Yes we went way back in the files for this one. Terry Cummings was a true power forward who made like difficult for those guarding him. For a man with an irregular heartbeat who wasn’t supposed to play 18 years he managed just fine. Cummings attended DePaul University from 1979 to 1982. He averaged 16.4 points per game over 85 games and entered the 1982 NBA Draft after departing from school. He was selected in the first round by the San Diego Clippers, and in his inaugural 1982-83 season, he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after putting up 23.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. These figures would turn out to be the highest of his career in those categories. Late in his rookie season, Cummings suffered from heartbeat irregularities, which would keep him out the remaining two weeks of the season. The team lost every game without him.
After the next season (1983–84), he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he would continue to post above 20 point and 8 rebound averages for four out of his five years on the team. As a Buck, Cummings was selected to play in the 1984-85 and 1988-89 NBA All-Star Games.
He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs where he would remain for six years. His scoring and rebounding averages for the 1989-90 through 1991-92 seasons were close to 20 and 8, respectively, and he helped his team to consecutive 50-win seasons and playoff appearances. By this time, he was recognized as a reliable power forward in the league.
Smallthoughts: Old School Tuesday salutes… Terry Cummings
Career history
1982–1984
San Diego Clippers
1984–1989
Milwaukee Bucks
1989–1995
San Antonio Spurs
1995–1996
Milwaukee Bucks
1997
Seattle SuperSonics
1997–1998
Philadelphia 76ers
1998
New York Knicks
1999–2000
Golden State Warriors
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA All-Star (1985, 1989)
All-NBA Second Team (1985)
All-NBA Third team (1988)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1983)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1983)
Consensus first team All-American (1982)
Career NBA statistics
Points
19,460 (16.4 ppg)
Rebounds
8,630 (7.3 rpg)
Steals
1,255 (1.1 spg)
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