UConn Basketball Great Toby Kimball Dies at 74

STORRS, CT – Toby Kimball, one of the first great basketball players from the University of Connecticut who led the nation in rebounding during the 1964-65 season, has died, the university announced.

Kimball was 74 and passed away Tuesday in California, UConn officials said.

The 6-foot-8 Kimball led the country in both total rebounds (483) and rebound average (21.0 per game) in his senior year of 1964-65 as UConn was 23-3 overall and ranked No. 15 in the nation, UConn officials said.

Kimball is second all-time at UConn in career rebounds (1,324) and career rebound average (17.9 per game) and had 1,361 career points, university officials said.

He was a three-time All-Yankee Conference pick (1963, 1964 and 1965) and was a member of the 1964 NCAA All-Region Team, according to UConn archives.

Kimball was a three-time AP and UPI All-New England selection and was ALL-ECAC in 1964, according to UConn archives.

In his three varsity seasons, UConn had a record of 57-21 and won three Yankee Conference Championships with three NCAA tournament berths, including the Elite Eight appearance in 1964, according to UConn archives.

In 1990, Kimball was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as a member of its Silver Anniversary All-America Team, according to UConn archives.

He was named to the UConn Basketball All-Century Team and part of the inaugural class of the Huskies of Honor in 2006, according to UConn archives.

Kimball was a third round pick of the Boston Celtics in 1965 NBA Draft. He played in Italy for the 1965-66 season and led his team to the European Championship. He began a nine-year NBA career with the Celtics the following season and also played for Rockets, Bucks, Kings, 76ers and Jazz in a career that lasted until 1975.

He played in 571 career NBA games with 3,870 rebounds and 3,470 points.

Arrangements are pending, UConn officials said.

Photo Credit: UConn, Patch file