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Arab League
The Arab League (Arabic: الجامعة العربية al-Jāmiʻa al-ʻArabiyya), officially called the League of Arab States (Arabic: جامعة الدول العربية Jāmiʻat ad-Duwal al-ʻArabiyya), is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia (Middle East). It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945. The Arab League currently has 22 members (including Syria, whose participation was suspended in November 2011). The main goal of the league is to "draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries."
Through institutions such as the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) and the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League's Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), the Arab League facilitates political, economic, cultural, scientific and social programs designed to promote the interests of the Arab world. It has served as a forum for the member states to coordinate their policy positions, to deliberate on matters of common concern, to settle some Arab disputes, and to limit conflicts such as the 1958 Lebanon crisis. The League has served as a platform for the drafting and conclusion of many landmark documents promoting economic integration. One example is the Joint Arab Economic Action Charter which sets out the principles for economic activities in the region.
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Argentina
Argentina
i/ˌɑrdʒənˈtiːnə/, officially the Argentine Republic (Spanish: República Argentina [reˈpuβlika aɾxenˈtina]), is a country in South America, the continent's second largest by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth-largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations.
Argentina's continental area is between the Andes mountain range in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. It borders Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west and south. Argentine claims over Antarctica, as well as overlapping claims made by Chile and the United Kingdom, are suspended by the Antarctic Treaty of 1961. Argentina also claims the Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which are administered by the United Kingdom as British Overseas Territories.
A recognised middle power, Argentina is Latin America's third-largest economy, with a "very high" rating on the Human development index. Within Latin America, Argentina has the fifth highest nominal GDP per capita and the highest in purchasing power terms. Analysts have argued that the country has a "foundation for future growth due to its market size, levels of foreign direct investment, and percentage of high-tech exports as share of total manufactured goods", and it is classed by investors as middle emerging economy. Argentina is a founding member of the United Nations, Mercosur, the Union of South American Nations, the Organization of Ibero-American States, the World Bank Group and the World Trade Organization, and is one of the G-15 and G-20 major economies.
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Australia
Australia (
/əˈstreɪljə/), officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent as well as the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area. Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north; the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east.
For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who belonged to one or more of roughly 250 language groups. After discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain in 1770 and settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788. The population grew steadily in subsequent decades; the continent was explored and an additional five self-governing Crown Colonies were established.
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Belgium
Belgium (i/ˈbɛldʒəm/ BEL-jəm), officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres (11,787 sq mi), and it has a population of about 11 million people. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups, the Dutch-speakers, mostly Flemish (about 60%), and the French-speakers, mostly Walloons (about 40%), plus a small group of German-speakers. Belgium's two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region, officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region. A German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in the political history and a complex system of government.
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Belize
Belizei/bəˈliːz/ (formerly British Honduras) is a country located on the north eastern coast of Central America and it is the only country in the area where English is the official language, although Kriol and Spanish are more commonly spoken. Belize is bordered to the north by Mexico, south and west by Guatemala, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea. Its mainland is about 290 kilometres (180 mi) long and 110 kilometres (68 mi) wide.
With 22,960 square kilometres (8,860 sq mi) of land and a population of only 333,200 inhabitants (2010 est.), Belize possesses the lowest population density in Central America. The country's population growth rate of 2.21% (2008 est.), however, is the highest in the region and one of the highest in the western hemisphere. Belize's abundance of terrestrial and marine species, and its diversity of ecosystems give it a key place within the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.
Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages and it is the only nation in the region with a British colonial heritage but as a part of the Western Caribbean Zone, it also shares a common heritage with the Caribbean portions of other Central American countries. In general, Belize is considered to be a Central American nation with strong ties to both the Caribbean and Latin America. Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA).
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Boston
Boston (pronounced /ˈbɒstən/ or locally /ˈbɔstən/ (
listen)) is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper, covering only 48.43 square miles, had a population of 617,594 according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Boston is also the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.5 million people and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Greater Boston as a commuting region is home to 7.6 million people, making it the fifth-largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.
In 1630, Puritan colonists from England founded the city on the Shawmut Peninsula. During the late 18th century, Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Several early battles of the American Revolution, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston, occurred within the city and surrounding areas. Through land reclamation and municipal annexation, Boston has expanded beyond the peninsula. After American independence was attained Boston became a major shipping port and manufacturing center, and its rich history now helps attract many tourists, with Faneuil Hall alone attracting over 20 million every year. The city was the site of several firsts, including America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635), and the first subway system in the United States (1897).
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Brazil
Brazili/brəˈzɪl/ (Portuguese: Brasil, IPA: [bɾaˈziw]), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: República Federativa do Brasil, listen (help·info)), is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone country in the world.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 km (4,655 mi). It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and the French overseas region of French Guiana; on the northwest by Colombia; on the west by Bolivia and Peru; on the southwest by Argentina and Paraguay and on the south by Uruguay. Numerous archipelagos form part of Brazilian territory, such as Fernando de Noronha, Rocas Atoll, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks, and Trindade and Martim Vaz. It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile.
Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 until 1815, when it was elevated to the rank of kingdom and the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves was formed. The colonial bond was in fact broken in 1808, when the capital of the Portuguese colonial empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, after Napoleon invaded Portugal.Independence was achieved in 1822 with the formation of the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system. The country became a presidential republic in 1889, when a military coup d'état proclaimed the Republic, although the bicameral legislature, now called Congress, dates back to the ratification of the first constitution in 1824. Its current Constitution, formulated in 1988, defines Brazil as a Federal Republic. The Federation is formed by the union of the Federal District, the 26 States, and the 5,564 Municipalities.
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Chile
Chile (i/ˈtʃɪliː/ or /ˈtʃɪleɪ/), officially the Republic of Chile (Spanish: República de Chile [reˈpuβlika ðe ˈtʃile] ( listen)), is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. Along with Ecuador, it is one of two countries in South America that do not border Brazil. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas and Easter Island. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.
Chile's distinctive shape—4,300 kilometres (2,700 mi) long and on average 175 kilometres (109 mi) wide—makes it the longest country in the world, north to south, with the fifth lengthiest coastline at over 78 thousand kilometers. The diverse climate of Chile ranges from the world's driest desert in the north—the Atacama—through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, humid subtropical in Easter Island, to an Oceanic climate, including alpine tundra and glaciers in the east and south. The northern desert contains great mineral wealth, principally copper. The relatively small central area dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources, and is the cultural and political center from which Chile expanded in the late 19th century when it incorporated its northern and southern regions. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands, and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas, and islands.
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China
China (i/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
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Cyprus
Cyprusi/ˈsaɪprəs/ (Greek: Κύπρος, Kýpros, IPA: [ˈcipɾos]; Turkish: Kıbrıs, IPA: [ˈkɯbɾɯs]), officially the Republic of Cyprus (Greek: Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía, IPA: [cipɾiaˈci ðimokɾaˈtia]; Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti, IPA: [ˈkɯbɾɯs dʒumhuɾijeˈti]), is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria, Lebanon, northwest of Israel and north of Egypt. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the European Union.
The earliest known human activity on the island dates back to around the 10th millennium BC. Archaeological remains from this period include the well-preserved Neolithic village of Khirokitia, which has been declared a World Heritage Site with an "enhanced protection" status in the event of armed conflict by UNESCO, along with the archaeological sites of Paphos and the Painted Churches of the Troodos Region. Cyprus is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world.
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Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark (Danish: Kongeriget Danmark, pronounced [ˈkɔŋəʁiːəð ˈdanmɑɡ̊] ( listen)) is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting the country of Denmark in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. The kingdom is a unitary state with some power being devolved from Denmark proper to Greenland and the Faroe Islands; this polity is referred to as the Danish Realm. Denmark proper is the hegemonial area, where judicial, executive, and legislative power resides. The Faroe Islands are defined to be a community of people within the kingdom, and the Greenlandic people are defined as a separate people with the right to self-determination.
Denmark is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, located southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland and many islands, most notably Zealand, Funen, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago.
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Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic (i/dəˌmɪnɨkən rɨˈpʌblɪk/; Spanish: República Dominicana [reˈpuβlika ðominiˈkana]) is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with 48,442 square kilometres (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10 million people.
Taínos inhabited what is now the Dominican Republic since the 7th century. Christopher Columbus landed on it in 1492, and it became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World. Santo Domingo can boast of many firsts in the Americas, including the first cathedral, and castle, both in the Ciudad Colonial area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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El Salvador
El Salvadori/ɛl ˈsælvədɔr/ (Spanish: República de El Salvador, literally 'Republic of The Savior') is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country as well as Central America. El Salvador borders the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the countries of Guatemala to the north and Honduras to the east. Its easternmost region lies on the coast of the Gulf of Fonseca, opposite Nicaragua. As of 2009, El Salvador had a population of approximately 5,744,113 people, composed predominantly of Mestizos.
The colón was the official currency of El Salvador from 1892 to 2001, when it adopted the U.S. Dollar.
In 2010 El Salvador ranked in the top 10 among Latin American countries in terms of the Human Development Index and in the top 3 in Central America (behind Costa Rica and Panama), due in part to ongoing rapid industrialization. In addition, tropical forests and overall forest cover has expanded by nearly 20 percent from the year 1992 to 2010. Making it one of the few countries experiencing reforestation.
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Finland
Coordinates: 65°N 27°E / 65°N 027°E / 65; 027
Finlandi/ˈfɪnlənd/ ( Finnish: Suomi; Swedish: Finland (help·info)), officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.
Around 5.4 million people reside in Finland, with the majority concentrated in the southern region. It is the eighth largest country in Europe in terms of area and the most sparsely populated country in the European Union. Finland is a parliamentary republic with a central government based in Helsinki and local governments in 336 municipalities, and an autonomous region of the Åland Islands. About one million residents live in the Greater Helsinki area, which consists of Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa, and a third of the country's GDP is produced there. Other larger cities include Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Lahti and Kuopio.
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France
France (Englishi/ˈfræns/ FRANSS or /ˈfrɑːns/ FRAHNSS; French: [fʁɑ̃s] ( listen)), officially the French Republic (French: République française [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as l’Hexagone ("The Hexagon") because of the geometric shape of its territory. It is the largest western European country and it possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,000 sq mi), just behind that of the United States (11,351,000 km2 / 4,383,000 sq mi).
Over the past 500 years, France has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military and political influence in Europe and around the world. During the 17th and 18th centuries, France colonised great parts of North America and Southeast Asia; during the 19th and early 20th centuries, France built the second largest colonial empire of the time, including large portions of North, West and Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and many Caribbean and Pacific Islands.
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Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga. The campus houses 105 buildings across 131 acres (437,000 m²) of grassland along the Spokane River, in a residential setting half a mile (800 m) from downtown Spokane. The university was founded by Father Joseph Cataldo, SJ, an Italian-born priest and missionary who wished to create a Catholic school in the Pacific Northwest for local Native Americans.
Foley Center Library is the main graduate and undergraduate library for Gonzaga University. Chastek Law Library primarily serves Gonzaga University School of Law.
Gonzaga is host to many unique historical pieces of artwork. For example, a wide range of statues located around campus gives visitors and students alike a taste of the Gonzaga culture. Statues of St. Ignatius, St. Joseph, and St. Aloysius are among the most notable religious landmarks on campus, and there is also a statue of Bing Crosby.
