Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Paul Arizin was one of the NBA’s first great scoring forwards, famous for his high-arcing jump shot and consistent offensive production during the league’s early years. A Hall of Famer, 10-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, and 1956 NBA champion, Arizin helped establish the Philadelphia Warriors as one of the NBA’s original powerhouse franchises.

Here are the details on Paul Arizin:

  • Full Name: Paul Joseph Arizin
  • Nationality: United States (born in Philadelphia, PA)
  • DOB: Paul Arizin was born on April 9, 1928, and passed away on December 12, 2006, at the age of 78.
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Height: 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 meters)
  • Weight: 190 pounds (86 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 5 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 14 (US)
  • Shoe Brand: Converse Chuck Taylor Low Top
  • Number: #11 (Philadelphia Warriors)
  • Position: Small Forward
  • University: Villanova Wildcats (Villanova University)
  • High School: La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
  • Draft: 1950 NBA Draft, 1st round, 1st pick overall by the Philadelphia Warriors
  • Teams: Philadelphia Warriors (1951-1962)
  • Retirement Age: 33
  • Retirement Year: 1961-1962

Paul Arizin’s player archetype was a high-scoring wing who built his reputation on relentless shot-making and productive rebounding from the perimeter. Strongly built and exceptionally coordinated, he became famous for his high-arcing jump shot at a time when set shots still dominated the league, giving defenders an unfamiliar challenge. Arizin also attacked the basket with determination, balancing outside scoring with physical drives and second-chance opportunities. His defensive role relied on sound positioning and effort rather than overwhelming athleticism, while his steady all-around production helped establish the scoring forward as one of basketball’s premier offensive weapons during the NBA’s early years.

Scouting Report

Paul Arizin’s scoring wasn’t built on dazzling ball handling or overwhelming physical advantages—it came from an almost stubborn ability to find balance where defenders expected chaos. The interesting thing is how comfortable he looked taking difficult jumpers after only a sliver of separation, using sharp footwork, quick stops, and one of the game’s earliest reliable pull-up packages to score before defenses could fully recover. He didn’t need an offense to manufacture clean looks because he was comfortable flowing from a hard cut into an immediate shot or turning a simple jab step into enough space for his high-release jumper. Around the basket, he attacked from angles instead of trying to go through bodies, finishing with either hand and keeping defenders guessing by changing his release point rather than extending possessions with extra dribbles. The trade-off was that he wasn’t a natural offensive orchestrator who consistently manipulated multiple defenders with advanced passing reads, so his greatest value came when paired with teammates capable of initiating while allowing him to hunt scoring opportunities off movement and secondary actions. Defensively, he competed with discipline, stayed attached to his assignment through cuts, and used anticipation to contest shots instead of gambling himself out of position. What stands out is how portable his offensive game feels. Put him in a motion offense with constant relocations, pindowns, and dribble handoffs, and his scoring would likely become even more efficient because he rarely wasted movement and always seemed prepared to shoot before the catch actually arrived. To me, there are shades of Rip Hamilton in the way he generated offense through perpetual motion, although Arizin was stronger attacking from the wing, while his polished mid-range craftsmanship also echoes Khris Middleton’s ability to create clean looks without explosive speed. His game was never about overwhelming defenses with volume or flair. It was about making fundamentally difficult shots look repeatable, possession after possession, until opponents gradually ran out of answers.

Notes:

  • One of the most graceful players of his time, Paul Arizin spent his entire professional basketball career with the Philadelphia Warriors (later Golden State Warriors).
  • There were not many basketball shoe options in the 19050s. Most players wore the Converse Chuck Taylor shoes. Paul Arizin wore Converse Chuck Taylor Lows for his entire career.