Life and career

Townsend was born in San Jose, California. He is half-Filipino; Townsend's mother, the former Virginia Marella, is a Filipina from Balayan, Batangas while his father, Ray Sr., is American. His brother, Kurtis Townsend, is currently an assistant coach for the University of Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team which won the 2008 NCAA Championship.

A 6'3", 175-lb point guard, Townsend attended Camden High School and Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California before playing college basketball at UCLA. As a high school senior, he averaged close to 28 points a game for the Camden High Cougars. This was prior to the 3 point line being regulated years later. He was a member of the 1975 UCLA Basketball National Championship team, legendary coach John Wooden's 10th and final NCAA championship team. He earned first-team All-Pac-8 honors as a senior in 1978.

He was selected with the last pick in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He concluded his NBA career in 1982 as a member of the Indiana Pacers. He was the first Filipino-American to play in the NBA. He also played in Italy for Banco Roma during the 1984-85 season.

A 1976 Sports Illustrated issue featured Townsend's father, Ray Sr., in its "Faces in the Crowd" section. He was recognized as "the oldest junior college basketball player in history." At age 39, he was the second man off the bench.

Townsend, now a youth sports development coordinator in San Jose, California, was honored as UCLA Pilipino Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumnus of the Year on May 2, 2009.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]