Byron Beck
Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.
A 6 foot 9 inch forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball Association. Beck and Dampier would also be the only two players who would stay with the franchise that originally drafted them throughout the entire existence of the ABA before the ABA–NBA merger occurred, with Beck being the only player to stay with the team in question following the completed merger into the NBA. He played for the Denver Rockets, who later became the Denver Nuggets. Beck was not blessed with superior athleticism, but he was a hard worker known for his tenacious rebounding and efficient hook shot. He represented Denver in two ABA All-Star Games.
Beck also played one season in the National Basketball Association after the Nuggets joined the NBA through the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, and he retired in 1977 with 8,603 career ABA/NBA points and 5,261 career rebounds. On December 16, 1977, he became the first player in the Denver franchise to have his jersey number (#40) retired. In 1981, Beck was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
After retiring from professional basketball, Beck moved to Kennewick, Washington where he worked as an engineer.