Skip Wise
Encyclopedia
Allen Harper Wise, Jr. known as Skip Wise, was an American basketball
player.
Wise was a sensation as a high school player at Dunbar High School
in Baltimore, Maryland. In his junior year in 1973, Wise led Dunbar to a victory over DeMatha High School, led by future NBA star Adrian Dantley
.
Wise then played at Clemson University
and was the first freshman
to win first team all-conference honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference
.
Wise left Clemson after his freshman year, signing with the Baltimore Claws
of the American Basketball Association
in 1975. However, drugs impaired his play; in Terry Pluto
's book on the ABA, Loose Balls, a coach found Wise shivering in the locker room, suggesting heroin use. The Claws folded after playing three preseason exhibition games, so Wise then signed with the Golden State Warriors
. The Warriors cut him after a few days, however, with Wise's drug use as a major reason (allegedly, Warriors coach Al Attles
caught Wise using heroin in the team locker room). Later in the 1975-76 season, Wise hooked on with the San Antonio Spurs
, playing two games, his only games as a professional.
Wise eventually served prison time for drug-related crimes in the 1970s and 1980s, before returning home to Baltimore and working in a local community center.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
Wise was a sensation as a high school player at Dunbar High School
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Baltimore, Maryland)
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is a public secondary school located in Baltimore, Maryland.-History:Dunbar opened in 1918 as the Paul Laurence Dunbar Elementary School, No. 101. It was named in memory of Paul Laurence Dunbar, an African-American poet, who had died ten years earlier...
in Baltimore, Maryland. In his junior year in 1973, Wise led Dunbar to a victory over DeMatha High School, led by future NBA star Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Delano Dantley is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, including seven as a member of the Utah Jazz. A forward/guard and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008...
.
Wise then played at Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
and was the first freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
to win first team all-conference honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
.
Wise left Clemson after his freshman year, signing with the Baltimore Claws
Baltimore Claws
The Baltimore Claws was an American basketball team which was supposed to appear in the 1975-76 season in the American Basketball Association. The team collapsed before the season started, playing only three exhibition games in its brief history.-Background:...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
in 1975. However, drugs impaired his play; in Terry Pluto
Terry Pluto
Terry Pluto is an award-winning sportswriter who primarily writes columns for The Plain Dealer, and formerly for the Akron Beacon Journal about Cleveland sports and religion. He has been named Ohio Sportswriter of the Year eight times...
's book on the ABA, Loose Balls, a coach found Wise shivering in the locker room, suggesting heroin use. The Claws folded after playing three preseason exhibition games, so Wise then signed with the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The Warriors cut him after a few days, however, with Wise's drug use as a major reason (allegedly, Warriors coach Al Attles
Al Attles
Alvin A. "Al" Attles Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. He is a graduate of Weequahic High School in Newark and North Carolina A&T State University...
caught Wise using heroin in the team locker room). Later in the 1975-76 season, Wise hooked on with the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, playing two games, his only games as a professional.
Wise eventually served prison time for drug-related crimes in the 1970s and 1980s, before returning home to Baltimore and working in a local community center.