NDN All-Star #17 Gary Gray
Let me tell you about a basketball player who doesn’t always get talked about, but definitely should be— NDN All-Star #17 Gary Gray (Delaware). If you’re a fan of Native athletes like I am, you might already know a few big names. Jim Thorpe, Notah Begay, Johnny Bench… But Gary Gray is one of those guys whose story deserves more attention, especially because he played in a time when Native representation in pro sports was almost nonexistent.
Gary was born in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, in 1945. He’s a proud member of the Delaware Nation. There’s something special about seeing someone who comes from a background like yours—or your community—go on to do something big.
He went to Fort Cobb High School, a small school in a small town. But his skills were anything but small. Playing guard on the basketball team, he was the kind of player who could lead a team with both his talent and his smarts. And he didn’t stop there. He went on to play college ball at Oklahoma City University, also known as OCU.
Now, OCU isn’t a huge basketball powerhouse like Duke or Kentucky, but back in the mid-1960s, they had something special going—and Gary was a big part of that. In 1966, he led the team to win the All-College Tournament. That was a big deal, especially in Oklahoma, where that tournament has a long history. He also helped take OCU into the NCAA Tournament that year, showing that he could hold his own on a national stage.
And here’s something else that really stands out to me: Gary wasn’t just a player—he was a student too. He was named an Academic All-American for the 1966–67 season. That means he was putting in the work in the classroom as well as on the court. That’s no easy task, and it says a lot about him as a person.
Then came 1967. That year, Gary Gray got drafted into the NBA. The Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) picked him in the third round, 26th overall. That’s the same team that had Oscar Robertson, one of the all-time greats. Imagine walking into the locker room and seeing a legend like that—especially as a young Native player just breaking into the league. (He was also drafted by the Dallas Chaparrals in the 1967 American Basketball Association Draft but opted to play in the NBA.)
Gary played 44 games for the Royals during the 1967–68 season. His stats might not blow you away—he averaged 2.4 points per game—but I don’t think that tells the whole story. Just making it to the NBA is huge. It’s something most players only dream about. And doing it in the ’60s, as a Native American? That takes something extra.
After that season, the Milwaukee Bucks picked him in the 1968 expansion draft, but he didn’t end up playing for them. Still, his impact had already been made.
In 1986, Gary was inducted into the Oklahoma City University Basketball Hall of Fame. That tells you all you need to know about how much he meant to the program and to the people who watched him play.
For me, Gary Gray’s story is about more than just basketball. It’s about pride, history, and breaking new ground. He helped open the door for future Native athletes to dream a little bigger.
So if you’ve never heard of him before, now you have. NDN All-Star #17 Gary Gray—Native baller, college star, NBA player, and a name worth remembering.
Bill Black is the creator and “General Manager of NDN All-Stars, celebrating great Native American athletes past and present. He is a first generation descendant of the Okanogan Band of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and resides in Omak, WA.
#NDNAllstars #GaryGray #Delaware #basketball #NBA #Chicago #Cincinnati #Royals #guard
If you enjoy the content here and would like to help support our mission of celebrating great Native athletes of the past and present, please take a look at our NDN All-Stars Shop. Proceeds from every purchase help us continue to retell these stories. Also, if you would like to donate to this effort, please visit our Patreon page.
Thank you for your support!