Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Here is the information about Slick Leonard:
Player Profile
- Full Name: William “Slick” Leonard
- Nationality: American
- Age: Deceased (born July 17, 1932 – died April 13, 2021, aged 88)
- Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana
- Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m)
- Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
- Wingspan: 6 feet 4 inches
- Shoe Size: Size 12 (US)
- Number: Wore #10 during his playing career
- Position: Guard
- High School: Terre Haute Gerstmeyer High School, Terre Haute, Indiana
- College: Indiana University
- NBA Draft: 1954, 2nd Round, 10th pick overall by the Baltimore Bullets
- Teams Played For: Minneapolis Lakers, Chicago Packers
- Championship Rings: 1 (1953 with the Minneapolis Lakers as a player)
- Kids: Yes, Leonard had children, but specific details are not widely publicized
- Siblings: Not publicly documented
Player Archetype / Play Style
Slick Leonard’s player archetype was that of a floor-leading point guard whose value came more from orchestration, toughness, and steady backcourt play than from explosive scoring. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, he had solid size for a guard in his era, and defensively he fit as a competitive perimeter worker who relied on effort and positioning rather than overwhelming athletic tools. Offensively, Leonard functioned primarily as a table-setting ball-handler and organizer, though he could still score when needed, as shown by his 1962-63 NBA All-Star season with the Chicago Zephyrs. Overall, his play style was controlled and pragmatic, built on running the offense, making sound reads, and giving his team reliable veteran guard play on both ends. (Basketball Reference)
Fun Facts
- He was also a successful NBA coach and led the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships (1970, 1972, 1973).
Sources:
Basketball-Reference — Slick Leonard Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More
AP News — Bobby ‘Slick’ Leonard, 88, Pacers Hall of Fame coach, dies
Basketball-Reference — 1962-63 Chicago Zephyrs Roster and Stats