Meet Jim Eakins:

"Jumbo" Jim Eakins was born for basketball. He grew to 7 feet tall by the time he was a senior in High School where he played for Encina High School in Sacramento California. Jim was named California player of the year as a senior in High School and was named first team All-American. He led his high school team to a record of 46-2 his junior and senior years (1963-64). Highly recruited by Universities throughout the country, Jim played basketball for Brigham Young University where he was a member of the 1966 NIT Championship team.

Following his college career, Jim was drafted by the San Francisco Warriors of the NBA and by the Oakland Oaks of the ABA. Eakins chose to play for the Oakland Oaks where he joined Hall of Fame teammates Rick Barry, Larry Brown and Doug Moe. Jim won his first Championship with this team as a rookie in 1969.

Jim moved with this team to Washington and then onto Virginia where he became the center for the Virginia Squires. In the spring of 1971, the Virginia Squires signed Julius "Dr.J" Erving and he and Jim became fast friends. Before the 1976 season, when both Jim and Julius were playing for the New York Nets, Eakins was elected as the ABA Player's Association President and Erving was his Vice-President. The two worked closely together and played big roles in the ABA/NBA merger protecting the rights of ABA players.

Together, Jim and Julius won the final ABA Championship in 1976 with the New York Nets and then beat the John Havilcek-led Boston Celtics 117-114 in BasketBowl IX.

After the ABA/NBA merger, Jim Eakins played for the Kansas City Kings, Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs. After the 1977-78 season, Eakins retired averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds over 10 years. He finished his career ninth in rebounds with 5,142 and sixth in games played with 652. "I always wanted to go out when I was still wanted and not waived out," he says. "I walked away from a two-year guaranteed contract with the Celtics on the table, but with two young sons and a daughter on the way, I wanted to be home with my family."

Jim Eakins has spent his post-NBA career in teaching high school and coaching. He has coached several high school boys and girls basketball teams. He also started the basketball program at Salt Lake Community College. Everywhere he has gone, he has had successful seasons and a lasting impression on the kids he works with.

"I have been humbled by my coaching career," Eakins says, "Coaching is refreshing for me. I help students understand why they compete so there's little pressure. These student-athletes have put sports back into perspective for me, especially after having a pro career where there was constant pressure to perform at such a high level."

Jim still wears his 1976 Championship ring every day. "It's something that is exciting for the kids I coach to see. It shows them that they can accomplish their own dreams whether that is in basketball or not."