- Sport: Basketball
- 2x WCC Player of the Year
- All-American (1955)
- 2x NBA All-Star
- No. 55 Jersey Retired in 2007
- Inducted in 1965
It is no question that Ken Sears was the face of Santa Clara Basketball from 1951-1955. The 6-foot-9 point guard was a powerhouse on the court. He led his team to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. His sophomore season the Broncos made it to the Final Four. All who watched the game could tell Sears was both an excellent leader and athlete. He was twice named the WCC Player of the Year. In December of 1954, he became the first basketball player to grace the cover of Sport Illustrated magazine. Sears was named an All-American in 1955. His innate basketball skills were highlighted in a game against Pacific, when he scored an astounding 41 points and pulled down 30 rebounds. After graduating from Santa Clara, Sears was drafted by the New York Knicks in the first round. It was with the Knicks that he appeared in two NBA All-Star games (1958, 1959) and led the NBA is field goal percentages twice (1959, 1960). After six seasons with the Knicks, Sears played with the San Francisco Warriors for two. Throughout eight seasons in the NBA, he averaged 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Sears is ranked all time top 10 in points, free throws made, and attempted for Santa Clara. In 2007, the University retired Sears’s No. 55 jersey.
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