He was "The Man with the Golden Arm," a right appendage so deft at tossing a basketball through a hoop it brought him scholarship offers, All-America honors and an NBA career.

Even now in his golden years, former Seattle University standout Eddie Miles says the precious limb hasn't failed him. Other body parts have malfunctioned, but not the arm.

"If I had some legs, I could still play," he said with a laugh. "If they had a position of standing guard, I could still play."

Instead, Miles, 65, coaches at Tyee High School near Sea-Tac International Airport, an assistant for his son, Troy, the Totems' first-year leader. There are just 18 players in the entire program. Eighteen lucky players, each afforded the opportunity to learn from the master. Each permitted to shake hands with the Arm, hoping something magical rubs off on them.

Some consider Miles the best pure shooter to come through the city as a collegian, hence the nickname bestowed by former Seattle U. sports publicist Bill Sears. He wasn't a bad defensive player, either.

Miles grew up in North Little Rock, Ark., mesmerizing everyone with his advanced basketball ability, worshiping Elgin Baylor. In four varsity seasons at all-black Scipio A. Jones High, he averaged 18, 25, 30 and 32 points per game. He led the Dragons to four state titles and a runner-up finish in the now-defunct black high school national tournament.

Fifty universities offered him scholarships, with Arkansas encouraging Miles to go there and break the existing color line. Kansas, Michigan, Illinois and Oklahoma State were among his many other suitors. However, the Razorbacks and others never had a chance of landing him. Seattle U. put its famous alumnus, Baylor, on the phone and the deal was sealed to bring the 6-foot-4 guard to the Northwest.

"I always idolized Elgin," he said. "I started following him after reading a magazine article about him when I was a little boy. He called and talked to me. You know how that was."

Miles was as talented as advertised. In three varsity seasons for the then-Chieftains, he averaged 20, 22.2, and 25.7 points per outing, the latter ranking him seventh among the nation's 1962-63 scoring leaders. He was an All-Coast and third-team AP and UPI All-America choice as a senior.

His teams went 18-8, 18-8 and 21-6, qualifying each year for the 24- or 25-team NCAA Tournament. Each time out in the postseason, Miles and his teammates suffered a harsh defeat, losing to Arizona State 72-70 on a shot at the buzzer, Oregon State 69-65 in OT, and Oregon State 70-66, with each game played in Oregon.

He never became close friends with Baylor, because of their age difference, but spent a glorious summer playing pickup ball with his hero on campus when the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers player was required to fulfill a military commitment at Fort Lewis.

Miles was selected fourth in the 1963 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. After an aborted attempt to turn him into a playmaker, he averaged 19.6, 17.6 and 18.5 points in successive seasons, earning All-Star honors in '66. He played nine seasons in the pros, later joining the Baltimore Bullets and New York Knicks, before his career ended prematurely because of an Achilles heel injury.

Today, Miles lives in West Seattle with his wife of 44 years, Carolyn. They have five grown children, Michael, Troy, Cabrina, Tonjua and Nancy, and six grandchildren. He has worked as a government accountant and financial services agent. He was an assistant coach at Seattle U. for its final two seasons as a Division I program. He works individually with kids on their games.

When his second-oldest son, formerly a college player at Nevada and Idaho State, expressed an urgent need for an assistant coach at Tyee, the elder Miles was happy to oblige.

He lent him an Arm.