Wayne Embry
Inducted:
1999
Player Stats
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
Born
March 26, 1937
Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
Position:
Executive
College:
Miami (Ohio) (1955–1958)
Wayne "The Wall" Embry is one of the most significant pioneers in the history of professional sports management. While he was a five-time All-Star and an NBA champion as a player, his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1999 primarily honored his ground-breaking career as an executive. In 1972, Embry made history by becoming the first African American General Manager in NBA history (and in all of North American major league sports) when he took the reins of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Embry’s executive career was defined by stability, racial advocacy, and a keen eye for talent. He spent nearly a decade building the Bucks into a perennial contender before moving to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he became the first Black Team President in 1994. In recognition of his groundbreaking career and lasting impact, Wayne Embry was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
Embry's Awards and Records
- NBA Champion (1968, as player; 1971, as GM)
- NBA Champion (Advisor) (2019, Raptors)
- First African American NBA General Manager
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (1999)
- 2x NBA Executive of the Year (1992, 1998)
- John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award
- Sports Illustrated Executive of the Year (1998)
NBA Position
Vice president/General manager/President/Advisor
NBA Team
Milwaukee Bucks (1971–1977)
Cleveland Cavaliers (1986–1999)
Toronto Raptors (2005–2006)
NBA Stats
Executive of the Year:
1992, 1998