Former University of Kentucky standout Dan Issel took to Twitter on Tuesday asking for encouraging words for a former Kentucky Colonel comrade.
“My teammate Bird Averitt is back in the hospital,” Issel wrote. “I need your help in getting his spirits up. He is in for a big fight and he needs your help.
“Please take 10 minutes and scribble him a get well note. Mail to his daughter:
Temeshia Faulkner
11214-B Rowe Street
Fort Campbell, KY 42223
William “Bird” Averitt starred at Hopkinsville High School and is one of the top players in the history of 2nd Region basketball.
As a senior at Pepperdine University, Averitt led the nation in scoring at 33.9 points a game and was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.
Averitt spent six years playing professional basketball in both the ABA and the NBA.
In 1975, Averitt, along with Issel, Artis Gilmore, Louie Dampier and coach Hubie Brown, led the Kentucky Colonels to the ABA championship.
Averitt, who has battled health problems in recent years, was honored at Hoptown’s Tiger Gym during the regional tournament in March, receiving a standing ovation from a packed house.
