Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Dick Garmaker established himself as an American guard in the NBA during the league’s formative years, blending dependable perimeter scoring with composed ball movement and fundamentally sound team play. There was little wasted in his approach, as he consistently made the simple read, moved into open space without the ball, and helped keep offenses flowing through steady decision-making rather than unnecessary flair.

Here are the details for Dick Garmaker:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Richard Eugene Garmaker
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Passed away on June 13, 2023, at the age of 91 (born October 29, 1931)
  • Hometown: Hibbing, Minnesota, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 meters)
  • Weight: 190 pounds (86 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 4 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 13 (US)
  • Number: Wore 16 and 7 during his NBA career
  • Position: Small Forward / Shooting Guard
  • High School: Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minnesota
  • College:
    • Hibbing Junior College (now Hibbing Community College)
    • University of Minnesota (1952–1955)
  • NBA Draft: 1955 NBA Draft, territorial pick by the Minneapolis Lakers
  • Teams Played For:
    • Minneapolis Lakers (1955–1961)
    • New York Knicks (1957–1961)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: Not widely documented
  • Siblings: Not widely documented

Player Archetype / Play Style

Dick Garmaker’s player archetype was that of a scoring swingman: a 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard-forward who brought real shot-making punch from the wing, operated primarily as an offensive focal point or high-level secondary scorer, and fit defensively as a perimeter-oriented wing stopper more than a backline anchor. At Minnesota he was an elite volume scorer, then in the NBA he became a four-time All-Star with the Minneapolis Lakers, which supports the picture of a polished, attack-minded wing whose game blended jump shooting, smart movement, and steady all-around play rather than brute-force interior domination. His overall style reads as a skilled, mid-century two-way wing who could score, handle secondary playmaking duties, and hold his own across both guard and forward matchups. (University of Minnesota Athletics)

Scouting Report

Dick Garmaker played with the kind of economy that often gets overlooked because it wasn’t built on overwhelming physical tools. To me, he always looked like a guard who understood that creating an advantage could be as simple as moving the ball a beat earlier than the defence expected. He operated comfortably within structured offences, keeping the ball swinging, relocating into open space and picking his moments to attack rather than forcing the action. When defenders overplayed passing lanes, he’d take one or two purposeful dribbles into the paint, draw help and deliver simple, accurate passes that kept the possession alive instead of chasing the spectacular assist. His jump shot was compact and dependable from the areas where guards of his era were expected to score, and he showed good balance pulling up after changing direction rather than relying exclusively on catch-and-shoot opportunities. Defensively, he competed with discipline more than aggression. He stayed between his man and the basket, anticipated cuts well and rarely gambled himself out of position, making opponents work through solid footwork instead of reaching for steals. The trade-off was that he wasn’t the type of creator who consistently collapsed an entire defence by himself, and against longer, more explosive guards he could struggle to manufacture clean scoring chances without help from screening action or ball movement. What stands out is how naturally he fit into a team concept. Give him intelligent cutters, willing screeners and another ball handler capable of sharing initiation duties, and his strengths become much more apparent because he doesn’t interrupt offensive flow trying to dominate possessions. His game reminds me of Jeff Hornacek’s understated efficiency mixed with some of Ron Harper’s measured approach as a complementary guard—not because they played identically, but because all three understood how valuable it is to make the right basketball play before the obvious one ever appears.

Fun Facts

  • He was a four-time NBA All-Star (1956–1959) and was inducted into the University of Minnesota’s “M” Club Hall of Fame.
  • He was a prolific scorer in college and carried his success into the NBA during his tenure with the Minneapolis Lakers and New York Knicks.

Sources:

University of Minnesota Athletics — Dick Garmaker – M Club Hall of Fame
Minnesota Star Tribune — Dick Garmaker, former Gophers All-America basketball star, dies at 87
NBA.com — Dick Garmaker