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Greece
Greecei/ˈɡriːs/ (Greek: Ελλάδα, Ellada, IPA: [eˈlaða] ( listen) historically in Katharevousa and Ancient Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellas, IPA: [eˈlas] and [helːás] respectively), officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία, Elliniki Dimokratia, IPA: [eliniˈci ðimokraˈtia]), is a country in Southern Europe, politically considered part of Western Europe.Athens is the capital and the largest city in the country (its urban area also including Piraeus). The population of the country is around 11 million.
Greece has land borders with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, featuring a vast number of islands (approximately 1,400, of which 227 are inhabited), including Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the Ionian Islands among others. Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains, of which Mount Olympus is the highest at 2,917 m (9,570 ft).
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Hong Kong
Coordinates: 22°16′42″N 114°09′32″E / 22.27833°N 114.15889°E / 22.27833; 114.15889
Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港) is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups. Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.
Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898. It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty. The region espoused minimum government intervention under the ethos of positive non-interventionism during the colonial era. The time period greatly influenced the current culture of Hong Kong, often described as "East meets West", and the educational system, which used to loosely follow the system in England until reforms implemented in 2009.
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Hungary
Hungaryi/ˈhʌŋɡəri/ (Hungarian: Magyarország [ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ] ( listen)) is a country, which is located in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The country's capital, and largest city, is Budapest. Hungary is a member of the European Union, NATO, the OECD, the Visegrád Group, and is a Schengen state. The official language is Hungarian, also known as Magyar, which is part of the Finno-Ugric group and is the most widely spoken non-Indo-European language in Europe.
Following a Celt (after c. 450 BC) and a Roman (AD 9 - c. 430) period, the foundation of Hungary was laid in the late 9th century by the Hungarian prince Árpád, whose great-grandson Saint Stephen I was crowned with a crown sent by the pope from Rome in 1000 AD. The Kingdom of Hungary lasted for 946 years, and at various points was regarded as one of the cultural centres of the Western world. After about 150 years of partial Ottoman occupation (1541–1699), Hungary was integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy, and later constituted half of the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy (1867–1918).
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Iceland
Icelandi/ˈaɪslənd/ (Icelandic: Ísland, IPA: [ˈislant]) is a Nordic European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The country has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with the surrounding areas in the southwestern region of the country being home to two-thirds of the country's population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle.
According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in AD 874 when the chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norse settler on the island. Others had visited the island earlier and stayed over winter. Over the following centuries, Norsemen settled Iceland, bringing with them thralls (slaves) of Gaelic origin. From 1262 to 1918 Iceland was part of the Norwegian and later the Danish monarchies. Until the 20th century, the Icelandic population relied largely on fisheries and agriculture, and the country was one of the poorest and least developed in the world. Industrialisation of the fisheries and aid from the Marshall Plan brought prosperity in the years after World War II, and by the 1990s it was one of the world's wealthiest countries. In 1994, Iceland became party to the European Economic Area, which made it possible for the economy to diversify into economic and financial services.
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India
India (i/ˈɪndiə/), officially the Republic of India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the south-west, and the Bay of Bengal on the south-east, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west;China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Burma and Bangladesh to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; in addition, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.
Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four of the world's major religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—originated here, whereas Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st millennium CE and also helped shape the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by and brought under the administration of the British East India Company from the early 18th century and administered directly by the United Kingdom from the mid-19th century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi.
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Indonesia
Indonesia (i/ˌɪndəˈniːʒə/ IN-də-NEE-zhə or /ˌɪndoʊˈniːziə/ IN-doh-NEE-zee-ə), officially the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia Indonesian pronunciation: [rɛpʊblɪk ɪndɔnɛsɪa]), is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 17,508 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major economies. The Indonesian economy is the world's 17th largest economy by nominal GDP.
The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the 7th century, when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders brought Islam, and European powers brought Christianity and fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process, and periods of rapid economic change.
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Israel
Coordinates: 31°N 35°E / 31°N 35°E / 31; 35
Israel, officially the State of Israel ( /ˈɪzriːəl/ or /ˈɪzreɪəl/; Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Medīnat Yisrā'el, IPA: [me̞diˈnät jisʁäˈʔe̞l] ( listen); Arabic: دَوْلَة إِسْرَائِيل, Dawlat Isrāʼīl, IPA: [dawlat ʔisraːˈʔiːl]), is a parliamentary republic in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank in the east, Egypt and the Gaza Strip on the southwest, and the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea to the south, and it contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area. Israel is defined as a Jewish and Democratic State in its Basic Laws and is the world's only Jewish-majority state.
Following the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 29 November 1947 recommending the adoption and implementation of the United Nations plan to partition Palestine, on 14 May 1948 David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization and president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel, to be known as the State of Israel, a state independent from the British Mandate for Palestine. Neighboring Arab states invaded the next day in support of the Palestinian Arabs. Israel has since fought several wars with neighboring Arab states, in the course of which it has occupied the West Bank, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights. Portions of these territories, including east Jerusalem, have been annexed by Israel, but the border with the neighboring West Bank has not yet been permanently defined.[neutrality is disputed] Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, but efforts to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have so far not resulted in peace.
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Italy
Italyi/ˈɪtəli/ (Italian: Italia [iˈtaːlja]), officially the Italian Republic or the Republic of Italy (Italian: Repubblica italiana), is a unitary parliamentary republic in south-central Europe. To the north, it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia along the Alps. To the south, it consists of the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia–the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea–and many other smaller islands. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within Italy, while Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The territory of Italy covers some 301,338 km2 (116,347 sq mi) and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 60.6 million inhabitants, it is the fifth most populous country in Europe, and the 23rd most populous in the world.
Rome, the capital of Italy, was for centuries a political and religious centre of Western civilisation as the capital of the Roman Empire and site of the Holy See. After the decline of the Roman Empire, Italy endured numerous invasions by foreign peoples, from Germanic tribes such as the Lombards and Ostrogoths, to the Byzantines and later, the Normans, among others. Centuries later, Italy became the birthplace of Maritime republics and the Renaissance, an immensely fruitful intellectual movement that would prove to be integral in shaping the subsequent course of European thought.
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Japan
Japan
i/dʒəˈpæn/ (Japanese: 日本 Nihon or Nippon; formally 日本国 
Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku, literally the State of Japan) is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun".
Japan is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. The four largest islands are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku, together accounting for ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 127 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.
Archaeological research indicates that people lived in Japan as early as the Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD. Influence from other nations followed by long periods of isolation has characterized Japan's history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War and World War I allowed Japan to expand its empire during a period of increasing militarism. The Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War II in 1941, which came to an end in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since adopting its revised constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament called the Diet.
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Latvia
Latviai/ˈlætviə/ (Latvian: Latvija), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia (border length 343 km), to the south by Lithuania (588 km), to the east by the Russian Federation (276 km), to the southeast by Belarus (141 km), and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden. With 2,067,887 inhabitants and a territory of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi) it is one of the least populous and least densely populated countries of the European Union. The capital of Latvia is Riga. The official language is Latvian and the currency is called Lats (Ls). The country has a temperate seasonal climate.
The Latvians are a Baltic people, culturally related to the Lithuanians. Together with the Finno-Ugric Livs (or Livonians), the Latvians are the indigenous people of Latvia.Latvian is an Indo-European language and along with Lithuanian the only two surviving members of the Baltic branch. Indigenous minority languages are Latgalian and the nearly extinct Finno-Ugric Livonian language. In terms of geography, territory and population Latvia is the middle of three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Latvia and Estonia share a long common history: historical Livonia, times of German (Teutonic Order), Polish-Lithuanian, Swedish, Russian, Nazi German and Soviet rule, 13th century Christianization and 16th century Protestant Reformation. Both countries are home to a large number of ethnic Russians (26.9% in Latvia and 25.5% in Estonia) of whom some are non-citizens. Latvia is historically predominantly Protestant, except for the region of Latgalia in the southeast which is historically predominantly Roman Catholic.
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Los Angeles
Los Angeles (i/lɒs ˈændʒələs/ loss-AN-jə-ləs; Spanish: [los ˈaŋxeles], which is written Los Ángeles; British pronounciation /lɒs ˈændʒəliːz/ loss-AN-jə-leez) with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in the state of California, and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of 468.67 square miles (1,213.8 km2), and is located in Southern California. Often known by its initials L.A., the city is the focal point of the larger Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan statistical area and Greater Los Angeles Area region, which contain 12,828,837 and nearly 18 million people respectively as of 2010, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in the United States. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States, while the entire Los Angeles area itself has been recognized as the most diverse of the nation's largest cities. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos".
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Mexico
Mexico (i/ˈmɛksɨkoʊ/; Spanish: México, IPA: [ˈmexiko] ( listen)), officially the United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos (help·info)), is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States of America; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost two million square kilometres (over 760,000 sq mi), Mexico is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the thirteenth largest independent nation in the world. With an estimated population of over 113 million, it is the eleventh most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country. Mexico is a federation comprising thirty-one states and a Federal District, the capital city.
In Pre-Columbian Mexico many cultures matured into advanced civilizations such as the Olmec, the Toltec, the Teotihuacan, the Zapotec, the Maya and the Aztec before the first contact with Europeans. In 1521, Spain conquered and colonized the territory from its base in México-Tenochtitlan, which was administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This territory would eventually become Mexico as the colony's independence was recognized in 1821. The post-independence period was characterized by economic instability, the Mexican-American War and territorial cession to the United States, a civil war, two empires and a domestic dictatorship. The latter led to the Mexican Revolution in 1910, which culminated with the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country's current political system. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time that an opposition party won the presidency from the Institutional Revolutionary Party.
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Netherlands
The Netherlands (i/ˈnɛðərləndz/; Dutch: Nederland [ˈneːdə(r)lɑnt] or [ˈneɪ̯də(r)lɑnt] (
listen); West Frisian: Nederlân; Papiamento: Hulanda) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with some islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders with Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. It is a parliamentary democracy organised as a unitary state. The country capital is Amsterdam and the seat of government is The Hague. The Netherlands in its entirety is often referred to as Holland, although North and South Holland are actually only two of its twelve provinces (a case of pars pro toto; see terminology of "the Netherlands").
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Oman
Oman (i/oʊˈmɑːn/ oh-MAAN; Arabic: عمان ʻUmān), officially called the Sultanate of Oman (Arabic: سلطنة عُمان Salṭanat ʻUmān), is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The Madha and Musandam enclaves are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders, with the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam's coastal boundaries.
For a period, Oman was a moderate regional power, formerly having a sultanate extending across the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, and modern day Pakistan, and far south to Zanzibar on the coat of south-east Africa. Over time, as its power declined, the sultanate came under heavy influence from the United Kingdom, though Oman was never formally part of the British Empire, or a British protectorate. The Omani royal family claim that Oman has been ruled by the Al Said dynasty since 1744, although without substantial proof. Oman has long-standing military and political ties with the United Kingdom and the United States, although it maintains an independent foreign policy.
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Peru
Perui/pəˈruː/ (Spanish: Perú; Quechua: Perú;Aymara: Piruw), officially the Republic of Peru (Spanish: República del Perú, pronounced: [reˈpuβlika ðel peˈɾu] ( listen)), is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.
Peruvian territory was home to ancient cultures, spanning from the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies. After achieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing.
Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions. Its geography varies from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the peaks of the Andes Mountains and the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin. It is a developing country with a high Human Development Index score and a poverty level around 31%. Its main economic activities include agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing of products such as textiles.
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Philippines
The Philippinesi/ˈfɪlɨpiːnz/ FI-lə-peenz (Filipino: Pilipinas [ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs]), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas) is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila.
