Perhaps the most renowned Bradley basketball player of all time passed away Friday morning.
Gene “Squeaky” Melchiorre, the only No. 1 NBA draft choice to never play in the league, died at his Highland Park home at the age of 92.
The two-time all-American who led Bradley to the championship games of both the NCAA and NIT tournaments in 1950 will be more remembered in Bradley lore for his involvement with several teammates in the widespread college basketball point-shaving scandal that rocked the sport following that season.
“The memories are good and the memories are bad,” said Paul Unruh, his Bradley teammate.