Hall of Fame
Ernest A. DiGregorio, Jr., the legendary “Ernie D.,” was a Providence College consensus All-American basketball guard in the early 1970's.
DiGregorio led the Friars to a Final Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament during his senior year. DiGregorio earned the 1973 Lapchick Award as the nation’s outstanding senior.
After a standout career at Providence College, Ernie DiGregorio brought his high-energy game to the National Basketball Association. After his All-American career at Providence, DiGregorio was selected third overall by the Braves in the 1973 NBA Draft. DiGregorio won the National Basketball Association’s Rookie of the Year Award in 1973-74, as he helped revolutionize the concept of the fast-break offense after averaging 15.2 points and leading the league in both assists (8.2) free throw percentage (.902). He still holds the NBA rookie record for assists in a single game with 25, a record now shared with Nate McMillan. Gregorio led the league in free throw percentage a second time during the 1976-77 season. In 1977, DiGregorio joined other NBA stars in endorsing Spalding's line of rubber basketballs, with a signature "Ernie D." ball making up part of the collection. DiGregorio played five seasons in the NBA before retiring after knee injuries.
Following his professional career, Ernie D. returned to Providence to earn a degree. In 1982, Ernie became the head coach for the Rhode Island School for the Deaf.
Ernie D. was the most imitated sports icon of the decade in southern New England. In 1999, he was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
On February 5th, 2008, Providence College gave away commemorative Ernie DiGregorio bobble-heads in honor of retiring his jersey during halftime of the Friars game against DePaul. In his retirement, the great Ernie D. has been a celebrity host at Foxwoods, where he appears at various functions such as celebrity golf tournaments and corporate outings and sells his pasta sauce. He has also written children's books. He lives in Narragansett with his wife Susan. Ernie has performed many social and humanitarian works benefitting his community, holding basketball clinics and giving advice and motivation to young basketball players at local schools. DiGregorio has recently been hired as the Director of Operations for the Buffalo 716`ers of the American Basketball Association.