Wendell Ladner (October 6, 1948 – June 24, 1975) was an American professional basketball player most notable for his playing time in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1970 to 1975. Ladner was born in Necaise Crossing, Hancock County, Mississippi and played high school ball at Hancock North Central High School in Kiln, Mississippi. After attending the University of Southern Mississippi, Ladner went undrafted in the 1970 ABA draft where he played five seasons with five different teams in the ABA, from 1970 to 1975. A 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and 220 pounds (100 kg) forward, Ladner was one of the great "enforcers" of the American Basketball Association, protecting Dan Issel of the Kentucky Colonels and Julius Erving of the New York Nets. Ladner regularly squared off with arguably the f