He was a high school phenom, a Paul Bunyan in basketball shorts, and a player who could score points in bunches from all angles on the court.  His 176-point eruption in a one month span during his senior season at Shelby High remains laced across the record books in the State of Ohio, a testament to his telekinetic court presence and deadeye marksmanship.  Few at that level have ever played the game better.  Fewer still would argue that claim.  He was a virtuoso in high tops, equally adept at pulling down rebounds and dishing out assists, and the kind of player perfectly suited to join John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas on a championship quest at Ohio State.  That Larry Siegfried would follow Havlicek to professional glory with the Boston Celtics is hardly surprising.  Siegfried’s sweet shooting touch and trip-hammer release translated well from high school to college, and then again into the pros, and his presence on the Celtic roster helped keep basketball’s greatest dynasty rolling through the close of the 1960s.

Siegfried’s story begins modestly, on the rolling farmland just outside of Shelby, Ohio, where his father worked in a local factory and Siegfried spent countless hours shooting baskets against the family barn.  The ball and the hoop were relatively inexpensive toys for a blue-collar family on a budget.  Siegfried often shot alone, honing his jumper, playing imaginary games against All-Americans like Ralph Beard and Alex Groza of Kentucky, or Dick Schnittker of Ohio State.  It proved to be the perfect training ground for an eager young athlete blessed with an abundance of God-given natural talent.

While the young Siegfried’s game seemed to improve daily, it positively blossomed during his standout prep career at Shelby High School – especially in 1957, when no Northern Ohio League scoring record proved safe.  With a coach determined to make the most of his talents, Siegfried found himself playing both inside and out, rarely resting on the bench during his phenomenal senior season.  And for good reason; the All-State guard was strong enough to battle for position under the boards, yet quick enough to take his man off the dribble at the top of the key.  The constant movement was a headache for opposing coaches tasked with slowing him down.  Siegfried averaged a whopping 38 points-per-game during that final campaign in ‘57, leading Shelby to a state basketball championship.  He was named co-recipient of Ohio’s player-of-the-year in the process, an award won the next season by future Ohio State teammate Jerry Lucas.

For Siegfried, playing for his home state Buckeyes seemed a match made in heaven; the team was a national power, and recruiters were promising a system built around his athleticism and versatility.  Adding to the allure was the presence of head coach Fred Taylor, easily one of the top coaches in the nation, and the prospect of playing close to home, in front of family and friends.  Siegfried eagerly signed with Ohio State and headed off for Columbus.  He spent his freshman year attending classes while acclimating himself to the Buckeye basketball program.  Almost immediately, Siegfried began to question his decision; life under Taylor differed vastly from the picture painted by the recruiters, as his sophomore season (under NCAA rules of the day, freshmen weren’t allowed to compete in varsity sports) was one spent competing for playing time and adjusting to a one-dimensional role within the Buckeye offense.  The situation was made more pronounced the following season, with the arrival of Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek, both of whom would go on to storied NBA careers.

Unhappy with his compartmentalized place in the OSU basketball universe, and yet firmly convinced that the 1960 team would be something truly special, Siegfried kept his mouth shut and kept his mind focused on helping his team realize its full potential.  The Buckeyes roared to the 1960 Big Ten Championship that season, fueled by its five starters – all who would become future NBA players:  Siegfried, Lucas, Havlicek, Mel Nowell and Joe Roberts.  Things only got better in the NCAA tournament, as Ohio State dominated California 75-55 to win the 1960 national championship.

"I had a love affair with those kids," the late Fred Taylor would say years later.  "They weren't very sound defensively at the start of the season.  As they progressed, they could play pretty thorny defense."

Siegfried rejoiced with his teammates over the historic victory, but those closest to him understood the uneasy disconnect between player and coach.  Taylor was a strict tactician with a military background.  He stressed defense first, followed by a precision offense, and his teams were always among the most fundamentally sound in the nation.  Siegfried worked well within this system, but he also felt unable to fully utilize his talents while on the floor.  He wanted to showcase all aspects of his game.  It frustrated him to play such a specialized role, but he was a team player above all else, and not the kind to poison a locker room.  Winning was his main thing.