Rollie Seltz

Rolland John Seltz (January 25, 1924 – October 13, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during its first year of existence. He played 34 games for the Anderson Packers during the 1949–50 season.

Early life Seltz was born in McIntosh, Minnesota, on January 25, 1924. He attended Humboldt Senior High School in nearby Saint Paul. He then studied at Hamline University, where he was named an All-American by Converse in 1946. This arrangement attracted controversy during the 1944–45 season, since it was regarded in some quarters as a violation of his amateur status for college basketball.

Professional career Following his college career, Seltz joined the Anderson Duffey Packers of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1946. He played two seasons for the Packers and one for the Waterloo Hawks, averaging 8.1 points per game in 1948–49. The following season, Seltz re-joined the Packers as the team moved to the new National Basketball Association (formed through a merger of the NBL and the Basketball Association of America). He made his NBA debut for the franchise on November 3, 1949, Seltz averaged 7.8 points per game and 1.9 assists per game during the 1949–50 season. and was honored as the tournament's most valuable player after batting .643 and committing no errors in 27 chances. He also served as a player–manager that year.

Seltz was inducted into Hamline's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1970. He was also honored in his high school's hall of fame. After retiring from professional basketball, he became the owner of Seltz Insurance Agency.

Seltz died on October 13, 2022, at the age of 98.

Career statistics

NBA Source

Regular season