With an estimated population of about 98 million people, the Philippines is the 7th most populated Asian country and the 12th most populated country in the world. An additional 12.5 million Filipinos live overseas. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times, Negritos were some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic societies. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences which remain to this day.
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Poland
Polandi/ˈpoʊlənd/ (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska; Kashubian: Pòlskô Repùblika; Silesian: Polsko Republika), is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres (120,726 sq mi), making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38 million people, which makes it the 34th most populous country in the world and the sixth most populous member of the European Union, being its most populous post-communist member. Poland is a unitary state made up of 16 voivodeships. Poland is a member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Economic Area, International Energy Agency, Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, International Atomic Energy Agency, G6, Council of the Baltic Sea States, Visegrád Group, Weimar Triangle and Schengen Agreement.
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Portugal
Portugali/ˈpɔrtʃʉɡəl/ (Portuguese: Portugal, IPA: [puɾtuˈɣaɫ]), officially the Portuguese Republic (Portuguese: República Portuguesa) is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula . Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira are part of Portugal. The country is named after its second largest city, Porto, whose Latin name was Portus Cale.
The land within the borders of the current Portuguese Republic has been continuously settled since prehistoric times: occupied by Celts like the Gallaeci and the Lusitanians, integrated into the Roman Republic and later settled by Germanic peoples such as the Suebi, Swabians, Vandals and the Visigoths. In the 8th century most of the Iberian Peninsula was conquered by Moorish invaders professing Islam, which were later expelled by the Knights Templar under the Order of Christ. During the Christian Reconquista, Portugal established itself as an independent kingdom from León in 1139, claiming to be the oldest European nation state.
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Russia
Russiai/ˈrʌʃə/ or /ˈrʊʃə/ (Russian: Россия, tr. Rossiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijə] ( listen)), also officially known as the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация, tr. Rossiyskaya Federatsiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə] ( listen)), is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, and the US state of Alaska by the Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area. Russia is also the eighth most populous nation with 143 million people. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe, spanning nine time zones and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources and is the largest producer of oil and natural gas globally. Russia has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's fresh water.
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Slovenia
Slovenia (i/sloʊˈviːniə/ sloh-VEE-nee-ə, Slovene: Slovenija), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija, [reˈpublika sloˈveːnija]) is a Slavic nation state, situated in South-Central Europe, at the crossroad of main European cultural and trade routes. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and southeast, and Hungary to the northeast. It covers 20,273 square kilometres (7,827 sq mi) and has a population of 2.05 million. It is a parliamentary republic, member of the European Union and NATO. Relative to its geography, history, economy, culture, and language, it is a very diverse country distinguished by a transitional character. It is characterised by a high economic and social level. Its capital and largest city is Ljubljana.
The territory of Slovenia is mainly hilly or mountainous and has an exceptionally high landscape and biological diversity and a mosaic structure, which are a result of natural attributes and the long-lasting presence of humans. Four major European geographic units interweave here: the Alps, the Dinaric Alps, the Mediterranean, with a small portion of coastline along the Adriatic Sea, and the Pannonian Plain. The climate is temperate and significantly influenced by the variety of territory, with a strong interaction of the continental climate, the sub-Mediterranean climate and Alpine climate across most of the country. The country is one of the water-richest in Europe, with a dense river network, a rich aquifer system, and significant karstic underground watercourses. Over half of the territory is covered by forest.
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South Korea
South Korea ( listen), officially the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국; Hanja: 大韓民國; Daehan Minguk listen), is a sovereign state in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages (an initial "G" in Korean is pronounced like an English "K").
Its neighbors are China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the Korea Strait to the south. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of almost 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 9,794,304.
Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period.Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when it was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy, though political turmoil and times of military rule and martial law characterized much of the period until the foundation of the Sixth Republic in 1987.
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Spain
Spain (i/ˈspeɪn/ SPAYN; Spanish: España, pronounced: [esˈpaɲa] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a sovereign state and a member of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north and north east by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal.
Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. Furthermore, the town of Llívia is a Spanish exclave situated inside French territory. With an area of 504,030 square kilometres (194,610 sq mi), it is the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union after France, and the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia, Ukraine and France.
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Sweden
Sweden (i/ˈswiːdən/ SWEE-dən; Swedish: Sverige [ˈsværjɛ] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige (help·info)), is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland, and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Øresund.
At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union by area, with a total population of about 9.4 million. Sweden has a low population density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54 /sq mi) with the population mostly concentrated to the southern half of the country. About 85% of the population live in urban areas. Sweden's capital city is Stockholm, which is also the largest city.
Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire. The empire grew to be one of the great powers of Europe in the 17th and early 18th century. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden, present-day Finland, was lost to Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union. Since then, Sweden has been at peace, practicing "non-participation in military alliances during peacetime and neutrality during wartime". However, Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 1995 and is a member of the OECD.
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Syracuse University
Syracuse University, commonly referred to as Syracuse, 'Cuse, or SU, is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College. Following several years of debate over relocating the college to Syracuse, the university was founded independent of the college in 1870. Since 1920, the university has identified itself as nonsectarian, although it maintains a relationship with The United Methodist Church. Syracuse was elected to the Association of American Universities in 1966 but withdrew its membership in 2011 due to diverging views in evaluating criteria between the University and the AAU.
The campus is located in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills. Its large campus features an eclectic mix of buildings, ranging from nineteenth-century Romanesque structures to contemporary buildings. SU is organized into 13 schools and colleges, with nationally recognized programs in information studies and library science, architecture, communications, business administration, public administration, engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Taiwan
Taiwan (i/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ TY-WAHN; Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān; see below), officially the Republic of China (ROC; Chinese: 中華民國; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó), is a state in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the country, and New Taipei is the most populous city.
The earliest evidence of inhabitation of Taiwan dates back to the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch and the Spanish Empire. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.
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Thailand
Thailand ( /ˈtaɪlænd/ TY-land or /ˈtaɪlənd/;Thai: ประเทศไทย, RTGS: Prathet Thai), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย, RTGS: Ratcha Anachak Thai; IPA: [râːt.tɕʰā ʔāːnāːtɕàk tʰāj] ( listen)), formerly known as Siam (Thai: สยาม; RTGS: Sayam), is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
The country is a constitutional monarchy, headed by King Rama IX, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who, having reigned since 1946, is the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. The king of Thailand is titled Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths.
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Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago (i/ˌtrɪnɨdæd/ & /tɵˈbeɪɡoʊ/) officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west.
The country covers an area 5,128 square kilometres (1,980 sq mi) and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous smaller landforms. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands, comprising about 94% of the total area and 96% of the total population of the country. The nation lies outside the hurricane belt.
The island of Trinidad was a Spanish colony from the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1498 to the capitulation of the Spanish Governor, Don José Maria Chacón, on the arrival of a British fleet of 18 warships on 18 February 1797. During the same period, the island of Tobago changed hands between Spanish, British, French, Dutch and Courlander colonizers. Trinidad and Tobago was ceded to Britain in 1802 under the Treaty of Amiens. The country obtained independence in 1962, becoming a republic in 1976. Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago's economy is primarily industrial, with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals.
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Turkey
Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye), known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (help·info)), is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia (mostly in the Anatolian peninsula) and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan (the exclave of Nakhchivan) and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean Sea is to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between East Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia.
Turkey is one of the six independent Turkic states. The vast majority of the population are Muslims. The country's official language is Turkish, whereas Kurdish and Zazaki languages are spoken by Kurds and Zazas, who constitute 18% of the population.
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.
The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There are three devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Associated with the UK, but not constitutionally part of it, are three Crown Dependencies. The United Kingdom has fourteen overseas territories. These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in 1922, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface and was the largest empire in history. British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former territories.
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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Venezuela
Venezuela (i/ˌvɛnɨˈzweɪlə/ VEN-ə-ZWAY-lə), officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela [repuˈβlika βoliβaˈɾjana ðe βeneˈswela]), is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south. Its northern coastline of roughly 2,800 kilometres (1,700 mi) includes numerous islands in the Caribbean Sea, and in the north east borders the northern Atlantic Ocean. Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba and the Leeward Antilles lie near the Venezuelan coast. Venezuela's territory covers around 916,445 square kilometres (353,841 sq mi) with an estimated population of 29,105,632. Venezuela is considered a state with extremely high biodiversity, with habitats ranging from the Andes mountains in the west to the Amazon Basin rainforest in the south, via extensive llanos plains and Caribbean coast in the center and the Orinoco River Delta in the east.
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White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical style. It has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the house in 1801, he (with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe) expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades that were meant to conceal stables and storage.
In 1814, during the War of 1812, the mansion was set ablaze by the British Army in the Burning of Washington, destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and President James Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed house in October 1817. Construction continued with the addition of the South Portico in 1824 and the North in 1829. Because of crowding within the executive mansion itself, President Theodore Roosevelt had all work offices relocated to the newly constructed West Wing in 1901. Eight years later, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office which was eventually moved as the section was expanded. The third-floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1927 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events; Jefferson's colonnades connected the new wings. East Wing alterations were completed in 1946, creating additional office space. By 1948, the house's load-bearing exterior walls and internal wood beams were found to be close to failure. Under Harry S. Truman, the interior rooms were completely dismantled and a new internal load-bearing steel frame constructed inside the walls. Once this work was completed, the interior rooms were rebuilt.
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Adam Morrison
Adam John Morrison (born July 19, 1984) is an American basketball player who last played for Beşiktaş Milangaz in Turkey.
Morrison played for three years at Gonzaga University and was considered to be one of the top college basketball players in 2005–06. He was a finalist for the Naismith and the Wooden Award. He was named Co-Player of the Year with Duke University's J. J. Redick by the United States Basketball Writers Association and won the 2006 Chevrolet Player of the Year award.
Morrison's father John is a basketball coach, and the family moved with his coaching career: Casper College in Northwest Casper, Wyoming, Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, and Dawson Community College in Glendive, Montana. When Morrison was in the fourth grade, his father left coaching and the family moved to Spokane, Washington. Adam became the Gonzaga men's team's ball boy.
When he was in the eighth grade, he lost 30 pounds (14 kg), and while attending a basketball camp at Gonzaga during this time, he felt sick, later saying about his experience at the camp, "I think I made one shot the whole three days. I was sicker than a dog. I didn't want to play. I couldn't do anything." Shortly after this, Morrison was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He took his diagnosis surprisingly well; the second time a nurse came to administer insulin, he stopped her, telling her, "Since I'm going to be doing this the rest of my life, you might as well show me how to do it." However, his illness did not keep him from becoming a star at Mead Senior High School in Spokane. In his senior year he broke single-season and career scoring records in his high school conference, and led Mead to the finals of the state tournament. Despite playing in the final game with hypoglycemia so severe that he nearly suffered a seizure, he scored 37 points in a losing effort. It was Mead's only loss that season. Morrison was not heavily recruited out of high school.
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Adonal Foyle
Adonal David Foyle (born March 9, 1975) is a retired Vincentian-American former professional basketball center. He was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the eighth overall selection of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played ten seasons with the team until the team bought out his contract on August 13, 2007. At the time, he had been the Warriors' longest-tenured player. He then played two seasons with the Orlando Magic and part of the 2008–09 season with the Memphis Grizzlies, sat out the next season due to knee surgery, and retired.
Foyle was born in Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. At the age of 15, Foyle was adopted by Joan and Jay Mandle, professors at Colgate University. He first attended high school at Cardinal O'Hara Catholic High in Springfield, Pennsylvania. He transferred after sophomore year and attended high school at Hamilton Central School (Hamilton, New York), where he helped the HCS Emerald Knights gain their first two state championships.
