Birthdate: September 13, 1949
Birthplace: Lincolnton, North Carolina
High School: Columbus Linden McKinley (1967)
College: Ohio State University (1971)
Year Inducted: 2008
Jim Cleamons, a 6-foot-5 swingman from Columbus Linden McKinley High School, averaged 18.5 points over four years at Ohio State. He played forward as a sophomore and junior but switched to point guard in his senior year (1970-71) and led a sophomore-dominated OSU team to the Big Ten championship. The Buckeyes won an NCAA Tournament game and finished 20-6. Jim Cleamons was drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972. He also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Washington Bullets in a nine-year NBA career. He played 652 games, averaging 12.6 points and six rebounds. Cleamons won six NBA titles as an assistant coach with Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
