Oklahoma Basketball: All-Time Sooners Men’s Basketball Team
By Chip Rouse
Nov 29, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Members of the Oklahoma Sooners dance team perform during a stoppage in play against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Garfield Heard (1967-70), Second Team Forward
Garfield Heard was one of the first superstars of the modern era (post World War II) to play basketball at Oklahoma.
A 6-6 forward who came to OU from the state of Georgia, Heard averaged 21.7 points his senior season (1969-70) and was named to the All-Big Eight Team that season. The Sooner teams he played on were average at best, but OU did post a 19-9 overall record in Heard’s senior season.
Heard also was an outstanding rebounder at Oklahoma. His 12.5 rebounds per game in 1969-70 is the fourth best in Sooner basketball history. In 27 games that season, he had a school record 21 double-doubles (double digits in points and rebounds).
Over his three seasons at OU, Heard averaged 15.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.
Heard was a third-round selection of the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1970 NBA Draft. His NBA career spanned 11 seasons with five teams, during which he averaged a highly respectable 12.6 points and 11 rebounds in over 800 games.
Heard will always be remembered for what came to be called “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” when he sunk a buzzer-beater for the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals with Boston to send the game to a third overtime.
Next: Stacey King (1985-89), Second Team Center