Ray Lee Tolbert (born September 10, 1958) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player who was selected by the

New Jersey Nets New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

in the first round (18th pick overall) of the

1981 NBA draft The 1981 NBA draft was the 35th annual NBA draft, draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the 1981–82 NBA season, 1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the NBA ...

. A

power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers and are typi ...

from

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

, Tolbert played in five NBA seasons for six different teams. He played for the Nets,

Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly shortened to Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Division (1967–1970), and ...

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

and

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...

. Tolbert attended Madison Heights High School in

Anderson, Indiana Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. The population was 54,788 at the 2020 census. It is named after Chief William Anderson. The city is the headquarters of the Church of God and its Anderson ...

. He was named to the inaugural

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team, which played in the 1977 Capital Classic. During the senior year of his collegiate career in 1981, starters Tolbert, Landon Turner,

Isiah Thomas Isiah Lord Thomas III ( ; born April 30, 1961), also known as "Zeke", is an American former professional basketball player who is head coach of the Saginaw Soul of the Basketball Super League, and also an analyst for NBA TV and Fox Sports. H ...

, Randy Wittman, and Ted Kitchel led Indiana to its fourth NCAA championship and Coach

Bob Knight Robert Montgomery Knight (October 25, 1940 – November 1, 2023) was an American men's college basketball coach (basketball), coach. Nicknamed "the General", he won 902 NCAA Division I men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retire ...

's second. In his NBA career, he played in 261 games and scored a total of 928 points. Tolbert played in the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

(CBA) for the

Tampa Bay Thrillers The Tampa Bay Thrillers were a franchise in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1984–1987. They won back-to-back championships in 1984–85 and 1985–86. At the end of the 1986–87 CBA regular season the team relocated to Rapi ...

, Bay State Bombardiers,

La Crosse Catbirds The La Crosse Catbirds was an American basketball team based in La Crosse, Wisconsin and member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). The Catbirds were the 1990 and 1992 CBA champions. The team moved to La Crosse from Louisville in 19 ...

, Pensacola Tornados and Fort Wayne Fury from 1985 to 1987 and during the 1993–94 season. He was selected to the CBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1986. He later became the coach of the ABA's Anderson Champions. He currently resides in

Fishers, Indiana Fishers is a city in the Fall Creek Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, Fall Creek and Delaware Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, Delaware townships in Hamilton County, Indiana, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2020 United Sta ...

where he is the Varsity Assistant at Fishers High School.

Notes

External links

College & NBA stats
@ basketballreference.com * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tolbert, Ray 1958 births Living people African-American basketball coaches American Basketball Association (2000–present) coaches American expatriate basketball people in Italy American expatriate basketball people in Spain American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Basketball players at the 1979 Pan American Games Bay State Bombardiers players Detroit Pistons players Fort Wayne Fury players Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball players La Crosse Catbirds players Liga ACB players Los Angeles Lakers players McDonald's High School All-Americans Medalists at the 1979 Pan American Games New Jersey Nets draft picks New Jersey Nets players New York Knicks players Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in basketball Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Sportspeople from Fishers, Indiana Basketball players from Hamilton County, Indiana Power forwards Seattle SuperSonics players Sportspeople from Anderson, Indiana Basketball players from Madison County, Indiana Tampa Bay Thrillers players 21st-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen High school basketball coaches in Indiana