Honoring Phil Hubbard: Basketball court renaming scheduled for Aug. 8

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CANTON, Ohio -- Phil Hubbard, one of the most celebrated and decorated basketball players from Canton, Ohio, will have his legacy immortalized as the courts at Preston Young Sr. Mini Park are set to be renamed in his honor.

Hubbard, who graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 1975, excelled in basketball throughout his time and earned the Ohio Player of the Year award at the end of his senior season.

He was a standout player for the University of Michigan from 1975 to 1979, guiding the team to the NCAA Championship game during his first year against Indiana. He also became an All-American in 1977 and was a member of the 1976 Olympic team. 

Despite facing a season-ending knee injury that needed surgery before his junior year and affected his college career, he still played 88 games for Michigan, averaging 16.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and shooting 53%.

After finishing college, he was selected in the first round as the 15th pick by the Detroit Pistons during the 1979 NBA Draft. Even though he had one year of college eligibility left, he chose to enter the draft.

Preston Young Sr. Mini Park sign. (Photo: Canton Park and Recreation)

Hubbard played in 196 games over three seasons in Detroit before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1982, where he played eight seasons and in over 450 games before retiring after the 1989 season. 

His career averages were 10.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. 

The dedication is scheduled during the annual 'Mini Park Reunion' on August 8, located in the 400 block of Henry Mack Way (Cornelia Avenue) NE. The reunion will run from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., followed by an after-party at Celebrationz Lounge, which is at 2820 Eight St. NE.

The event is free to the public. 

**Statistics were obtained from Basketball Reference and NBA.com. **