Brad Branson
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 24, 1958 Harvey, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | January 27, 2026 (aged 67) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | North Fort Myers (North Fort Myers, Florida) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1980: 2nd round, 45th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Detroit Pistons |
| Playing career | 1980–1994 |
| Position | Center / power forward |
| Number | 52 |
| Career history | |
| 1980–1981 | Sarila Rimini |
| 1981–1982 | Anchorage Northern Knights |
| 1982 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1982–1983 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1983–1986 | Silverstone Brescia |
| 1986–1988 | Real Madrid |
| 1988–1994 | Pamesa Valencia |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Bradley Alexander Branson (September 24, 1958 – January 27, 2026) was an American professional basketball player who played forward for two seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and then played for over a decade in Europe. Branson played college basketball for the SMU Mustangs.
Professional career
After being selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 1980 NBA draft, Branson opted to play in Italy for Sarila Rimini.[1]
Branson returned to the United States the next season to play for Anchorage Northern Knights of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), earning CBA Newcomer of the Year[2] honors. He played 10 games for NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers that season and then after a trade played 62 games for the Indiana Pacers in 1982–83.
His career continued overseas in Italy and Spain. Playing for Real Madrid, Branson averaged 22.3 points and 9.5 rebounds in 38 minutes in 1986-87 and led the club to the Korac Cup in 1988.[1]
Branson moved on to Pamesa Valencia, playing six seasons with the club before retiring in 1994.[1]
Personal life and death
Branson's biological father, Lou Scott, won an NCAA basketball championship with Indiana University in 1954.[3]
Branson died on January 27, 2026, at the age of 67.[3][4][5]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Source:[6]
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | Cleveland | 10 | 3 | 17.6 | .404 | – | .917 | 3.3 | .6 | .5 | .4 | 5.3 |
| 1982–83 | Indiana | 62 | 2 | 11.0 | .425 | .000 | .704 | 2.8 | .7 | .4 | .4 | 5.5 |
| Career | 72 | 5 | 11.9 | .422 | .000 | .725 | 2.9 | .7 | .4 | .4 | 5.4 | |
Notes
References
- ^ a b c "Former Pacers, Cavs Forward Dies at 67". Newsweek.
- ^ "Brad Branson minor league basketball statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ a b Sáez-Bravo, Lucas (January 28, 2026). "Brad Branson, legend of 80s basketball with Real Madrid and Valencia Basket, passes away". ELMUNDOAMERICA. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- ^ "Valencia Basket expresses its condolences on the passing of Brad Branson". Valencia Basket. January 28, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- ^ Amico, Sam (January 28, 2026). "Former Cavs and Pacers forward Brad Branson dies at 67". Hoops Wire. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ "Brad Branson NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
External links
- Liga ACB profile Retrieved July 9, 2015 (in Spanish)