In his official biography, Foyle explained that he enrolled at Colgate University because "he wanted the opportunity to learn the principles of the game in a slower paced setting, where the coach would be able to give him the attention he desired." With the Colgate Raiders, where he was the school's all-time leading rebounder and 2nd all-time leading scorer. He left as the NCAA's all-time leader in blocked shots with 492, despite playing only three college seasons (his record was broken by Wojciech Myrda in 2002). He now ranks third all-time, behind Myrda and Jarvis Varnado.
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Al Michaels
Alan Richard "Al" Michaels (born November 12, 1944) is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades (1977–2006) with ABC Sports, he is perhaps best known for his many years of calling play-by-play of National Football League games, including nearly two decades with Monday Night Football. He is also known for famous calls in other sports, including the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Winter Olympics and the earthquake-interrupted Game 3 of the 1989 World Series.
Michaels was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, to Jay Michaels and Lila Roginsky/Ross. He grew up as a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. Coincidentally, at the time the Dodgers left Brooklyn, Michaels' family also moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Michaels attended Alexander Hamilton High School in L.A., with Joel Siegel, Michele Lee and Michelle Phillips, and was a baseball player. He graduated in 1962 and later attended Arizona State University, where he majored in radio and television and minored in journalism. He worked as a sports writer for ASU's independent student newspaper, The State Press. He also was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.
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Andrew Bynum
Andrew Bynum (born October 27, 1987) is an American professional basketball center who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has won two NBA Championships with the Lakers, and he was a first-time All-Star in 2012. Bynum was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He became the youngest player ever to play an NBA game later that year. Amidst the 2007–08 season, he suffered an injury on his left kneecap and eventually missed the rest of the season and all of the playoffs. He made a successful return at the beginning of the 2008–09 season. In January 2009, however, he suffered another injury, this time to his right knee. He was able to come back before the playoffs started and was part of the Lakers squad that won the 2009 NBA championship. In the 2010 post-season, Bynum played in every single playoff game with a torn meniscus and strained Achilles tendon and the Lakers repeated as NBA champions against the Boston Celtics.
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Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (i/bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. In January 2005, Obama was sworn in as a U.S. Senator in the state of Illinois. He would hold this office until November 2008, when he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Obama is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was the president of the Harvard Law Review. He was a community organizer in Chicago before earning his law degree. He worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. He served three terms representing the 13th District in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.
Following an unsuccessful bid against the Democratic incumbent for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 2000, Obama ran for the United States Senate in 2004. Several events brought him to national attention during the campaign, including his victory in the March 2004 Illinois Democratic primary for the Senate election and his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He won election to the U.S. Senate in Illinois in November 2004. His presidential campaign began in February 2007, and after a close campaign in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries against Hillary Rodham Clinton, he won his party's nomination. In the 2008 presidential election, he defeated Republican nominee John McCain, and was inaugurated as president on January 20, 2009. Nine months later, Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In April 2011, he announced that he would be running for re-election in 2012.
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Bennett Salvatore
Bennett Salvatore (born January 9, 1950 in Stamford, Connecticut) is a professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As of the 2006–07 NBA season, Salvatore has officiated 1,385 regular season, 167 playoff, and 20 NBA Finals games.
Salvatore was a two sport athlete in high school, playing baseball and football. He earned All-American and All-State honors as a quarterback in 1967. Contrary to popular opinion, his parents did not name him after the famous singer Tony Bennett.
Salvatore is the principal owner of Bennett's, a steakhouse in Stamford, Connecticut.
On October 8, 2010, Salvatore closed the doors on Bennett's, choosing to retire from his career as a restaurant owner.
In 2000, he was sentenced to a year of probation, 150 hours of community service and a fine of $500 for his role in airline ticket fraud. He pleaded guilty in a New Haven federal court on July 26, 2000 to filing a false tax return with the Internal Revenue Service for the tax year 1993.
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Bill Macdonald
Bill Macdonald is an American sportscaster who has worked for Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket. Macdonald joined the network, then called Prime Ticket, at its inception in 1985. Currently he is the TV play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Lakers on Fox Sports West and KCAL9 alongside Stu Lantz.
In the past, Macdonald has hosted the following pre-game and in-game shows:
He is also the former host of the Los Angeles Kings' pregame show Break the Ice and calls play-by-play for Los Angeles Avengers Arena Football, UCLA college football and basketball for FSN Prime Ticket. He has also been the host of FSN's Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament coverage at the Staples Center for the past several years. For the past three years, Macdonald has hosted the UCLA Press Conference Show, with Matt Stevens in 2005 and 2006, and James Washington in 2007. Macdonald called the game (January 22, 2006) in which Kobe Bryant scored 81 points, the second-highest total in NBA history. He filled in for Joel Meyers, who had another broadcasting commitment that day.
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Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell (born February 12, 1934) is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A five-time winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and a twelve-time All-Star, Russell was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven NBA Championships during Russell's thirteen-year career. Along with Henri Richard of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens, Russell holds the record for the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league. Before his professional career, Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA championships (1955, 1956). He also won a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics as captain of the U.S. national basketball team.
Russell is widely considered one of the best players in NBA history. Listed as between 6'9" (2.06 m) and 6'10" (2.08 m), Russell's shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for the Celtics' success. He also inspired his teammates to elevate their own defensive play. Russell was equally notable for his rebounding abilities. He led the NBA in rebounds four times, and remains second all-time in both total rebounds and rebounds per game. He is one of just two NBA players (the other being prominent rival Wilt Chamberlain) to have grabbed more than fifty rebounds in a game. Though never the focal point of the Celtics' offense, Russell also scored 14,522 career points and provided effective passing.
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Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III (born November 5, 1952) is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while leading the Bruins to two Division I national titles. He then went on to have a prominent career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he was a league Most Valuable Player (MVP) and won two NBA championships. His professional career was significantly hampered by multiple foot injuries. Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 10, 1993 and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame that same year. He is the father of current Cleveland Cavaliers forward Luke Walton.
Walton was born in La Mesa, California, the son of Gloria Anne (née Hickey) and William Theodore "Ted" Walton. His listed adult playing height was 6 feet 11 inches; it has been reported that Walton was actually taller (7 feet 2 inches, or more), but did not like being categorized as a seven-footer.
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Bob Beyer
Bob Beyer (born in LeRoy, New York) is an American basketball coach. He served as an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Dayton. He previously has served as head coach at Siena College.
On July 3, 2007, Beyer was one of four assistants hired to serve under first-year head coach of the NBA's Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy, for the 2007–08 season.
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Bob Cousy
Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy (born August 9, 1928) is a retired American professional basketball player. Cousy played point guard with the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969-70 season. Cousy first demonstrated his basketball abilities while playing for his high school varsity team in his junior year. He obtained a scholarship to the College of the Holy Cross, where he led the Crusaders to berths in the 1948 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and 1950 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and was named an NCAA All-American for 3 seasons. Cousy was initially drafted as the third overall pick in the first round of the 1950 NBA Draft by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, but after he refused to report, he was picked up by Boston. Cousy had a very successful career with the Celtics, playing on six championship teams, being voted into 13 NBA All-Star Games and 12 All-NBA First and Second Teams and winning the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 1957.
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Brad Nessler
Bradley "Brad" Nessler (born June 3, 1956) is an American sportscaster, who currently calls college basketball and college football games for ESPN with occasional appearances on ESPN on ABC. He will also call Thursday Night Football on NFL Network beginning in 2011, and appears annually as a commentator in EA Sports' NCAA Football. Also, his voice (and that of his broadcast partner, Dick Vitale) was featured in EA Sports' NCAA March Madness video game series.
Nessler began his professional broadcasting career sharing play-by-play radio duties with Al Ciraldo on Georgia Tech basketball on WGST-AM from 1980-81 through 1984-85, and handled the play-by-play for the Atlanta Falcons from 1982 to 1988 on WGST and WSB-AM before assuming the same position for the Minnesota Vikings during the 1988 and 1989 seasons. He also called preseason telecasts for the Miami Dolphins for several years, and has done play-by-play of ACC football and basketball telecasts for Jefferson-Pilot.
In 1990 and 1991, Nessler worked for CBS Sports, calling NFL games, college football, and college basketball (both men's and women's college basketball).
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Brendan Malone
Brendan Malone is an American professional basketball coach in the NBA. He was named as the first head coach (1995–96) of the Toronto Raptors, one of two 1995 NBA expansion teams in Canada. An alumnus of Iona College, Malone was appointed the job by the Raptors' general manager of the time, Isiah Thomas. Malone has been an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and as a consultant with the Seattle SuperSonics. He was the interim head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2004–05.
On July 3, 2007, Malone was one of four assistants hired to serve under new Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy. Malone's son, Mike, is assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.
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Brent Barry
Brent Robert Barry (born December 31, 1971) is a former American professional basketball player. The 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m), 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st) shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Barry played professionally for the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics, San Antonio Spurs, and Houston Rockets, winning two NBA Championships with the Spurs, in 2005 and 2007. He also won the 1996 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
Following the conclusion of his NBA career, Barry works as sports commentator and studio host for the NBA TV show "NBA Gametime."
Barry, born in Hempstead, New York, is the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, and was arguably the best player of the four basketball-playing Barry sons, the others being Scooter, Jon and Drew. His stepmother, Lynn Barry, was also a distinguished basketball player in college. Brent, the second youngest, played his high school basketball at athletic powerhouse De La Salle High School in Concord, California and graduated in 1990. Barry played four years on the Beavers basketball team of Oregon State University after redshirting his freshman season. In 1995, Barry graduated from Oregon State with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.
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Brent Musburger
Brent Woody Musburger (pronounced /ˈmʌsbɜrɡər/; born May 26, 1939) is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, and NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a studio host for games, a play-by-play man, and halftime host. He has also performed post game wrap up segments and covered championship trophy presentations. He is a member of the Montana Broadcaster's Association Hall of Fame.
Born in Portland, Oregon, Musburger was raised in Billings, Montana by parents Cec and Beryl. He was an umpire for minor league baseball during the 1950s. He was also a boyhood friend of former Major League pitcher Dave McNally. His brother, Todd Musburger, is prominent sports agent. When he was an adult he built a log cabin in Big Timber, Montana.
Musburger's youth included some brushes with trouble: when he was 12, he and his brother stole a car belonging to their mother's cleaning lady and took it for joy ride. His parents sent him to the Shattuck Military Academy in Faribault, Minnesota. Educated at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, he was kicked out for a year for owning and operating a car without a license.
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Brian Shaw
Brian K. Shaw (born March 22, 1966) is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers. At 6' 6" he could play both guard spots, but was used primarily at point guard over the course of his 14 seasons in the league.
Shaw grew up in Oakland, California with other future basketball stars such as Antonio Davis, Jason Kidd, and Gary Payton, as well as Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell.[citation needed] He attended Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland and then St. Mary's College of California for his freshman and sophomore years of college. He then transferred to UC Santa Barbara for his junior and senior seasons. In his senior year, he was named Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) player of the year as he led the Gauchos to their first ever NCAA tournament berth. He was taken with the 24th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1988 NBA Draft.
