George Yardley, a former Detroit Pistons forward who became the first player in the NBA to score 2,000 points in a season, has died at the age of 75.

Yardley played for Fort Wayne, Detroit and Syracuse in his seven-year professional career.

He died Thursday of Lou Gehrig's disease at his Newport Beach home.

Yardley was a clutch performer, averaging 20.3 points per game in 46 playoff games.

In 1957-58 season, he became the first player in NBA history to score 2,000 points in a season, shattering the 1,932-point mark of George Mikan.