Bulldog basketball legend dies

Bob Lienhard, the Georgia Bulldogs’ career rebounding leader and a two-time All-American, died over the weekend in Italy. He was 70.

Lienhard, who played before freshmen were eligible for varsity competition, scored 1,659 points and grabbed 1,116 rebounds in just 75 games during three seasons with the Bulldogs from 1967-70. He averaged 14.9 rebounds per game, also a school record. Lienhard’s point total ranks No. 7 in school annals; however, his career scoring average mark of 22.1 ppg is No. 2.

A Bronx native, Lienhard was named All-America in both 1969 and 1970 by the Helms Foundation and was a consensus All-SEC pick three times.

Though he completed his collegiate career nearly 50 years ago, Lienhard remains near the top of numerous Georgia statistical leaders ledgers.

Lienhard owns three of Georgia’s top-five season rebound counts – No. 1 (396 in 1968-69), No. 2 (373 in 1967-68) and No. 5 (347 in 1969-70) – as well as 13 of UGA’s top-20 single-game efforts. He collected a school-record 32 boards against Sewanee on Dec. 3, 1968. Within SEC records, Lienhard ranks No. 6 in single-game rebounds and No. 12 in career boards.

In his first varsity game with the Bulldogs, Lienhard scored what was then recognized as a school-record 44 points against Arkansas A&M on Dec. 2, 1967. He later upped that mark to 45 points against Alabama on Jan. 29, 1968. He also owns Georgia’s record for field goal percentage, connecting on 11-of-11 attempts from the field in an 89-76 victory over Georgia Tech on Feb. 15, 1968.

Among single-game marks, he ranks No. 2 in field goals made (19). For season efforts, Lienhard is No. 2 in field goal percentage (.632) and No. 8 in field goals made (235). From a career perspective, he remains No. 2 in field goal percentage (.597), No. 5 in field goals made (663), No. 9 in career free throws made (333) and No. 11 in free throws attempted (487).

Lienhard was drafted by the Phoenix Suns of the NBA and the Carolina Cougars of the ABA but chose to play professionally in Italy. He played for Pallancanestro Cantù from 1970-78, scoring more than 3,000 career points and helping the club to one Italian championship, five international trophies and one intercontinental title. He remained in Italy following his playing career and gained Italian citizenship.

Robert Louis Lienhard was born April 2, 1948.