In 1988, Shaw signed a one year contract with the Celtics. In 1989, Shaw signed a two-year contract to play with an Italian team, Il Messaggero Roma. At the end of January 1990, Shaw signed a 5 year deal with the Celtics. In June of that year, Shaw told the Celtics he planned to play for Il Messaggero during the 1990 season. The ensuing contract dispute, Boston Celtics v. Brian Shaw, which Shaw lost, became a relatively famous sports law case and is read in many law school contracts classes.[citation needed]
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Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony (born May 29, 1984), nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a successful high school career at Towson Catholic High School and Oak Hill Academy, Anthony attended Syracuse University for college where he led the Orangemen to their first National Championship in 2003. He earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award and was named the Most Valuable Player of NCAA East Regional. After one season at Syracuse University, Anthony left college to enter the 2003 NBA Draft, where he was selected as the third pick by the Nuggets. He was traded to the Knicks several days prior to the 2011 trade deadline.
Since entering the NBA, Anthony has emerged as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league. He was named to the All-Rookie team, to the All-Star team five times and to the All-NBA team five times. Anthony led the Nuggets to two division titles and to the playoffs every year from 2004 to 2010. In 2009, he helped the Nuggets advance to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1985. As a member of the USA National Team, Anthony won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.
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Chet Forte
Fulvio Chester "Chet" Forte, Jr. (August 7, 1935 in Hackensack, New Jersey – May 18, 1996 in San Diego, California) was an American television director and sports radio talk show host.
Forte's life in the sports world began as an All-State basketball star at Hackensack High School in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was named to the Star-Ledger's Team of the Century in 1999. From there he starred at Columbia University. In the 1956-57 season, he was named first-team All-American as a point guard, and beat out the legendary Wilt Chamberlain for player of the year. He was short for a basketball player, but shot with deadly accuracy from the outside—the approximate location of today's three-point circle.
After a brief career in the National Basketball Association, Forte began working in TV, joining ABC Sports in the mid-1960s.
In 1970, Forte was named the first director of Monday Night Football. His ability to present the game as entertainment spectacle as well as sporting event, under the mandate of executive producer Roone Arledge, made the show a huge success in both sports and pop culture.
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Chick Hearn
Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn (November 27, 1916 – August 5, 2002) was an American sportscaster. Known primarily as the long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, Hearn was remembered for his rapid fire, staccato broadcasting style, inventing colorful phrases such as slam dunk, air ball, and no harm, no foul that have become common basketball vernacular, and for broadcasting 3,338 consecutive Lakers games starting on November 21, 1965. Additionally, Hearn started the now common tradition of estimating the distance of shots taken.
Of note is that most of Hearn's games in the television era were simulcast on both radio and television, even after most teams chose to use different announcers for the different media.
Hearn grew up in Aurora, Illinois in west suburban Chicago and attended high school at Marmion Academy and college at Bradley University. He earned the nickname "Chick" while an Amateur Athletic Union basketball player at Bradley, when teammates played a prank on him: giving him a shoebox to see his surprised reaction when he opened it and found not sneakers inside, but instead a dead chicken.
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Chris Broussard
Chris Broussard (born October 28, 1968) is an American sports analyst for ESPN, who mainly covers the NBA. He also is a columnist for ESPN Magazine and ESPN.com. Broussard also makes appearances on ESPN's NBA Fastbreak as an analyst.
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on October 28, 1968, Broussard graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio in May 1990 with a Bachelors degree in English. Broussard is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
In 1990, Broussard started his sportwriting career for The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio). He worked there for four years until moving to the Akron Beacon Journal where he started covering the NBA, spending two-and-a-half seasons with them as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer. Broussard then went on to work for The New York Times where he covered the New Jersey Nets for three years, the New York Knicks for two years, and the NBA in general for one year. In September 2004 Broussard joined ESPN Magazine.
Since 2004, in addition to his writing duties, Broussard has also been seen frequently on ESPN as an NBA insider and analyst, and occasionally as a panelist on First Take debating sports topics with Skip Bayless. For the 2011-2012 NBA season, Broussard was added to ABC's NBA Countdown pregame show as an NBA insider.
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Chris Jent
Chris Jent (born January 11, 1970) is a retired American professional basketball player and former coach in the NBA. He is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State.
Jent was born in Orange, California and grew up in Sparta, New Jersey. After attending high school at Sparta High School, he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes, leaving in 1992 after four seasons. He had a brief career in the NBA, playing three games each for the Houston Rockets (winning a championship ring in 1994) and New York Knicks (1996–97). He played in 11 playoff games in 1994. In between his stints with the Rockets and the Knicks, he played with the Australian NBL's North Melbourne Giants in 1995 and also played in Italy, Spain and Greece.
As a manager, he was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2003-04 season. The next season he worked in the same capacity with the Orlando Magic, and was appointed interim head coach for the final 18 games of the 2004-2005 season (going 5-13), after Johnny Davis was fired. At the start of the next season he was replaced by Brian Hill. Beginning in November 2006, Jent took on the role of Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He served as LeBron James' personal shooting coach while James was on the team.
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Chris Schenkel
Christopher Eugene "Chris" Schenkel (August 21, 1923 – September 11, 2005) was an American sportscaster. Over the course of five decades he called play-by-play for numerous sports on television and radio, becoming known for his smooth delivery and baritone voice.
Schenkel began his broadcasting career at radio station WBAA while studying for a premedical degree at Purdue University. He worked for a time at WLBC in Muncie, Indiana. After military service in World War II, he resumed sportcasting in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1947, he called the first American football game ever broadcast on television (a Harvard-Army contest).
In 1952, Schenkel was hired by the DuMont Television Network, for which he broadcast New York Giants football and hosted DuMont's Boxing From Eastern Parkway (1953-1954) and Boxing From St. Nicholas Arena (1954-1956).
In 1956, he moved to CBS Sports, where he continued to call Giants games, along with boxing, the Triple Crown horse racing, and The Masters golf tournament, among other events. Along with Chuck Thompson, Schenkel called the 1958 NFL Championship Game for NBC. He was the voiceover talent for the very first NFL Films production ever made, the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants.
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Chuck Daly
Charles Jerome "Chuck" Daly (July 20, 1930 – May 9, 2009) was an American basketball head coach. He led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive National Basketball Association (NBA) Championships in 1989 and 1990, and the Dream Team to the men's basketball gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He had a 14-year NBA coaching career.
Born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, to Earl and Geraldine Daly on July 20, 1930, Daly attended Kane Area High School in nearby Kane. He matriculated at St. Bonaventure University for one year before transferring to Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1952. After serving two years in the military, he began his basketball coaching career in 1955 at Punxsutawney (PA) High School.
After compiling a 111–70 record in eight seasons at Punxsutawney (PA) High School, Daly moved on to the college level in 1963 as an assistant coach under Vic Bubas at Duke University. During his six seasons at Duke, the Blue Devils won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and advanced to the Final Four, both in 1964 and 1966. Daly then replaced Bob Cousy as head coach at Boston College in 1969. The Eagles recorded an 11–13 record in Daly's first year at the school, and improved to 15–11 in 1971.
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Chuck Howard
Charles (Chuck) Howard was an American television executive, and a pioneer in television sports broadcasting.
Howard was born in 1933. He graduated from Duke University in 1955, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Following his college graduation, Howard entered the management training program at Chase Manhattan Bank. In 1960, he made an abrupt career turn and became a production assistant at Edgar J. Scherick's company, Sports Programs, Inc., the forerunner to ABC Sports.
In 1961, Roone Arledge charged him with scouting sports events throughout the world in an effort to discover sports that had a loyal following but might be unknown to American television viewers. The result was the April 21, 1961 debut of ABC's Wide World of Sports, the groundbreaking television sports anthology program.
Arledge, Howard and commentator Jim McKay created the show on a week-by-week basis during its first year of broadcast, establishing a sports television tradition in the process.
Howard went on to become a vice president for programming at ABC Sports and covered nine Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, World Series, British Open, Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500 and NCAA football -- as well as Acapulco cliff diving, Demolition Derby, rodeos, bobsled racing, arm wrestling and Evel Knievel's daredevil antics.
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Clyde Lovellette
Clyde Edward Lovellette (born September 7, 1929 in Petersburg, Indiana) is a former professional basketball player; the first basketball player in history to play on an NCAA, Olympics and NBA championship squad. His high school team fell one game short of a state championship.
Lovellette fostered the trend of tall, physical and high-scoring centers. A two-time All-State performer at Garfield High School in Terre Haute, Indiana, the six-foot-nine Lovellette later attended the University of Kansas where he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. While at the University of Kansas he led Jayhawks to the 1952 NCAA title, capturing MOP honors and scoring a then-NCAA-record 141 points. A three-time All-America at Kansas, Clyde led the Big Seven in scoring in each of his three seasons. Playing for Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Forrest "Phog" Allen, Lovellette led the nation in scoring his senior year (1952, 28.4 ppg) and was named the Helms College Player of the Year. Lovellette played alongside basketball legend Dean Smith at Kansas. He is still the only college player to lead the nation in scoring and win the NCAA title in the same year. Lovellette's dominance in the paint landed him a place on the 1952 Summer Olympics gold medal team in Helsinki, Finland and he was the team's dominating player and leading scorer.
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Courtney Lee
Courtney Lee (born October 3, 1985 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 22nd pick overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. He played college basketball at Western Kentucky University.
Lee attended Pike High School in Indianapolis and played on their Indiana 4A state championship winning team in 2003. He starred for the Indy Hornet's AAU team, winning several state championships and annually placing high at the AAU nationals.
In 2004, Lee was recruited by former Western Kentucky head coach Darrin Horn to play for the Hilltoppers. In his first season, Lee set a WKU record for freshman scoring with 461 points in 31 games. Lee was named First Team All-Sun Belt Conference for three consecutive seasons (2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08). As a senior at WKU, Lee was named Sun Belt Player of the Year. He also helped lead the Hilltoppers to a Sweet 16 appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament while being ranked 28th nationally in scoring with 20.4 points per game. On January 27, 2008, Lee recorded a career high 33 points in a 77–68 win over Arkansas State.
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Craig Hodges
Craig Anthony Hodges (born June 27, 1960 in Park Forest, Illinois) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA for 10 seasons and led the league in 3-point shooting percentage three times. He won two NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls, and along with Larry Bird, is only one of two players to win three consecutive Three Point Contests at the National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend, winning the competition in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Hodges also holds the Three Point Contest records for the most consecutive shots made with 19, set in 1991, and the most points scored in a single round at 25, set in 1986. He was later a head coach at Chicago State University and most recently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Hodges played college basketball at Long Beach State from 1978 to 1982. He played under Tex Winter, who later coached him again as an assistant to Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls.
During his career in the NBA, Hodges played for the San Diego Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, and Chicago Bulls. He played for the Bulls from 1988 to 1992, and helped win two NBA Championships in 1991 and 1992. He was waived by the Bulls after the 1991–92 season.
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Dan Majerle
Daniel Lewis Majerle ( /ˈmɑrliː/; born September 9, 1965) is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Known by his fans as "Downtown Dan," "Thunder Dan," and "Dan the Man," he played 14 years in the NBA, primarily with the Phoenix Suns, also with the Miami Heat and, briefly, the Cleveland Cavaliers. He won a bronze medal with the US national team at the 1988 Summer Olympics, and won a gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship.
Majerle was born in Traverse City, Michigan. He starred for Traverse City High School (now Traverse City Central High School) and Central Michigan University.
The Phoenix Suns selected Majerle with the 14th pick of the 1988 NBA Draft, which the Suns acquired (along with Kevin Johnson) in a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Larry Nance. During the draft, he was promptly booed when his name was announced over the public address system. Suns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons publicly chastised the Suns fans and told them "you'll be sorry you ever booed this young man". His prediction was evident as Majerle was one of the most popular players throughout the years he played in the NBA and was capped on April 17, 2002 when he officially retired in his second stint as a member of the Phoenix Suns.
