Jim McMillian
A cerebral forward from Brooklyn who led Columbia University to its last NCAA tournament glory, proving Ivy League grit could compete on the national stage.
1948–2016 (age 68)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jim McMillian emerged from the hard courts of Brooklyn's Thomas Jefferson High School to become the engine of Columbia University's basketball renaissance in the late 1960s. With a smooth, powerful game, he was the cornerstone of a Lions squad that compiled a remarkable 63-14 record over three seasons. His sophomore year culminated in a 1968 NCAA Tournament run where Columbia finished third in the East Regional, ending the season ranked sixth in the nation—a height the program has not reached since. Drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, McMillian became a key role player on the 1972 championship team, stepping into the starting lineup after an injury to Elgin Baylor and helping the Lakers win a then-record 33 consecutive games. His career, which also included stints with Buffalo and the Knicks, was defined by intelligent, team-first play. McMillian's legacy is that of a trailblazer who carried the Ivy League banner onto basketball's biggest stages.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jim was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2016Died at 68
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Led Columbia University to a #6 national ranking and its last NCAA Tournament appearance in 1968.
- Won an NBA championship as a starting forward for the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers.
- Played a pivotal role in the Lakers' record 33-game winning streak during the 1971-72 season.
Did You Know?
His Columbia jersey number 32 was retired by the university.
He was a first-team All-Ivy League selection for three consecutive years.
After his NBA career, he played professionally in Italy for several seasons.
“I was the first black basketball player to start for Columbia, and we won the Ivy League.”
