Wayne Yates

Wayne Yates
	Yates from the 1974 Desoto
Personal information
Born	November 7, 1937; Gurdon, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	August 16, 2022 (aged 84); Natchitoches, Louisiana, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school	North Little Rock; (North Little Rock, Arkansas)
College	New Mexico State (1956–1958); Memphis (1959–1961);
NBA draft	1961: 1st round, 5th overall pick
	Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Playing career	1961–1962
Position	Center
Number	55
Coaching career	1969–1985
Career history
As player:
1961–1962	Los Angeles Lakers
1962	Oakland Oaks
As coach:
1969–1974	Memphis State (assistant)
1974–1979	Memphis State
1980–1985	Northwestern Louisiana
Career highlights and awards
	As player: First-team All-Border Conference (1958);
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball Reference

Wayne Edward Yates (November 7, 1937 – August 16, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played 37 games for the Los Angeles Lakers in one National Basketball Association (NBA) season in 1961–62. He later worked as a college basketball coach, most notably at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis).

Early life

Yates was born in Gurdon, Arkansas,^[1] on November 7, 1937.^[2] He attended North Little Rock High School in nearby North Little Rock, and played basketball for its school team.^[1] He initially studied at New Mexico State University (NMSU),^[1] where he played for the Aggies and received first team all-Border Conference honors as a sophomore in 1957–58.^[3] After two years at NMSU, he transferred to Memphis State University.^[1] He consequently sat out the 1958–59 season per NCAA transfer rules, before averaging 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game with the Memphis Tigers during his junior year.^[3] He then led the team with 17.5 points and 14.4 rebounds as a senior,^[1] and helped the Tigers to a berth in the 1961 National Invitation Tournament. At the end of the season, Yates earned first-team All-America honors from The New York Times, as well as an honorable mention from Converse.^[4]^[5]

Professional career

After finishing his college career at Memphis State, Yates was selected in the first round (fifth overall selection) of the 1961 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.^[2] He made his NBA debut on October 27, 1961,^[2] recording one rebound and attempting one field goal against the Detroit Pistons.^[6] He ultimately played only one season in the NBA, backing up All-Star Rudy LaRusso in 1961–62 NBA season. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 37 games in a season shortened by injury.^[2] In the offseason, he was traded to the Saint Louis Hawks for future draft picks.^[7]

Instead of reporting to the Hawks, Yates signed with the Oakland Oaks of the fledgeling American Basketball League.^[8] While Yates found a productive role with the team, averaging 10.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, the league folded before the season ended. He was subsequently invited to the New York Knicks training camp prior to the 1963–64 NBA season. However, he did not make the team.^[9]

Coaching career

Yates returned to his alma mater, Memphis State, as an assistant to head coach Moe Iba in 1969. When Iba was dismissed in 1970, new coach Gene Bartow retained Yates as an assistant. Yates helped Memphis State to their first Final Four, as the upstart Tigers made it all the way to the 1973 NCAA tournament final, losing to UCLA. After one more season, Bartow left for Illinois and Yates was elevated to head coach.^[10]

The young coach had a successful tenure at Memphis State, leading the Tigers to three straight postseason appearances and four straight 19+ win seasons. However, a subpar 1978–79 season, allegations of NCAA violations,^[11] and the academic suspension of Tigers star Tony Rufus^[12] all led to Yates announcing his resignation on February 8, 1979.^[13] He was eventually replaced by Dana Kirk at the conclusion of the season.^[1] His final record in five seasons at Memphis was 111–49.^[14]

After a year off from coaching, Yates was named head coach at Northwestern Louisiana (now Northwestern State University) in 1980.^[9] He coached there for five seasons, finishing with a 48–67 record at the school.^[14] Yates resigned following a 3–25 season in 1984–85.^[15]^[16]

Personal life

Yates was married to Harriet Ardala "Dala" Harding Yates until her death. Together, they had four children.^[1]

Yates died on August 16, 2022, in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He was 84 years old.^[1]^[17]

Career statistics

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

Source^[2]

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1961–62	L.A. Lakers	37	7.1	.295	.455	2.5	.4	1.9

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1962	L.A. Lakers	4	3.0	.375	.500	1.3	.3	1.8

Head coaching record

Source: ^[14]

Statistics overview
Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Memphis State Tigers (NCAA Division I independent) (1974–1975)
1974–75	Memphis State	20–7			NIT First Round
Memphis State Tigers (Metro Conference) (1975–1979)
1975–76	Memphis State	21–9	1–1	4th	NCAA Division I First Round
1976–77	Memphis State	20–9	2–4	T–5th	NIT First Round
1977–78	Memphis State	19–9	7–5	3rd
1978–79	Memphis State	13–15	5–5	3rd
Memphis State:		73–42	15–15
Memphis State:		93–49	15–15
Northwestern Louisiana Demons (Trans America Athletic Conference) (1980–1985)
1980–81	Northwestern Louisiana	11–17	5–7	7th
1981–82	Northwestern Louisiana	19–9	10–6	2nd
1982–83	Northwestern Louisiana	9–19	5–9	7th
1983–84	Northwestern Louisiana	6–22	2–12	8th
Northwestern Louisiana:		45–67	22–34
Northwestern Louisiana Demons (Gulf Star Conference) (1984–1985)
1984–85	Northwestern Louisiana	3–25	2–8	6th
Northwestern Louisiana:		48–92	24–42
Total:		141–141

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Munz, Jason (August 24, 2022). "Wayne Yates, former Memphis basketball All-America player and coach, dies at 84". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Wayne Yates NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Wayne Yates College Stats". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
^ "Men's Basketball All-America Honors". Memphis Tigers. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
^ 2010-11 Memphis Tigers men's basketball media guide, page 65
^ "October 27, 1961 Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. October 27, 1961. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
^ AP reports (September 29, 1962). "Hawks acquire Wayne Yates". St. Joseph News-Press. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ UPI reports (October 25, 1962). "Signs with Oaks". Beaver County Times. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ ^a ^b Nelson, Murry R. (March 29, 2013). Abe Saperstein and the American Basketball League, 1960–1963: The Upstarts Who Shot for Three and Lost to the NBA. McFarland. p. 93. ISBN 9781476601281.
^ AP reports (March 12, 1974). "Memphis State selects aide". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ UPI reports (May 21, 1978). "NCAA car loan probe denial issued". Sunday Times Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ UPI reports (January 3, 1979). "Leading Memphis scorer academically ineligible". The Albany Herald. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ "Bygone Days – March 20". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. March 20, 2004. p. E7. ProQuest 394051023. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via ProQuest.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Wayne Yates Coaching Record". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
^ "Basketball". Detroit Free Press. March 2, 1985. p. 2D. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
^ "Bucks sold, will stay in Milwaukee". The San Diego Union. March 2, 1985. p. C7. ProQuest 422500230. Retrieved August 25, 2022 – via ProQuest.
^ Infield, Matt (August 24, 2022). "Former Memphis basketball player, head coach Wayne Yates dies at 84". WMC-TV. Retrieved August 24, 2022.