Ernie DiGregorio Biography

Ernest DiGregorio, born January 15, 1951, is an American former professional basketball player known as Ernie D. He has played in the National Basketball Association for the Buffalo Braves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics from 1973 to 1978. DiGregorio was named NBA Rookie of the Year during the 1973–74 season and holds the NBA rookie record for assists in a single game with 25. A 1973 NCAA All-American at Providence, DiGregorio was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. In the 1972–73 season, he averaged 24.5 points per game and 8.6 assists per game, earning Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors. After his college career, DiGregorio played on a college All-Star team coached by Bob Cousy in a six-game exhibition series against a team from the Soviet Union. During his final full season with the Braves in 1976–77, he played 28 minutes per game and averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 assists.