Indiana Basketball Honoring Bill Garrett in 2023-24 Season Opener

In honor of the 75th anniversary of Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame member Bill Garrett becoming the first Black player to start for a Big Ten team, the 2023-24 men's basketball season opener will be celebrated as the "Bill Garrett Game."

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana men's basketball season opener on Nov. 7 will be celebrated as the "Bill Garrett Game," in honor of the 75th anniversary of the season when Garrett broke Big Ten basketball’s unofficial color barrier.

Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET against Florida Gulf Coast inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, and it can be seen on the Big Ten Network. To recognize Garrett, Indiana will provide specialty game programs to replicate those used during Garrett’s debut varsity game and season in 1948-49.

On Dec. 4, 1948, Garrett became the first Black player to start for a Big Ten team. He now has a statue in the south lobby of Assembly Hall and is a member of the Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame. 

🗣 We were ahead of the game.

Indiana will recognize the 75th anniversary of the season when Bill Garrett broke @B1GMBBall's color barrier on 11/7.

Details: https://t.co/3f0mlUGdr5 pic.twitter.com/c1OhGOVjIk

— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) October 24, 2023

Last November, Garrett's son, Billy, who's an assistant coach for Bethune-Cookman, coached at Assembly Hall against the Hoosiers. To read the story of that special moment with comments from Billy, CLICK HERE.

Indiana basketball coach Branch McCracken (left) and Hall of Fame player Bill Garrett (right) are honored with a statue inside the south lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall

Here's more information on Garrett from Indiana's press release:

In his three seasons of varsity basketball, Garrett helped guide the Hoosiers to a record of 50-13, including a 19-3 mark in 1950-51, a season that culminated with the No. 7 ranking in the final Associated Press Poll.

Garrett was voted the most valuable player of the season by his teammates, named All-Big Ten first team, and recognized as a consensus All-American following the 1950-51 campaign. The NCAA coaches also elected him as a write-in for the college all-star team after his name was left off the ballot.

At the time of his graduation, Garrett held the Indiana men’s basketball scoring record at 792 points after leading IU in total scoring each of his three varsity seasons. 

Garrett became the third black player ever drafted in the NBA after Boston selected him in the second round of the 1951 Draft. He graduated in June of 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. 

The 1947 Indiana Mr. Basketball led Shelbyville to its first high school basketball state championship with a then-tournament record 91 points. He also led the Indiana All-Stars to victory over Kentucky before enrolling at Indiana University.

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