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CELTIC-NATION
You were an honorable mention All-State performer at
Tecumseh High School, where your team won 48 of 51 games
during your junior and senior seasons. What was high
school like for you, and how did you first become
interested in basketball?
WAYNE EMBRY
 I was like any other youngster at that age. I liked to
play sports, and not just basketball. It just turned out
that basketball was my best sport. I liked football a lot
as well, but Tecumseh didn’t field a football team until I
was a junior. I went out for the team and played one
season. Basketball, because of my height, was where I
really excelled. Our teams won all those games and I was
able to go on and play at the college level.
CELTIC-NATION
A perfect lead-in to my next question. You played your
college ball at Miami of Ohio. You were a two-time
honorable mention All-America selection, scoring 1,401
points and grabbing 1,117 rebounds in three seasons, as
well as being named team captain and MVP in 1957 and
1958. Please tell me about your career at Miami.
WAYNE EMBRY
Well, today you see guys go from high school directly to
the pros, which is something that just didn’t happen when
I played. Even if that had been the trend during my era,
I simply wasn’t prepared to play professional basketball.
College was the best route for me. I was a somewhat of a
slow developer – as a freshman I wasn’t even the best
player on the team – but by my sophomore season I’d
improved in every aspect of my game and had much greater
confidence in my ability. I blossomed during my junior
year, and things really took off from that point on.
CELTIC-NATION
In 1958, your Miami squad played the Indiana Hoosiers.
You connected on 15 field goals in that game, the most an
opponent had ever scored against IU. Forty-five years
later that record still stands. Were you aware that your
name is still in the IU record books?
WAYNE EMBRY
I remember playing against Indiana – it was an away game,
I believe – but I wasn’t aware that I held that
distinction. That’s a very interesting piece of trivia.
You certainly do your homework!
CELTIC-NATION
You were drafted in the third round by the St. Louis
Hawks, who immediately traded you to the Cincinnati
Royals. Please tell me about the great Oscar Robertson,
and what it was like playing alongside him for five
seasons.
WAYNE EMBRY
Oscar Robertson, in my opinion,
is the best player ever to play the game of basketball.
We were roommates when I was with the Royals, and it was
an honor to be on the same team with him. He certainly
enhanced my career. He had a great impact on me, but his
influence extended beyond basketball and into the bigger
picture of life. As you can tell, I have a tremendous
amount of respect and admiration for Oscar Robertson.
CELTIC-NATION
You were a five-time NBA All-Star, from 1960-61 to
1964-65. In terms of personal success, do you have one
All-Star season that stands out from the rest?
WAYNE EMBRY
It’s hard to say which year was the best. We had some
very good teams, but we just couldn’t seem to get past the
Celtics. We had talent – Oscar, Jerry Lucas and Jack
Twyman jump to mind – but Boston was always a little bit
better. So if I had to pick one season, it would have to
be 1963-64. We won 55 games that season and really played
the Celtics tough. | 
