Dillard basketball legend "Spider" Pradd dies at 69

(New Orleans) Former Dillard University NAIA All-American basketball player Marlbert "Spider" Pradd died from a massive heart attack during his recent time spent at Touro Hospital.

Pradd is one of the most decorated players to come out of Dillard. He was a three-time NAIA All-American and the first All-American to come from the University. He finished his career as the leading scorer in Dillard history with 2,907 points and averaged 37.5 points per game. He led the nation (NAIA) in scoring in 1966 with 39.1 points per game. Pradd also averaged 42 points in 1967, 35.4 points in 1965 and 34.3 points in 1964.

To this day he holds one of the most coveted single-season school records of shooting 92 percent from the free throw line in 1967. During his time at Dillard, he established 22 total records, including notching a school record with a single-game scoring high of 55 points.

Following his collegiate career, he was a sixth-round pick of the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Draft and he played two seasons with the New Orleans Buccaneers of the ABA. He was selected to the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

Services for "Spider" Pradd will be held at Rhodes Funeral Home, on 3933 Washington Avenue in New Orleans. Visitation will be on Thursday, May 8 at 10:00 a.m., with service starting at 11:00 a.m.

*Photo provided by H. Keleta