Men's Basketball | September 06, 2020

Former USC basketball All-America honorable mention and All-Pac-10 guard Dwight "The Blur" Anderson died on Sept. 5 in his native Ohio at the age of 59.

The lightning-quick 6-3 guard transferred to USC from Kentucky midway through the 1980 season. He became eligible for USC during the second half of the 1981 season and played the entire 1982 season for the Trojans.  Anderson led the Trojans in scoring average both seasons and left Troy with a then-school career scoring average record of 20.0 points per game.    

As a junior in 1981, Anderson averaged 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists in 12 games for the Trojans.   Following the season he was given the Ernie Holbrook Memorial Award as the most inspirational player and the John Rudometkin 110% Effort Award at the team's postseason banquet.  

As a senior in the 1981-82 season, Anderson averaged 20.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27 games for USC.  He was named All-Pac-10 first team and All-American honorable mention, while earning USC co-MVP honors.  He helped lead USC to a 19-9 record and into the NCAA Tournament.  

Anderson is also remembered by many for making the famous "behind-the-backboard shot" in the game vs. Washington on March 6, 1982 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.  Anderson retrieved an errant pass behind the backboard, spun in the air as he fell out of bounds and shot it over the backboard and in for a basket, one which now would be illegal.

He began his college career at Kentucky, where he averaged 13.3 points and made 50.8 percent of his field goals as a freshman during the 1979 season.  He played in 11 games during the 1980 season for the Wildcats and averaged 10.7 points, before transferring to USC.

Anderson was a McDonald's All-American at Roth HS in Dayton, Ohio before going on to star at Kentucky and USC.  Anderson averaged a triple-double of 38 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists his senior season at Roth HS.

Anderson was selected in the second round of the 1982 NBA Draft by Washington. He played in five NBA games with Denver in the 1983 season, then four years in the CBA.  Anderson averaged 21.0 points per game during his CBA career and was the CBA scoring champion for the 1985 season.

Funeral service information is pending.