, 1983 |page= 79|via =Newspapers.com|access-date = December 22, 2023}} In October 1983 the Trail Blazers waived him. He never played professionally.
Later life
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/paul-little-1.html College career statistics] @ sports-reference.com
{{Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Little, Paul}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Boston
Category:Boston Latin Academy alumni
Category:Forwards (basketball)
Category:Penn Quakers men's basketball players