American basketball player (1943–2004)
Albert V. "Albie" Grant Jr. (October 7, 1943 – April 14, 2004)[1] was an American college basketball standout at Long Island University (LIU), professional player for the ABA's New Jersey Americans, school teacher, and medical doctor.
Basketball career
Grant was a native of Manhattan, New York City.[2] He attended Long Island and played basketball for head coach Roy Rubin. Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m),[3] Grant played the forward position. His career at LIU lasted between 1963–64 and 1965–66, and upon his graduation he was the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,403 points as well as its all-time leading rebounder with 975 (both marks have since been surpassed).[3] During his senior season, Grant averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game,[4] both of which led the team, and at the end of the season he was honored with the Haggerty Award.[2] The award has been given annually since 1935–36 to the top male collegiate basketball player in the greater New York City area. The Blackbirds won their second consecutive Tri-State League championship,[4] and Grant finished his college career with averages of 20+ points and 10+ rebounds.[2] To this day he is still the only player in program history with those combined career averages.[3]
After college, Grant had a cup of coffee in the American Basketball Association while playing for the New Jersey Americans.[5] His professional career was short-lived, however, and he moved on to other things after his time with the Americans.
In 2001, he was part of the inaugural class inducted into the LIU Athletics Hall of Fame.[3]
Later life
Grant got into teaching at various schools in New York City.[4] The last school he taught at before his death was Manhattan High School.[4] In the 1990s, Grant earned a medical degree from the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain.[2]
On April 14, 2004, Grant died at age 60 following complications from diabetes.[4]
