Oscar Robertson

After graduation Robertson joined the U.S. Olympic basketball team as a co-captain with University of West Virgina's Jerry West. Many regard this team as the best group of amateur men's basketball players ever assembled. The team captured a gold medal and Robertson emerged as a standout. Following the victory, he was offered a $100,000 three-year contract with the Cincinnati Royals.

Robertson proved equally valuable to the Royals' organization. He was named Rookie of the Year for the 1960-61 season and received Most Valuable Player honors for his first of twelve consecutive appearances at the NBA All-Star game. The following season Robertson achieved his legendary season tripledouble when he averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game. This feat has yet to be matched by another professional player. He fell just shy of repeating his accomplishment the next four years. Other players marveled at the ease with which Robertson appeared to accomplish such feats. "It took me five or six years to become an accomplished player," West told Sports Illustrated. "But from the first game Oscar played, he looked as if he had been in the league for 10 years. There was nobody like him."

In 1964 Robertson was named league MVP and he won MVP honors at the All-Star game as well. That same year he became president of the NBA players' union, a post he held until he retired a decade later.