Mel Klein // Basketball
Bio Information: Mel Klein played on four South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference championship teams, three NAIA district champions and three national tournament teams. He was named to the second team NAIA All-American squad. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Klein was a two-time all-SDIC player under Coach Bob Wachs, and in 1961 he was an NAIA All-American. That year he was drafted in the seventh round by the Boston Celtics, though he never played in the NBA. He was in the San Francisco Saints' (ABA) training camp when an Army physical interrupted the tryout.
Professional Information: Drafted in 1961 as the eighth pick in the seventh round (67
th overall) to the Boston Celtics. He also received an offer from the San Francisco Comets, which he took because he felt like it was a better opportunity. Never actually played in an NBA game because an Army physical interrupted his tryouts.
