James Leroy Wright, Sr.

Mr. James Leroy Wright, Sr. 82, of Charlotte,NC passed away Saturday, March 21, 2020 at Novant Health Main Charlotte. Celebration of Life will be held Friday, March 27, 2020 at Long & Son Mortuary Chapel. Visitation will begin at 11:00 am and the service will follow at 12:00pm.Due to the National Health Crisis COVID-19 epidemic, we the staff of Long & Son will follow the procedures from the Federal Government as Directed.

James Leroy Wright “Poppy” was born May 6, 1937 to Helen and Johnny Carl Wright, in Rosebud, Texas. Leroy accepted Christ at an early age and taught Sunday school at New Hope Baptist Church. He is a product of Aycock High School in Rockdale, Texas, where he distinguished himself as an outstanding scholar/athlete. He excelled in four sports: football, basketball, baseball and track, gaining All State Honors for two years in all four. Aycock High was State Champions in football and basketball in 1956. Leroy was Valedictorian of the senior class in 1956, maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. His exploits on the gridiron earned him offers to New Mexico State, Oklahoma, Grambling and several other institutions.

Leroy opted for the College of Pacific in Stockton, CA, on a full-time athletic scholarship to play basketball. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. In the route to obtaining his BA degree, he was the NCAA’s leading rebounder for two consecutive seasons: 1958-1959 and 1959-60. During his Junior year he averaged 25 rebounds and 16 points per game. He played in the East-West All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden in 1960. He was drafted in the second round by the Boston Celtics. He chose the field of work instead of attending the Celtic camp.
Leroy’s professional basketball career originated with the New York Tuck Tapers. His professional basketball career includes stints with the Washington and Philadelphia Tapers, the Pittsburg and Minnesota Pipers in the American Basketball Association (ABA). The Minnesota Pipers won the first ABA Championship during the 1967-68 season. Leroy was the ABA’s first African American Coach, a position he held with the Minnesota Pipers during the 1968-69 season. Leroy played in the Conn Pro League (Terryville Oasis) for two years and was undefeated in both seasons. He also played for Wilkes Barre of the Eastern League for a 13-0 season. Leroy holds the distinction of being the first player in major college sports to shoot the “jump hook”, a shot he developed in 1954 at Aycock High.
Along with holding the NCAA rebounding record during his collegiate years, Leroy has also been inducted into the following Hall of Fames: Pacific College Hall of Fame, The Stockton Black Sports Hall of Fame, The Brooklyn USA Athletic Association Hall of Fame and The Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. After 36 years, Leroy retired from Tesa Tape, Inc., as a Sales Service Coordinator.
On March 21, 2020 Leroy transitioned to be with the Lord. He is survived by his wife Thelma, with whom who he would have celebrated 64 years of marriage in April. He also leaves to mourn, a brother Eugene Wright, his son Stanley and daughter-in-law Cheryl, son James Wright Jr., daughters Sharon Wright, Karen Pierre and son in-law Louis Pierre. He has been blessed with nine grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. He leaves a host of family and friends.