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Cleveland Buckner

1938 – 2006

American basketball player

Basketball player
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About Cleveland Buckner

Lived 1938 – 2006 (aged 68). Cleveland Buckner was an American basketball player.

Cleveland Buckner (August 17, 1938 – October 5, 2006) was an American basketball player. A forward-center from Yazoo City, Mississippi, he played collegiately for the Jackson State University and was selected by the New York Knicks in the 6th round (51st pick overall) of the 1961 NBA draft. He played 68 games for the Knicks in the NBA from 1961 to 1963.

After Knicks center Darrall Imhoff fouled out in the second half, Buckner was forced into duty against Wilt Chamberlain during Chamberlain's 100-point game on March 2, 1962. The rookie had a career-high 33 points on 16-of-26 in the field plus 8 rebounds in the historic contest. Starting center Phil Jordon was unavailable because of an injury.

Career statistics

NBA Source

Regular season

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Important facts

Born
17 August 1938, Yazoo City
Birth century
20th century
Died
5 October 2006, Jackson
Occupation
Basketball player
Nationality
United States
Education
Jackson State University

People in Cleveland Buckner's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Darrall Imhoff
Darrall Imhoff
1938 – 2017
Basketball player
 Portrait of Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
1936 – 1999
Basketball player
 Portrait of Phil Jordon
Phil Jordon
1933 – 1965
Basketball player

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Cleveland Buckner's

Portrait of Albert Claude
Albert Claude
1898 – 1983
Biologist
 Portrait of E. J. Bowen
E. J. Bowen
1898 – 1980
Chemist
 Portrait of Heinrich Behnke
Heinrich Behnke
1898 – 1979
Mathematician
 Portrait of Howard Florey
Howard Florey
1898 – 1968
Politician
 Portrait of Trofim Lysenko
Trofim Lysenko
1898 – 1976
Biologist
 Portrait of Kanysh Satpayev
Kanysh Satpayev
1899 – 1964
Geologist

Frequently asked questions

Who was Cleveland Buckner?

American basketball player (1938-2006)

When was Cleveland Buckner born?

Cleveland Buckner was born on 17 August 1938 in Yazoo City.

When did Cleveland Buckner die?

Cleveland Buckner died on 5 October 2006 in Jackson.

What was Cleveland Buckner's occupation?

Cleveland Buckner was a basketball player.

What nationality was Cleveland Buckner?

Cleveland Buckner was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Cleveland Buckner

· Wikidata: Q3680582

· DBpedia: Cleveland Buckner

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cleveland Buckner. https://biography.guide/cleveland-buckner/

MLA: "Cleveland Buckner." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cleveland-buckner/.

Chicago: "Cleveland Buckner." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cleveland-buckner/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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