Cyril Baptiste

Cyril Baptiste (November 17, 1949 – August 14, 2006) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Creighton Bluejays for two seasons. Baptiste was selected by the Golden State Warriors as a hardship case in the 1971 NBA draft but did not make the team due to difficulties from a drug addiction. He played two seasons in the Eastern Basketball Association (EBA) with the Scranton Apollos.

Early life Baptiste's mother, Elsie Mae Baptiste, was of Bahamian descent. was killed after he suffered a fractured skull and two broken legs in a hit-and-run accident. Cyril had been at work and received a call that his wife had given birth; his family were waiting outside the hospital for his arrival and witnessed his death as he tried to cross the road to greet them. He attended Archbishop Curley High School. He was selected as a fourth-team Parade All-American in 1968. Baptiste was considered "perhaps the best basketball player ever produced in Dade County" and "potentially the greatest basketball player Miami has produced."

College career

Baptiste enrolled at Creighton University with a full athletic scholarship to play basketball for the Bluejays. He was sometimes listed as high as but claimed this height was fabricated to "psych out" other teams and he was actually only . Baptiste began to experiment with drugs during his sophomore season as part of an "innocent curiosity".

Professional career Baptiste was made eligible for the 1971 NBA draft as part of a hardship round and was considered as a "glamour name". He was selected by the Golden State Warriors and signed a $450,000 contract. The Warriors sent Baptiste to several drug rehabilitation programs and kept him on their suspended list until he was placed on waivers on January 15, 1973.

Baptiste played for the Scranton Apollos of the Eastern Basketball Association during the 1973–74 and 1975–76 seasons. He was sometimes paid only $150 per game. Baptiste averaged 11.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game during the 1975–76 season.

In 1977, Baptiste participated in training camp for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL).

Personal life Baptiste's two brothers, Leroy and Arnie, also played college basketball.

Career statistics

College