Dwight “Bo” Lamar, a former Ragin' Cajuns and NBA player, has died.
Lamar was a three-time collegiate All-American between 1969–1973, and was named First team All-America in 1972 and 1973 along with Bill Walton, David Thompson and Ernie DiGregorio. He was a leading NCAA scorer and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 American Basketball Association Draft. To read about his career on his Wikipedia page, click here.
Here's the release from Ragin' Cajuns Athletics:
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Athletics and the entire Ragin’ Cajuns community mourn the passing of UL Hall of Fame basketball standout Dwight “Bo” Lamar, who died early Monday in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. He was 74.
A cornerstone in then-Southwestern Louisiana’s rise from a small-school NAIA program to a national force at the Division I level, Lamar starred for the Ragin’ Cajuns from 1969-73 under legendary coach Beryl Shipley. During his four-year career, Lamar scored 3,493 points and helped elevate the program onto the national stage.
Lamar led the nation’s Division I College Division in scoring during the 1970-71 season at 36.0 points per game and surpassed that mark as a junior in 1971-72, averaging 36.3 points per contest to pace the University Division.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bo Lamar,” Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Bryan Maggard said. “Bo was a true legend of Ragin’ Cajuns men's basketball, and his remarkable career brought pride and excitement to our university and to the countless fans who filled Blackham Coliseum to watch him play.
“His legacy continues to inspire generations of Ragin’ Cajuns. We extend our heartfelt prayers and deepest condolences to the Lamar family during this difficult time.”
Lamar finished his career with a 31.2 points-per-game average and led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 90-23 overall record. Over his final three seasons, the school posted a 74-13 mark, trailing only UCLA nationally during that span.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Lamar arrived in Lafayette after earning just two scholarship offers out of East High School.
“I used to play basketball from noon to midnight on the playgrounds,” Lamar recalled. “You had to be good to play that long. If you lose one on the playgrounds, you don’t get back on the court for an hour or so.”
As a freshman, Lamar joined an already established backcourt that featured senior Marvin Winkler, who averaged 25.6 points per game and earned Little All-America honors. Lamar averaged 22.8 points and was named Gulf States Conference Freshman of the Year.
USL shared the GSC title that season with Louisiana Tech after three losses to North Louisiana opponents, including a dramatic overtime setback in Ruston in which Winkler scored 40 points and Lamar added 37.
The following season, Lamar took center stage, averaging 36.0 points per game and leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 25-4 record, a No. 1 national ranking in the college division for much of the year and a third-place finish in the national playoffs.
Known for his deep shooting range, Lamar set a school record with 62 points against Northeast Louisiana, converting 26 of 48 field-goal attempts.
After moving into the University Division in 1971-72, Lamar again averaged better than 36 points per game, becoming the first player to win national scoring titles in both the college and university divisions in consecutive seasons. USL finished ranked in the Top 10 nationally in each of his final two seasons, the program’s best showing since the Bob Pettit era at LSU in 1953-54.
As a senior in 1972-73, Lamar guided USL back to the NCAA Tournament and ranked sixth nationally in scoring.
Following his collegiate career, Lamar played professionally in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association with Buffalo, Indiana and Los Angeles. He later returned to the Lafayette area, serving as a radio color analyst for Ragin’ Cajuns basketball broadcasts.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
EDITOR’S NOTE - The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame contributed to this release; this story will be updated
And, here's what the RaginCajuns.com page says about him:
The Cajuns already had a great senior guard in Marvin Winkler, who won Little All-America honors by averaging 25.6 points per game. But Lamar wasn’t far behind, averaging 22.8 to earn “Freshman of the Year” in the Gulf States Conference.
Three losses to North Louisiana opponents forced USL to share the GSC title with Louisiana Tech, a team built around 6-10 freshman Mike Green. The first one was at Ruston, where Green’s 20-footer from the corner gave Tech a 94-92 victory with two seconds remaining in overtime. Winkler scored 40 points and Lamar added 37 in that shootout.
The other two losses were USL’s last two games, 85-81 to Northwestern State at Lafayette’s Blackham Coliseum and 87-85 to Northeast Louisiana in Monroe. In that game, Roger Stockton’s fast break lay-up in the last 20 seconds forced the Cajuns to settle for a 16-10 record and share of the title with Tech.
The following year, Lamar didn’t have to share the spotlight with anybody and USL didn’t have to share the conference title. Lamar averaged 36 points per game to lead college division scorers and spark USL to a 25-4 record. The Cajuns were ranked No. 1 in college division basketball for much of the season, and finished third in the national playoffs.
A long-range bomber who considered himself open as soon as he crossed mid-court, Lamar set a school record with 62 points in a victory over Northeast Louisiana. He hit 26 of 48 field goal attempts that night, many of them from a range of 25 feet or more.
“If there had been a three-point shot in those days, he would’ve averaged 50 points a game,” head coach Beryl Shipley said.
The Cajuns moved into the university division in 1971-72 and Lamar led the to another 25-4 season, winning the national scoring championship with an average of 36.3 points per game. That made him the first player ever to win the college division scoring title one year and the university division title the next year. USL won a berth in the 24-team NCAA tournament and beat Marshall 112-101 in the first round.
In both of Lamar’s last two seasons, the Cajuns were ranked in the Top Ten in the final wire service polls—the best showing by a Louisiana team since the Bob Pettit Era at LSU in 1953-54.
As a senior in 1972-73, Lamar led USL back to the 24-team NCAA tournament and finished sixth in the nation in scoring.
Lamar’s career scoring average was 31.2 points per game, and he led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 90-23 record in those four seasons. Their record in his last three seasons was 74-13, bettered only by UCLA during that span.
After his college career, Lamar played with several teams in the American Basketball Association. He also played with Buffalo, Indiana and the Lakers in the National Basketball Association. He returned to the Lafayette area after his playing career ended, and provided color commentary for radio broadcasts of USL games.