Bradley University isn't exactly a prominent basketball school, but it has made it to the NCAA Tournament nine times, and its most recent trip there came in 2019. It also reached the Final Four twice and has had noteworthy coaches such as Dick Versace and Stan Albeck, both of whom had success as NBA head coaches.
Former NBA stars Hersey Hawkins and Chet Walker are both Bradley University products, and Walker ended up making it to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In all, 38 members of the Braves were drafted into the NBA, and five of them were selected by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Here is a look at each of those five players.
Bobby Joe Mason -- guard
Mason played five years with the Braves and averaged 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds a game. He was drafted by the Lakers
in the fifth round of the 1959 draft, and later by the Cincinnati Royals in the sixth round of the 1960 draft. He didn't play a minute in the NBA.
Joe Allen -- forward
In three years at Bradley University, Allen averaged 22.2 points and 10.9 rebounds a game. After he was taken by the Lakers in the fifth round of the 1967 draft and the Baltimore Bullets in the 15th round the following year, he didn't play in the NBA, but he later served as an assistant coach for the Braves.
Gene Gathers -- forward
After posting 17 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in two seasons with the Braves, Gathers was taken in the seventh round of the 1971 draft. He never played in the NBA.
Sam Simmons -- guard
In three years at Bradley University, Simmons registered 15.2 points and 6.1 rebounds a game. He didn't make it to the NBA after the Lakers took him in the sixth round of the 1972 draft.
Seymour Reed -- forward
A fifth-round draft pick in 1974, Reed averaged 14.2 points and 8.5 rebounds a game in his three seasons with the Braves. He never played in the NBA.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Every Bradley University player drafted by the Lakers
