Willie Cager Inducted in 2006
Willie Cager
William Cager Jr. (August 24, 1942 – March 19, 2023) a Bronx native, played for the Texas Western Miners (now UTEP Miners). He was a member of their 1966 team that won the 1966 NCAA Basketball Championship coached by Don Haskins. Texas Western started an all-black starting lineup, against the all-white University of Kentucky.
He suffered from a heart murmur during the 1965–66 season; Texas Western was forced to use him sparingly, in four-minute shifts. After playing at Texas Western, Cager was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 12th round of the 1968 NBA draft. Due to his health, he never played as a professional.
He suffered from a heart murmur during the 1965–66 season; Texas Western was forced to use him sparingly, in four-minute shifts. After playing at Texas Western, Cager was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 12th round of the 1968 NBA draft. Due to his health, he never played as a professional.