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Dan Patrick
Daniel Patrick Pugh (born May 15, 1956), professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American Sports Emmy-winning sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio. He currently hosts The Dan Patrick Show which is broadcast on radio on Premiere Radio Networks, and on television on The Audience Network for DIRECTV subscribers, co-hosts NBC's Football Night in America, and serves as a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He previously worked at ESPN for 18 years, where he often anchored the weeknight and Sunday 11 PM edition of SportsCenter.
Patrick attended the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. His brother, Bill Pugh, is a longtime sports radio executive, and is currently the head of programming at Clear Channel San Diego. Patrick was a basketball player in high school at William Mason High School, becoming an Ohio all-state selection his senior year. He attended Eastern Kentucky University on a basketball scholarship for two years before transferring to the University of Dayton, where he majored in broadcast journalism. Patrick is also an alumnus of the Eta Hexaton Chapter of the Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity at Dayton.
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Dave Barnett
David Lane "Dave" Barnett (born April 27, 1958) is a former ESPN personality who currently works for the Texas Rangers. Before working for ESPN, Barnett served as the announcer for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs from 1988 to 1996, the Dallas Mavericks from 1981 to 1988, the 1990 Texas Rangers games, and Southwest Conference football and basketball on Raycom Sports. In 2009, Barnett's contract with ESPN ended, allowing him to return to the Texas Rangers, where he served as a radio broadcaster. On May 26, 2011, it was announced that Dave Barnett would be replacing John Rhadigan as the Texas Rangers television play-by-play announcer.
Twice won UPI 'Radio Commentator of the Year' awards.
He is married with two children and lives in Lantana, Texas.
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David Stern
David Joel Stern (born September 22, 1942) is the commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He started with the Association in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league's Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984 succeeding Larry O'Brien. He is credited with increasing the popularity of the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s.
Stern has served on the Rutgers University Board of Overseers and is a Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Columbia University. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
David Stern was born on September 22, 1942 in New York City, New York. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey in a Jewish family, and is a graduate of Teaneck High School. Stern attended Rutgers University, where in 1960 he pledged to the Sigma Delta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity. He graduated as B- dean's-list history student in 1963 and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1966, and was admitted to the bar in New York later that year after passing the state's bar examination.
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Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9, 1974) is an American professional basketball point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His NBA career has spanned more than 15 years, during which he won five NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He currently serves as the president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Fisher started out his basketball career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Selected with the twenty-fourth pick by the Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft, Fisher spent his first eight seasons with the franchise. During that time, he played a role in the Lakers' "three-peat", and was the third-leading scorer on the team behind Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. After his success with Los Angeles, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors, but was later traded to the Utah Jazz, where he helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. Due to his daughter's health, he asked to be released from his contract and rejoined the Lakers in 2007. In 2010, he won his fifth NBA Championship with the Lakers. Only he and Kobe Bryant have played in all five of the Lakers' most recent championships. The Lakers, in 2012, traded Fisher to the Houston Rockets, who bought out his contract and waived him. He was subsequently claimed by the Thunder.
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Dick Vitale
Richard J. "Dick" Vitale (pronounced /vaɪˈtæl/; born June 9, 1939), also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games, although many sports fans feel he subtracts from the sport coverage, rather than enhancing it. He is known for his catchphrases such as "baby" and "diaper dandy" (outstanding freshman player), as well as an overbearing and often bombastic style, and has authored nine books and appeared in several movies.
Vitale took his first job as a coach at an elementary school in Garfield, New Jersey in 1959. Eventually he moved up to the high school level to become head coach at Garfield High School for one season, and then at East Rutherford High School (his alma mater).
In 1971, Vitale moved to Rutgers University as an assistant coach under head coach Dick Lloyd. After two seasons there, he was hired in 1973 by the University of Detroit to become its head coach. Vitale took Detroit to the 32-team NCAA tournament in 1977. Vitale had a 78-30 record during his tenure at Detroit, which included a 21-game winning streak during the 1977 season. During that streak the Titans defeated the eventual champion Marquette on the road in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following the 1977 season, his fourth as Detroit head coach, Vitale was named the university's athletic director.
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Doc Rivers
Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13, 1961) is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA. His skills as floor general and point guard helped him transition into a coach following his playing career.
Rivers was a McDonald's All-American for Proviso East High School in the Chicago metropolitan area. Rivers represented the United States with the national team in the 1982 FIBA World Championship, in which he was selected as the tournament MVP, despite missing the last shot in the final which could have given the title to his team. After graduating from Marquette University, Rivers was drafted in the second round (31st overall) of the 1983 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He spent the next seven seasons as a starter in Atlanta, assisting star Dominique Wilkins as the team found great regular-season success. He averaged a double-double for the 1986–87 season with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. Rivers later spent one year as a starter for the Los Angeles Clippers and two more for the New York Knicks, before finishing his career as a bench player for the San Antonio Spurs.
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Doris Burke
Doris Burke (born January 4, 1965) is a sideline reporter and color analyst for ESPN college basketball, as well as NBA on ESPN and NBA on ABC games. Burke handles both men's and women's basketball at the college and pro level. She is primarily an analyst on Big East games for men's college basketball, often teaming with Mike Patrick or Dave O'Brien. She is also an analyst for WNBA games on MSG, and has worked on New York Knicks games. She was the first female analyst to call a New York Knicks game on radio and television.
Born in West Islip, New York and raised in Manasquan, New Jersey, Burke is the youngest of eight children. She started playing basketball in the second grade. She attended Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, where she earned a bachelor's degree in health service administration/social work and later a master's in Education. Burke was a member of the women's basketball team, and was named the College's Female Athlete of the Year, and was the fifth woman inducted into the Providence College Hall of Fame.
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Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard (born December 8, 1985) is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. He chose to forgo college and entered the 2004 NBA Draft, and was selected first overall by the Magic. A six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA team selection, five-time All-Defensive member, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Howard has been ranked consistently as one of the best in the league in rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and free throw attempts, and has set numerous franchise and league records. He has led the Magic to three division titles and one conference title, and he was the winner of the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. In the 2008 Olympics, he was the starting center for Team USA, which went on to win the gold medal.
Before he was drafted in 2004, Howard said that he wanted to use his NBA career and Christian faith to "raise the name of God within the league and throughout the world". In November 2009, he was named one of the 10 finalists for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, which awards athletes for their charitable work.
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Earl Monroe
Vernon Earl Monroe (born November 21, 1944, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American former professional basketball player known for his flamboyant dribbling, passing, and play-making. He was nicknamed both "Earl the Pearl" and "Jesus".
From an early age, Monroe was a playground legend. His high school teammates at John Bartram High School called him "Thomas Edison" because of the many moves he invented.
Monroe rose to prominence at a national level while playing basketball at then Division II Winston-Salem State University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Under the coaching of Hall of Fame coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines, Monroe averaged 7.1 points his freshman year, 23.2 points as a sophomore, 29.8 points as a junior and an amazing 41.5 points his senior year. In 1967, he earned NCAA College Division Player of the Year honors and led the Rams to the NCAA College Division Championship.
In 1967, the two-time All-American was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets (now the Washington Wizards) in the first round of the NBA draft (2nd overall pick). He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in a season in which he averaged 24.3 points per game, and scored 56 points in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. This still stands as the third-highest rookie total in NBA history. It was also a franchise record, later broken by Gilbert Arenas on December 17, 2006.
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Elgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers.
Baylor was a gifted shooter, strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer. Renowned for his acrobatic maneuvers on the court, Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots. The No. 1 draft pick in 1958, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959, and an 11-time NBA All-Star, he is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. In 1977, Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Baylor spent twenty-two years as GM of the Los Angeles Clippers, being named the NBA Executive of the Year in 2006, before being relieved of his duties shortly before the 2008-09 season began.
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Frank Hamblen
Frank Hamblen is a National Basketball Association (NBA) coach and scout, and a former college basketball player at Syracuse University. He has served as an interim head coach for two different teams; for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1992 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005. He also has served as an assistant coach on four NBA teams (Kansas City/Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers), often alongside Phil Jackson. Hamblen has been an assistant coach on seven championship teams, two with Jackson's Bulls and five with Jackson's Lakers. Jackson retired after the 2010–11 season, and Hamblen's contract with the Lakers expired as well.
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Fred Manfra
Fred Manfra is an American sportscaster, best known for radio and television broadcasts of the Baltimore Orioles, a major league baseball team. He has covered many other sports, including football, basketball, ice hockey, horse racing and the Olympics.
A Baltimore native, Manfra is a 1964 graduate of Patterson High School, where he was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1996. He began his broadcasting career at radio station KREL in Corona, California in the early 1970s, and gradually moved up through other jobs in Ventura, California (KBBQ-FM and KBBY-FM), Davenport, Iowa (KSTT-AM), Milwaukee (WRIT-AM), and Detroit (WWJ-AM). He also worked for the Associated Press radio sports network in Washington, D.C. before moving to New York City to begin a long stint with ABC network radio.
Manfra worked for ABC for fifteen years, doing many weekend sports shows. He has handled varied assignments including the NBA Finals and All-Star Game (1985–91), Winter and Summer Olympic events, the NHL Stanley Cup Finals and All-Star Game (1991), the Breeder's Cup (2000–2002), and horse racing's triple crown races. He also broadcasted college football, USFL and arena football games, New York Knicks basketball, and boxing and wrestling events.
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Gail Goodrich
Gail Charles Goodrich Jr. (born April 23, 1943 in Los Angeles, California) is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is best known for scoring a then record 42 points in the 1965 NCAA championship game vs. Michigan, and his part in the Los Angeles Lakers' 1971–72 season. During that season the team won a still-record 33 games consecutively, posted what was at the time the best regular season record in NBA history, and also won the franchise's first NBA championship since relocating to Los Angeles. Goodrich was the leading scorer on that team. He is also acclaimed for leading UCLA to its first two National Championships under the legendary coach John Wooden, the first in 1963-64 being a perfect 30-0 season. In 1996, 17 years after his retirement from professional basketball, Goodrich was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
A native of the Los Angeles area, Goodrich was the captain of the John H. Francis Polytechnic High School basketball team that dominated the 1961 Los Angeles City high school basketball championship.
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George Mikan
George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. (June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005), nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Invariably playing with thick, round spectacles, the 6 ft 10 in 245 lb. Mikan is seen as one of the pioneers of professional basketball, redefining it as a game of so-called big men with his prolific rebounding, shot blocking and his talent to shoot over smaller defenders with his ambidextrous hook shot, result of his own Mikan Drill.
Mikan had a successful player career, winning seven NBL, BAA and NBA championships, an All-Star MVP trophy, three scoring titles and being member of the first four NBA All-Star and the first six All-BAA and All-NBA Teams. Mikan was so dominant that he caused several rule changes in the NBA, among them widening the foul lane—known as the "Mikan Rule"—and introducing the shot clock.
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Greg Anthony
Gregory Carlton Anthony (born November 15, 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player and former personality on the ESPN family of networks. He is currently an analyst for NBA TV and CBS's college basketball coverage. Anthony also contributes to Yahoo! Sports as a college basketball analyst.
Growing up, Anthony aspired to enter politics. He wanted to become Nevada's first African American Senator. A graduate of Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, Nevada, Anthony played his freshman year of college basketball for the University of Portland where he was the WCC Freshman of the Year before transferring to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In his junior season with UNLV, the Runnin' Rebels won the 1990 NCAA Championship game over Duke with Anthony starting at point guard. He played almost the entire season with a broken jaw. He was a three-time All Big West performer and 3rd Team All America his senior season. This talented team was coached by Jerry Tarkanian and also included future NBA players Stacey Augmon and Larry Johnson.
