Billy Gabor
Billy Gabor, nicknamed "Billy the Bullet," was an American basketball player known for his speed. A 5'11" guard from Syracuse University in the 1940s, he started every varsity game after his freshman year and set a then-remarkable career scoring record with 1,344 points. He left college to serve in the Army Air Corps in 1943 and returned in 1945 to finish his college career. Syracuse retired his No. 17 jersey on March 1, 2009.
Gabor played professionally for the Syracuse Nationals from 1948 to 1955, first in the National Basketball League and later in the NBA. He helped the team win the league championship in 1955 and earned an NBA All-Star selection in 1953. Over his NBA career, he averaged 9.8 points per game and finished with 2,997 points, 626 assists, and 448 rebounds. He wore numbers 35 and 7 during his pro days, and Syracuse later retired his No. 17.
Born in Binghamton, New York, Gabor died in Jupiter, Florida, at age 97. He was married once and had three children and eight grandchildren.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:19 (CET).