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Inducted June 12, 2003
A 6’11? center, Gminski played 14 seasons in the NBA. He had an outstanding collegiate career at Duke where he was named ACC Player of the Year for the 1979-80 season. A two-time All-American, Gminski is Duke’s all-time leading rebounder and shot blocker. He was selected by the New Jersey Nets as the seventh overall pick in the 1980 NBA draft. During his seven seasons with the Nets, Gminski established himself as a tough player and helped lead the franchise to the playoffs five times. In his final season with the Nets he averaged 16.4 points and 8.8 rebounds before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. In his first season with Philadelphia, he averaged 16.9 points and 10 rebounds per game. The following year he averaged over 17 points per game and led the 76ers to the Atlantic Division title. During his NBA career, Gminski scored more than 10,000 points and grabbed over 6,000 rebounds, a feat accomplished by only a handful of players in NBA history.
INDUCTION BANQUET PROGRAM STORY — June 12, 2003
EXCELLENCE AND CONSISTENCY
By Tom Tarapacki
NPASHF Board Member / Polish American Journal
More than twenty years after leaving Duke University, Mike Gminski’s name remains prominent in the illustrious basketball program’s record books. The former two-time All-American remains the Blue Devil’s all-time leading rebounder and shot blocker, and third-leading scorer. But when his collegiate playing days ended, the 6-11 center also enjoyed an outstanding 14-year NBA career, and is one of only a handful of pro players to score more than 10,000 points and haul in more than 6,000 rebounds.
The great-grandson of a Polish immigrant from Karkow, Mike Gminski was born on August 3, 1959, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He grew up in nearby Monroe, where he attended Masur High School. Encouraged by his parents, Mike played tennis, baseball and football, and developed into one of the state’s best high school basketball players. He was also a very good student — so good that he was able to leave high school a year early, a fact that most college recruiters overlooked. Mike struck up a friendship with a Duke player named Terry Chili at a basketball camp, and decided to make the Durham, North Carolina school his first visit after his sophomore year. He “fell in love with the campus” and committed to the Blue Devils.
At Duke, head coach Bill Foster was trying to rebuild the program that had not been to the NCAA tournament in more than a decade. It became apparent very early that his freshman center could help him do just that. In his first season Gminski averaged 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds for the 14-13 Blue Devils, and was named Atlantic Coast Conference 1976-77 co-rookie of the year.
As a sophomore Mike averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds, earning first-team All-ACC honors. Even better, the Blue Devils posted its first of three straight 20-plus win seasons. Duke also won the ACC tournament for the first time since 1966, and made the NCAA tournament field. Mike had an excellent tournament, including a 29-point performance against Notre Dame in the semi-finals. The Cinderella Blue Devils made it all the way to the 1978 national championship game, where they battled valiantly but lost to Kentucky, 94-88. Mike had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the game, and was named to the All-NCAA Final Four team.
As a junior Mike had an incredible season, leading Duke in scoring (18.8), rebounding (9.2), blocked shots (66), dunks (44), and field goal shooting (51.9%). He earned All-American honors and was named ACC Player of the Year. Duke complied a 22-8 mark and qualified for the NCAA tournament, but lost in the first round to St. John’s.
In the 1979-80 season the talented center was again a first team All-American, posting career highs in scoring (21.3), and rebounding (10.9). Mike also set a schoo ...