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Former Ohio State Basketball Player Granville Waiters Dies At Age 60

Waiters played for the Buckeyes from 1979-1983 before playing in the NBA

According to a report from La Vanguardia, one of the leading newspapers in Spain, former Ohio State men’s basketball player Granville Waiters has died at the age of 60.

A Columbus native, Waiters played 103 games (61 starts) for the Buckeyes from 1979-83. He averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game and was named a team captain as a senior, when he upped his average to 10.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

A second-round pick of the Portland Trail Blazers, who subsequently sold his rights to the Indiana Pacers on the night of the 1983 NBA Draft, Waiters played five seasons in the league for the Pacers, Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls. He averaged 2.4, 2.2 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 249 games in the NBA.

Waiters also played two seasons overseas for FC Barcelona and Caja Bilbao in Spain. He averaged a career-best 9.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks during his final season in 1989-90.

Following his playing career, Waiters worked as a financial consultant and served on the board of directors at After-School All-Stars, which “provides programs and transformative opportunities that help students develop the skills, knowledge, and habits needed to succeed in life, school, and their future career.”

After learning of his passing, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and former center Jared Sullinger paid their respects to Waiters on social media.

The cause of Waiters’ death is not immediately available.

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