Knights Under Lights: Bob Lloyd
In Knights Under Lights, The Daily Targum looks at athletes who distinguished themselves during their time on the Banks.
For several decades, basketball on the Banks has given student-athletes a chance to shine while playing for something bigger than themselves. The Rutgers men's basketball team's first All-American basketball athlete dates back to the 1960s. That player was a 6-foot-2 point guard from Pennsylvania, Bob Lloyd, who was a scoring machine for the Scarlet Knights.
Lloyd became the first player in program history to have his jersey retired. Scoring more than 2,000 points in his career and averaging 26.6 points per game, Lloyd was inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993. During a time when athletes only had three years of eligibility, Lloyd joined the Knights and wasted no time making an impact. Lloyd averaged 25 points per game his freshman season and only continued to improve from there.
After refining his game for next year's campaign, Lloyd became a more efficient scorer. Shooting a higher percentage from the field, coupled with an improved free throw percentage, Lloyd boosted his average to 26.5 points per game.
Lloyd's legend would crescendo in his final year in Piscataway, pushing his basketball talent to its peak. Lloyd increased his efficiency, elevating his average to approximately 28 points per game, becoming Rutgers' first-ever All-American for basketball in the 1966-67 season. During his senior year, Lloyd led the country in free throw percentage, converting on 92 percent of his attempts from the stripe.
To put a bow on his senior season and collegiate career, Lloyd led the Knights to their first-ever postseason basketball tournament, the National Invitation Tournament. Rutgers would finish third, making the final four and sporting a 22-7 record on the season.
In 1987, Lloyds's legacy was cemented, as he became the first college athlete to have his jersey retired by the school. Number 14 will hang in the rafters forever, solidifying his status as a legend on the Banks. During his career, Lloyd played in the pros for the New Jersey Americans and New York Nets.
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