Hadnot lived alongside Russell and his then-wife Rose Swisher for some time en route to becoming Providence college's all-time leader in points (1,462) and rebounds (1,299) before graduating in 1962.

The ABA was just embarking on their first season of play and would quickly become the NBA's primary rival as a result of their innovative additions to the game such as the 3-Point Line, Dunk Contest, and multicolored ball.

At 28 years of age, Hadnot signed a deal with the Oakland Oaks and quickly became one of their most beloved players, boasting a statline of 39.0 minutes, 17.5 points, and 12.2 rebounds in 77 games of play during his rookie campaign.

[3] Hadnot had an uncanny ability to get to the line, shooting over 7 free throws a game despite his scoring average barely even doubling this total.

Oakland would win 60 games and secure the ABA championship in their first season without Hadnot following a blockbuster free agency move that involved superstar forward Rick Barry leaving the NBA and joining the franchise.

He and fellow Oakland teammate Ira Harge are the only two players in NBA/ABA history to secure 900+ rebounds in their rookie seasons and never receive an All-Star nod at any point in their careers.