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Hannah Storm
Hannah Storm (born Hannah Storen June 13, 1962) is an American television sports journalist, serving as co-anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter Monday–Thursday mornings, and is also host of the NBA Countdown pregame show on ABC as part of the network's NBA Sunday game coverage, until 2011.
Storm was born in Oak Park, Illinois, and is the daughter of sports executive Mike Storen, who was a commissioner of the American Basketball Association, general manager of that league's Indiana Pacers, Kentucky Colonels and Memphis Sounds franchises, and president of the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA. Her mother, Hannah G. Storen, is a successful real estate agent in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Westminster Schools of Atlanta in 1979 and the University of Notre Dame in 1983, with degrees in political science and communications. She is married to sportscaster Dan Hicks. The couple have three daughters: Riley, Ellery and Hannah.
Storm took her on-air name during her stint as a disc jockey for a hard rock radio station in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the early 1980s. While at Notre Dame, she worked for WNDU-TV, the Notre Dame-owned NBC affiliate in South Bend, Indiana. After graduation, she took a job as a disc jockey at KNCN-FM (C-101) in Corpus Christi, Texas. Six months later, she got a job at a Houston rock station KSRR 97 Rock as the drive-time sportscaster. Storm stayed in Houston for four years doing a variety of radio and television jobs, including hosting the Houston Rockets halftime and postgame shows and also hosted Houston Astros postgame shows on television. She worked as a very popular weekend sports anchor on WCNC TV 36 (formerly WRET) in Charlotte, NC in 1988-89. She made the leap to CNN from there.
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Hedo Türkoğlu
Hidayet "Hedo" Türkoğlu (Turkish pronunciation: [hid̪aːˈjet̪ ˈt̪yɾkoːɫu]; born March 19, 1979) is a Turkish professional basketball player in the NBA currently playing for the Orlando Magic. He plays the small forward position, although he has played four positions in his career. He possesses above-average ballhandling and playmaking skills for a forward, and is sometimes used in a point forward role.
Türkoğlu joined Efes Pilsen in 1996 and played four seasons with the team. He averaged 8.4 points on 58 percent shooting in 50 games in the Euroleague. Türkoğlu helped the team reach the 2000 Euroleague Final Four, averaging 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 22 games.
Türkoğlu was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 16th pick of the 2000 NBA Draft. He was the first Turkish-born player in NBA history. He played alongside other European stars such as Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic.
He earned consideration for the NBA's Sixth Man Award in his sophomore season, after averaging 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
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Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell (/koʊˈsɛl/; born Howard William Cohen; March 25, 1918 – April 23, 1995) was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am." In its obituary for Cosell, The New York Times described Cosell's impact on American sports coverage: "He entered sports broadcasting in the mid-1950s, when the predominant style was unabashed adulation, [and] offered a brassy counterpoint that was first ridiculed, then copied until it became the dominant note of sports broadcasting."
In 1996, Howard Cosell was ranked #47 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time and in 2011 his first full biography, Mark Ribowsky's Howard Cosell: The Man, The Myth, and the Transformation of American Sports, was published.
Cosell was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to accountant Isidore Cohen and his wife Nellie Cohen. He was raised in Brooklyn, New York. His parents had wanted him to become a lawyer. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from New York University, where he was a member of Pi Lambda Phi. He then earned a degree at New York University School of Law, where he was a member of the law review.
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Hubie Brown
Hubert Jude "Hubie" Brown (born September 25, 1933 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, USA) is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years. Brown was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.
Born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Brown moved to Elizabeth, New Jersey at the age of 3 and was raised there, graduating from St. Mary of the Assumption High School in 1951.
Hubie Brown played college basketball at Niagara University, graduating in 1955 with a degree in education. After leaving Niagara, Brown joined the U.S. Army where he joined the Army's basketball team. After being honorably discharged in 1958, Brown briefly played for the Rochester Colonels of the Eastern Professional Basketball League (the forerunner to the Continental Basketball Association) before they folded after just eight games. He averaged 13.8 points per game in his brief stint as a pro and was an excellent defender as a player.
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Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke (October 25, 1912 – April 6, 1997) was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins (NFL), the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), and the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to The Beaches area of Toronto in 1921, where he attended Malvern Collegiate Institute.
At age 14, Cooke got a job selling encyclopedias door to door. At the end of his first day, he took home over $20 to his mother, and is reported as later saying "I think that was the proudest moment of my life." He later became a runner on the floor of the Toronto Stock Exchange. He was selling soap in Northern Ontario for Colgate-Palmolive in 1936 when he met Roy Thomson, who hired Cooke to run radio station CJCS in Stratford, Ontario. The two became partners in 1941, buying radio stations and newspapers in Ontario and Quebec.
With the financial backing of J. P. Bickell, Cooke purchased CKCL in 1945, changing the call letters to CKEY. He also continued to work with Thomson, and the two acquired the Canadian edition of Liberty magazine in 1948, naming it New Liberty. The following year, Thomson sold his half of the magazine to Cooke.
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Jack Nicholson
Not to be confused with Nicholas Jackson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. His twelve Oscar nominations make him the second most nominated actor of all time, behind only Meryl Streep, and tied with Katharine Hepburn.
Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and for As Good as It Gets. He also won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the 1983 film Terms of Endearment. He is tied with Walter Brennan for most acting wins by a male actor (three). Nicholson is well known for playing villainous roles such as Jack Torrance in The Shining, Frank Costello in The Departed, and the Joker in 1989's Batman, among many other roles.
Nicholson is one of only two actors who have been nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to 2000s; the other is Michael Caine. He has won seven Golden Globe Awards, and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2001. In 1994, he became one of the youngest actors to be awarded the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. Notable films in which he has starred include Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Passenger, The Shining, Reds, Terms of Endearment, Batman, A Few Good Men, As Good as It Gets, About Schmidt, The Departed and Anger Management .
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Jack Ramsay
Jack T. Ramsay (born February 21, 1925, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" (as he holds an earned doctorate, see below). He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio. Ramsay is among the most respected coaches in NBA history and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ramsay graduated from Upper Darby High School (UDHS) in 1942. He was inducted into the school's Wall of Fame in 1979. He received his bachelor's degree from Saint Joseph's College in 1949, and his master's and doctorate degrees (the latter in education) from the University of Pennsylvania in 1952 and 1963, respectively.
After coaching in the high school and minor-league ranks for the early postwar years, he became head coach at his alma mater, Saint Joseph's College, in 1955. In his first season, Ramsay would lead the Hawks to their first Big 5 crown and their first-ever postseason berth (in the NIT). Ramsay would remain there through 1966, leading the Hawks to six more Big 5 crowns and ten postseason appearances (including a Final Four) in all.
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Jack Twyman
John Kennedy "Jack" Twyman (May 21, 1934 – May 30, 2012) was an American professional basketball player and sports broadcaster.
A 6'6" forward from the University of Cincinnati, he spent eleven seasons (1955–1966) in the NBA as a member of the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals franchise (now the Sacramento Kings). Along with Wilt Chamberlain, Twyman became the first NBA player to average more than 30 points per game in a single season when he averaged 31.2 points per game during the 1959–60 season. He scored a career high 59 points in a game that same season. Twyman scored 15,840 points in his career, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team in both 1960 and 1962, and he appeared in six NBA All-Star Games.
Twyman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.
Twyman was also known for his humanitarian efforts. He became the legal guardian of his teammate Maurice Stokes, who was paralyzed due to the aftereffects of a head injury suffered during the final game of the 1958 regular season, to help with medical finances. Twyman also organized the NBA's Maurice Stokes Memorial Basketball game, held at Kutsher's Country Club in Monticello, New York, to raise funds for needy former players from the game's early years – first to raise funds for Stokes's care and after his death, for other players. (The fundraising effort later became replaced by a pro-am golf event featuring NBA players.) Twyman also helped Stokes to obtain workers’ compensation and helped him to learn to communicate by blinking his eyes to denote individual letters.
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Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson (born February 9, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played college basketball at Saint Joseph's University and was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets but was traded to the Orlando Magic, where he has played for his entire professional career.
Nelson attended Chester High School in Chester, Pennsylvania and was a student and a letterman in basketball. In basketball, he helped lead his team to two PIAA state championships.
Nelson began his play at Saint Joseph's University in the 2000–2001 NCAA season. He had a breakout freshman season in which he was named unanimous National Freshman of the Year. During his junior season in 2002–2003, he averaged 19.7 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, and 4.7 assists per game. He declared for the NBA Draft in 2003, but remained for his senior season because he wanted to improve his draft status.[citation needed]
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James Worthy
James Ager Worthy (born February 27, 1961) is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion. A standout for the North Carolina Tar Heels, the 6 ft 9 in (2.05 m) small forward was the MOP of the 1982 NCAA Tournament and #1 pick of the 1982 NBA Draft. He was born in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Worthy was an All-American high school basketball player at Ashbrook High School in Gastonia. Worthy averaged 21.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists during his senior season, for a team that lost in the state championship game. Worthy was also selected to play in the 1979 McDonald's All-American game that also featured future Naismith Hall of Famers Isiaih Thomas, Dominique Wilkins and Ralph Sampson.
After graduating high school, Worthy attended the University of North Carolina (UNC). He quickly became a standout at UNC but saw his freshman year cut short by a broken ankle suffered near mid-season. As a sophomore he was a key member of that school's 1981 NCAA runner-up team, playing with Al Wood and Sam Perkins.
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Jeff Van Gundy
Jeffrey William "Jeff" Van Gundy (born January 19, 1962) is a former American basketball head coach. He has coached two teams in the National Basketball Association: the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets. Van Gundy attended Yale University before transferring to Menlo College and ultimately graduated from New York's Nazareth College in 1985.
His older brother Stan Van Gundy has served as head coach of the NBA's Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.
Van Gundy was born in Hemet, California. He grew up in the town of Brockport N.Y. He was the son of a basketball coach, Bill Van Gundy, the former head coach at Brockport State University in Western New York. As a high-school point guard, he was a two-time All Greater Rochester selection in 1979 and 1980, leading Brockport Central to the Class AA finals. He continued his career at Nazareth College where he earned All American honors while leading the Golden Flyers to an NCAA Tournament berth in 1984. He remains the Nazareth career leader in free throw percentage at 87%.
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Jeremy Richardson
Jeremy Terrell Richardson (born March 1, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for BC Armia. He is a 6'7", 210 lb. swingman and he has played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic.
Richardson was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and graduated from Zachary High School in Louisiana in 2002. Prior to entering the NBA, he attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College for two years and transferred to the NCAA Division II Delta State University.
Richardson was selected with the ninth pick of the second round in the 2006 NBA D-League Draft by the Fort Worth Flyers. On January 27, 2007, he was signed to a ten-day contract by the Atlanta Hawks. Previously playing for the Flyers, it was the seventh call-up from the D-League during the 2006–07 season. After his second 10-day contract expired, the Hawks opted not to retain him.
In March 2007, he was signed to a 10-day contract by the Portland Trail Blazers. At the end of the contract, the Blazers cut him; he played in one game for them. Richardson returned to the Flyers afterwards.
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Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss (born January 27, 1934) is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California. Announced as a member of the 2010 induction class of the Basketball Hall of Fame on April 5, 2010, he was formally enshrined as a contributor to the sport on August 13 of that same year.
