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Paul Stovall

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Paul Stovall
Personal information
Born(1948-08-16)August 16, 1948
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 9, 1978(1978-01-09) (aged 29)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College
NBA draft1972: 2nd round, 22nd overall pick
Drafted byLos Angeles Lakers
Playing career1972–1974
PositionSmall forward
Number23, 22
Career history
1972–1973Phoenix Suns
1973–1974San Diego Conquistadors
Career highlights
  • First-team All-WAC (1972)
  • Second-team All-WAC (1971)
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Paul L. Stovall (August 16, 1948 – January 9, 1978) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Phoenix Suns. He also was a member of the San Diego Conquistadors in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He was recruited and played basketball for Pratt Community Junior College straight out of prison. A small forward, he played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Early years

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Stovall attended Wichita North High School in Wichita, Kansas, but did not play on the basketball team and attended less than half of his classes.[1] His truancy meant that he spent considerable time at the Lake Afton Boys' Ranch detention home.[1] In 1964, Stovall dropped out of school and his criminal record mounted with charges including larceny, assault and statutory rape.[1]

In 1965, Stovall was sent to the Kansas State Industrial Reformatory where he spent the next three years.[1] He earned a high school diploma through correspondence.[2] He participated in a weightlifting program that helped him put on weight and he also grew from 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) to 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m).[2] Stovall also played for the reformatory's basketball team known as the Red Eagles which played local city and industrial teams.[2] On one occasion, the team competed against Pratt Community College, where head coach Jim Douglas had a chance to scout him.[3]

College career

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Stovall enrolled at Pratt Community College. He appeared in 58 games, averaging 30.3 points for a total of 1,758 points and also registered 22.2 rebounds per game for a total of 1,288 rebounds, while finishing as the eighth-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder in junior-college basketball history.[3] He was named to the 1969–70 All-American Junior College First Team, along with among others fellow future NBA player Steve Bracey.[4][5]

He transferred to Arizona State University at the end of his sophomore season. As a senior, he averaged 21.8 points (seventh in school history). He scored a career high against the University of New Mexico. He posted a career high 21 rebounds against the University of Utah.[6]

Stovall averaged 19 points and 12.4 rebounds in two seasons. He led his teams in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage during both seasons. He graduated ranked first all-time among two-year players in school history in scoring average (19 points), rebounding average (12.4) and total rebounds (647).[7]

In 2006, he was inducted into the Arizona State University Sports Hall of Fame. In 2013, he was inducted into the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional career

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Phoenix Suns

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Stovall was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2nd round (22nd overall) of the 1972 NBA draft. On September 19, 1972, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns, in exchange for a 1974 2nd round draft pick (#22-Truck Robinson) and a future draft choice.

Stovall appeared in 25 games. On September 14, 1973, he was waived by the Phoenix Suns.

San Diego Conquistadors

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In 1973, he signed with the San Diego Conquistadors in the American Basketball Association. He appeared in 13 games.

He averaged 4.6 points per game in his career, competing for the Phoenix Suns and San Diego Conquistadors.[8]

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In December 1973, Stovall was sentenced to three years imprisonment for cashing forged money orders which were stolen in a Kansas armed robbery.[9] His sentence was reduced to six months.[9]

In September 1975, Stovall was sentenced to five years imprisonment for aggravated battery on a Phoenix police officer and another five years for distribution of cocaine; the terms were to run concurrently.[9] He was released early and lived in San Diego at the time of his death.[9]

Death

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On January 9, 1978, Stovall was killed in a motorcycle crash in San Diego, California, after he lost control and collided with at least two cars.[10] He was pronounced dead at the scene.[10]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA/ABA

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Source[8]

Regular season

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Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1972–73 Phoenix (NBA) 258.4.342.6322.4.53.0
1973–74 San Diego (ABA) 1314.9.493–.6364.5.9.3.57.7
Career (overall) 3810.7.416–.6343.1.7.3.54.6

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Jayroe, Walt (April 7, 1969). "Poor Prep Attendance One of Many Problems For Pratt Juco Cager". The Wichita Beacon. p. 14. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Jayroe, Walt (April 8, 1969). "Stone Walls Bring Diploma, Size, Skills To Wichitan Stovall". The Wichita Beacon. p. 13. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Bob Lutz: Paul Stovall's career kept going out of bounds". The Wichita Eagle. April 27, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  4. ↑ "1969-70 All-American Team -- FIRST TEAM," jucohoopscoop.com.
  5. ↑ "All-Americans – non-NCAA d1," naismithtonash.ca.
  6. ↑ "Basketbal inductee bios". ASU Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Inductee bios". Wichita Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  8. 1 2 "Paul Stovall Stats". Basketball Reference. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Former A-Stater Stovall dies in motorcycle crash". Arizona Republic. January 11, 1978. p. 47. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "Cager Stovall dies in cycle accident". The Wichita Beacon. January 10, 1978. p. 9. Retrieved May 23, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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