Milk Carton All-Star of the Week....Special Independence Day Edition

For our special 4th of July edition of Milk Carton All-Star of the Week, I scoured the internet all week looking for athletes with patriotic names. There was former Braves All-Star David Justice..but he wasn't obscure enough. Jags rookie RB Rashad Jennings, who went to the University of Liberty? Too much of a reach. I even searched through an endless amount of New England Patriots, with guys like Tebucky Jones, Andy Katzenmoyer and Steve Isreal earning candidacy. However, it wasn't until I woke up this morning that I hit with the perfect candidate for today's special holiday-inspired proceedings.




The follically-challenged gentleman you see above is known by the U.S. goverment as Lloyd Bernard Free. However, NBA fans of the late 70s and 80s know him as Mr. World B. Free. Free was drafted in 1975 by the Philadelphia 76ers and acquired the nickname "World" on the streets of Brookyln because of his ridiculous hops. During his 13 year career with Philly, San Diego(now the L.A. Clippers), Cleveland and Houston, Free was a prolific scorer, averaging 20 points per game for his career. His best season came in the '79-80 campaign when Free averaged 30 points per game to go along with an average of 4 assists and 3 rebounds. It would be Free's only All-Star season. It would also be the same year Free would legally change his first name from Lloyd to World. Free would make a brief stint in the USBL with the Miami Tropics before resurfacing in the NBA as a member of the Houston Rockets. In 2006, the Sixers gave Free a job as director of player development to go along with his title of community relations director.



So let's give it up for Philadelphia's "Ambassador of Basketball" (not to be confused with Hugh Douglas' title of Bad-Assador of Philadelphia).....World B. Free

---Dave