hiː spˈɛnt hɪz plˈeɪɪŋ kɚɹˈɪɹ wɪðˌɪn ðɪ ˈæmətʃɚɹ æθlˈɛɾɪk jˈuːniən ˌeɪˌeɪjˈuː bᵻfˌoːɹ dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðə nˈuːli fˈɔːɹmd ɐmˈɛɹɪkən bˈæskɪtbˌɔːl ɐsˌoʊsɪˈeɪʃən ˌeɪbˌiːˈeɪ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən.
He spent his playing career within the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) before joining the newly formed American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967.