Granville Waiters

Granville S. Waiters (January 8, 1961 – March 23, 2021) was an American professional basketball player.

At 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) and 225 lb (102 kg), Waiters played center. As a senior in high school, Waiters helped Columbus East to a state championship over St. Joseph, who were led by his eventual Buckeyes and Pacers teammate Clark Kellogg. During the 1982–83 season for Ohio State, he was a team captain and averaged 10.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 1983 NBA draft. The Blazers sold his draft rights to the Indiana Pacers, and Waiters spent his first two seasons in Indiana. He would be the last Pacer to wear #31 before the arrival of Reggie Miller. He then played one year for the Houston Rockets which saw him make an appearance in the 1986 NBA Finals and then two years for the Chicago Bulls, before he left the NBA for Europe in 1988. On Waiters’ role as a key bench player focused on defense and rebounding on the early Jordan Bulls, head coach Doug Collins said "He never complained. He played his heart out. He was an awesome guy, a gentle giant off the court..." Waiters averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds throughout his NBA career.

From 1988 to 1990, Waiters played in the Spanish league as a member of FC Barcelona Basquet and Cajabilbao. Until his death, he was involved with humanitarian efforts in his native Ohio.

Following a hospitalization for COVID-19, Waiters died at his home in Columbus on March 23, 2021, at the age of 60. On his death, former teammate Brad Sellers said "…he taught young players like me what it was to be a professional, how to be appreciative of your moment. He was a great guy to have in the locker room. Granville was like, ‘Listen here, work hard, do your part.' He always acted older than he was, carried himself like that. Just a good guy to be around and have as a teammate."

Career statistics

NBA Source

Regular season

Playoffs