With over 5,000 players in NBA history, at least one player was born on every day of the calendar year – including four leap day ballers. Our day-by-day breakdown of the players born on each day of the year continues.
Below are the most notable NBA players born on July 9.
Jim Pollard (1922)
“The Kangaroo Kid” earned his nickname with his absurd leaping ability, carving out a Hall of Fame career. It was a unique start for Pollard, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 1947 BAA Draft by the Chicago Stags before playing in the Amateur Athletic Union that year. He eventually signed with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1948, spending his entire seven-year career there.
That proved to be a sensational signing, with Pollard making All-NBA in his sophomore season. He followed that up with All-Star appearances in four of the next five years, making two more All-NBA Second-Teams during that span, and helped the Lakers win five titles during his tenure. All of that earned Pollard a Hall of Fame induction in 1978, averaging 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Jim Paxson (1957)
Paxson was an All-American at Dayton University, earning him the 12th overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. This guard broke out in his sophomore season, averaging 17.1 points per game. Paxson made his first All-Star appearance in 1983 after putting up a career-high 21.7 points with 2.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He followed that up with another All-Star campaign in 1984, making Second Team All-NBA as well.
A trade sent him to the Boston Celtics in 1988, spending the final two and a half years of his career there before officially retiring in 1990. Following his playing days, Paxson became the Cleveland Cavaliers GM from 1999 to 2005, where he would select LeBron James with the first overall pick in the 2003 draft.
Want to see every NBA player born on July 9? Here is the rest of the list in chronological order:
- Jim Pollard (1922)
- Joe Dolhon (1927)
- Al Butler (1938)
- Tom Black (1941)
- Mike Riordan (1945)
- George Bucci (1953)
- Major Jones (1953)
- Bob Miller (1956)
- Jim Paxson (1957)
- Ron Grandison (1964)
- Jordan Mickey (1994)
- Kevin Hervey (1996)
- Lamar Stevens (1997)
- Jaylen Nowell (1999)
