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United States Wayne Embry has transitioned from an accomplished NBA player to a pioneering basketball executive, leaving a lasting impact on multiple franchises.
Embry joined the Raptors on June 7, 2004 as senior basketball advisor. He took charge of the basketball operations area as Interim GM from January 26, 2006. He has continued to serve as senior basketball advisor (through at least 2024), contributing to the team's 2019 NBA Championship.
Now in its fourth year, the Wayne and Theresa Embry Fellowship provides young Canadians with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the NBA industry.
Embry combined basketball and business, purchasing three McDonald's franchises.
During his playing career, Embry worked at a marketing job at Pepsi-Cola during the offseason. When he was signed by the Celtics, Pepsi agreed that his work for the company could continue in Boston.
Wayne Embry has served as a member of numerous corporate boards of directors, including Kohl's.
Wayne Embry has served as a member of numerous corporate boards of directors, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Wayne Embry has served as a member of numerous corporate boards of directors, including Centerior Energy.
Wayne Embry has served as a member of numerous corporate boards of directors, including Ohio Casualty Insurance.
Wayne Richard Embry was born on March 26, 1937, in Springfield, Ohio. He grew up on a family farm and attended Tecumseh High School, where he was a three-year letter winner in basketball. Despite facing racial prejudice as the only African-American student, his parents encouraged him to persevere. Embry went on to play college basketball at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he was nicknamed “Goose.” As a two-time All-Mid-American Conference center, he led the team to conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 1957 and 1958. Embry still holds several school records, including the best career rebounding average (15.5) and most rebounds in a game (34), a game where he also scored 39 points.
Embry’s professional playing career began when he was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks in the third round of the 1958 NBA Draft. He was soon traded to the Cincinnati Royals, where he quickly became a key player. Alongside future Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, Embry was nicknamed “The Wall” for his sturdy physical play and effective screens. He was a five-time NBA All-Star (1961-1965) during his tenure with the Royals, consistently averaging double-doubles in points and rebounds. Despite his individual success, the Royals were unable to overcome dominant teams like the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers in playoff contention. After eight seasons with the Royals, Embry nearly retired but was convinced by Bill Russell to join the Boston Celtics.
As a crucial reserve for the Boston Celtics, Embry played a significant role in their 1968 NBA Championship. He retired from playing in 1969 after a season with the Milwaukee Bucks, having averaged 12.5 points and 9.1 rebounds over his 11-year career. His impact, however, extended far beyond the court. In 1972, Embry made history as the first African American general manager in NBA history with the Milwaukee Bucks, eventually becoming the first African American team president in any major U.S. sport. He continued his executive career with the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he won NBA Executive of the Year awards in 1992 and 1998. Since 2004, he has served as a senior basketball advisor for the Toronto Raptors, contributing to their 2019 NBA Championship.
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