Buss worked his way through the University of Wyoming, graduating with a B.S. degree in two and a half years in 1953. He moved to Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California, where he earned a M.S. and Ph.D. in physical chemistry by age 24. Buss started as a chemist for the Bureau of Mines (now the Mine Safety and Health Administration); he then briefly worked in the aerospace industry and was on the faculty of USC's chemistry department. He originally went into real estate investing in order to provide an income so he could continue teaching. His first investment in the 1960s was $1,000 in a West Los Angeles apartment building. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. In 1979 Jerry purchased Pickfair Mansion in Beverly Hills from the estate of Mary Pickford. He was also the co-owner of a real estate investment company called Mariani-Buss Associates with his long time business partner Frank Mariani.
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Jerry West
Jerry Alan West (born May 28, 1938) is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames include "Mr. Clutch," for his ability to make a big play in a clutch situation, such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; "The Logo," in reference to his silhouette being incorporated into the NBA logo; and "Zeke from Cabin Creek," after the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia. Playing the small forward position early in his career, West was a standout at East Bank High School and at West Virginia University, leading the WVU Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game, earning Most Valuable Player honors despite the loss. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team in Rome, a squad that would be inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
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Jim Cleamons
James Mitchell "Jim" Cleamons (born September 13, 1949 in Lincolnton, North Carolina) is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. He played collegiately at The Ohio State University, and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 13th pick of the 1971 NBA Draft. He had a nine-year NBA career for four different teams (the Los Angeles Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks, and the Washington Bullets). In 1976, Cleamons was selected to the NBA All-Defense 2nd team.
In addition to his playing career, Cleamons was the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks for slightly over one year, from 1996 to 1997. He was then the head coach of the Chicago Condors, and he has served as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. He was hired as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers on July 19, 2006.
For a few games during his tenure with the Lakers, he has served as acting head coach while Phil Jackson was absent.
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Jim Durham
Jim Durham (born February 12, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American sportscaster.
Early in his career, Durham worked on WJBC radio in Bloomington, Illinois. During his time there, he covered the career of Illinois State University basketball star Doug Collins, later coincidentally the coach of the Bulls during the early Jordan years in Chicago, including the famous call listed below.
Since 1995, he has called numerous National Basketball Association games for ESPN and ESPN Radio. Durham has spent more than 32 years calling NBA games on TV and radio; his previous assignments were with the Chicago Bulls, the Dallas Mavericks, TNT and TBS. With the Bulls, he was the play-by-play announcer when Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and their teammates won the 1991 NBA championship. In 1999, Durham called men's NCAA basketball tournament games for CBS.
His most memorable call is for "The Shot" by Michael Jordan in Game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference First Round between the Bulls and Cavs:
Durham has also done play-by-play for Major League Baseball. In the 1980s for the Houston Astros, 1989-1990 for the Chicago White Sox, and for ESPN Radio since 1998.
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Jim Pollard
James Clifford "Jim" Pollard (July 9, 1922 – January 22, 1993) was an American professional basketball player.
In college, Pollard played for Stanford and was a key member of Stanford's 1942 national championship team (though due to illness, he did not play in the final game). During WWII he starred in Coast Guard teams from Alameda to Honolulu. Following the War, Pollard played for the San Diego Dons and the Oakland Bittners, making four trips to Denver for AAU playoffs. In the NBA, Pollard was considered one of the best forwards in the 1940s and 1950s, and was known for his leaping ability (Pollard would occasionally dunk from the free throw line during warmups) earning him the nickname "The Kangaroo Kid".
In 1952, players who had performed in the NBA since its inception (after the merging of the NBL and the BAA) selected Pollard as the best player of the period. Pollard teamed with George Mikan and Vern Mikkelsen for the Minneapolis Lakers, forming one of the best front courts in basketball history. The Lakers won six professional basketball titles: 1948 (NBL), 1949 (BAA), 1950 (NBA), 1952 (NBA), 1953 (NBA), 1954 (NBA).
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Joe DeRosa
Joe DeRosa (born April 9, 1957) is a current NCAA Division 1 Mens Basketball referee. He is the only person to have ever officiated both in the NBA Finals and the NCAA Men's Final Four. He was one of three official selected to work the first of the two 2012 National Semi-Final games of the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. He spent this past regualr season as a Big 12 Conference official. His early childhood was mostly spent on his family's farm in Omaha raising Turkey for export.
Previously, he spent 22 seasons officiating in the National Basketball Association. During his time working as an NBA official he had officiated over 1,000 regular season games, 75 play-off games and 5 NBA Finals games. DeRosa, a native of North Canton, Ohio has conducted officiating clinics in Venezuela and France.
During game two of 2010 Eastern Conference Finals DeRosa was involved in an altercation with an Orlando Magic fan. The fan, Wyndham Vacation Ownership CEO Franz Hanning, was heckling him when DeRosa threw the game ball across the scorers' table at Hanning. The fan then threw the ball back at DeRosa, who had NBA security eject the fan. The NBA suspended him 1 game for the situation.
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John Gabriel
Note: For the actor of the same name, see John Gabriel (actor). For the webcomic character, see Penny Arcade.
John Gabriel is an executive in the National Basketball Association. In 2008, he became the director of scouting for the New York Knicks. He was previously a scout and administrator for the Portland Trail Blazers, and he is best known for his stint as general manager with the Orlando Magic. During that time (1999—2003), he won the NBA's Executive of the Year award, only to be dismissed in the beginning of the 2003 season.
Gabriel won the 1999 NBA Executive of the Year Award after dismantling the previous year's team and trading players for future draft picks. With Darrell Armstrong leading the team, the Magic compiled a respectable 41-41 win-loss record and barely missed the playoffs. Gabriel won the award because the team was composed of virtually non-notable players, and most experts[who?] had predicted the team to falter. In addition, Gabriel hired Doc Rivers as head coach of the Magic at the beginning of that season. Seen as a risky move by most experts[who?], Rivers guided the team well and won Coach of the Year honors.
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John Kundla
John Albert Kundla (born July 3, 1916 born in Star Junction, PA) is a former college and professional basketball coach.
After attending and playing baseketball for Minneapolis Central High School in Minneapolis (which closed in 1982), Kundla was a standout for the Minnesota Gophers basketball team in the late 1930s. Following graduation, he stayed on at the university as an assistant coach to Dave MacMillan. He would then move to the high school ranks as the head coach of DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, MN. After two years there, the United States entered World War II and Kundla joined the Navy, where he was assigned to LST units in both the European and Pacific theaters. After the war, he was hired to coach the College of St. Thomas.
Following the Tommies' 1946-47 season, the infant Minneapolis Lakers would extend an offer to Kundla to coach the team, then playing in the National Basketball League. However, Kundla turned the offer down as he was not impressed with the professional ranks. Team representatives returned, and this time the offer had been upped to $6,000 (twice his St. Thomas salary) and Kundla took the job.
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John Weisbrod
John Weisbrod is a retired American professional ice hockey center and currently serves as the Calgary Flames Assistant General Manager/Player Personnel. In addition to his work in the NHL, Weisbrod also served as General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Orlando Magic, of the National Basketball Association from 2004-2005.
Born in Syosset, NY, Weisbrod attended and played Center on the Harvard ice hockey team from 1987 to 1991. He started ice hockey with the Oyster Bay Gulls and was part of a team that won NY State Championships in 1978, 1980 and 1982 and the Pee Wee National Championships in 1980. Weisbrod was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars round 4, #73 overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Because of injury, Weisbrod took the year off hockey in 1991–1992, only to play 16 games with the Kansas City Blades of the IHL before being forced to retire, also due to injury.
Having a degree in English from Harvard and his intricate experience to fall back on, Weisbrod became the Head Scout of the New Jersey Devils hockey club, and had great success and an IHL job with the Orlando Solar Bears of the IHL. He once again was very successful, winning the last championship the IHL had in 2001 (it disbanded the year after).
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Johnny Most
John M. "Johnny" Most (June 15, 1923 – January 3, 1993) was an American sports announcer, known primarily as the raspy radio voice of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association from 1953 to 1990.
He is most remembered for his excited call of “Havlicek stole the ball!” during the final moments of Game 7 of the 1965 NBA Eastern Division Finals. The play sealed the victory for the Boston Celtics. The complete call for that play was
He was a legend to Boston Celtics fans during the franchise's golden era from the 1950s through the 1980s. As identifiable a figure in New England as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Larry Bird, Celtics fans learned at an early age when watching the team play on television to turn the sound down on their television and pick up Most's radio broadcast on their local Celtics radio affiliate. He, along with Fred Cusick (the play by play announcer for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League) are considered the two greatest announcers in Boston sports history.[by whom?]
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Jon Barry
Jon Alan Barry (born July 25, 1969) is an American former basketball player and current television analyst for ABC and ESPN.
Barry is the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry and Pam Connolly, and has three brothers: Scooter, Drew, and Brent, all of whom are also basketball players. Jon played his high school basketball at De La Salle High School in Concord, California. He then played one year each at University of the Pacific and Paris Junior College, before receiving a basketball scholarship to attend Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia.
Out of Georgia Tech he was a first round draft pick in 1992 of the Boston Celtics, but refused to sign a contract and sat out the season. The Celtics traded their rights to him, mid season, to the Milwaukee Bucks for Alaa Abdelnaby, who scored 514 points in 63 appearances that year for the Celts, who finished the season with a record of 48-34. Barry joined the Milwaukee Bucks, who finished last, tied for last, and 2nd to last in their division Barry's 1st 3 years in the NBA.
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Jordan Farmar
Jordan Robert Farmar (born November 30, 1986) is an American professional basketball point guard for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA.
In high school, he was the Los Angeles Times High-School Player of the Year in 2003–04. Playing for UCLA in college, he was the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Year in 2004–05. He was a first round draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, and played for the Lakers from 2006 to 2010, winning NBA Championships with them in 2009 and 2010.
Farmar was born in Los Angeles, California, to his father Damon Farmar (a former minor league baseball outfielder who was a second round draft pick in both 1982 and 1983), and mother, Melinda. His parents divorced when he was 2, and he went to live with his mother, who soon met and married her current husband (Farmar's stepfather), Israeli Yehuda Kolani from Tel Aviv. His mother and stepfather are Jewish. His father is African-American.
Farmar started playing basketball at age 4. Farmar inherited his competitive drive from his father and mentor, Damon Farmar, who played football and baseball at University High and baseball in the minor leagues. The younger Farmar spent hours in his father's clubhouses, with his father's teammates, and watching his father play. He learned from his stepfather what persistence and obligation are all about, noting that "I never met a person who worked so hard." Farmar has a half-sister, Shoshana Kolani. Farmar's godfather is former major league baseball player Eric Davis.
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Josh Powell
Josh Powell (born January 25, 1983, in Charleston, South Carolina) is an American professional basketball player.
While playing at NC State, Powell averaged 12.4 ppg and 5.2 rpg in his sophomore year (2002–2003). He was not selected in the 2003 NBA Draft and played in Europe. However, he worked out for numerous teams and was eventually signed by the Dallas Mavericks, who were looking for a power forward to develop behind star Dirk Nowitzki. He played two games in 2003–04 with Lokomotiv-Rostov in the Russian Superleague before finishing the season with Euroride Scafati of the Italian Lega 2. In 2004–05, Powell averaged 16.6 PPG and 11.9 RPG with Pepsi Caserta of the Italian League.
At the beginning of the 2005–2006 season, Powell was in the D-League and put up solid numbers until he was called up to the NBA, where he played only in "garbage time," when the game had already been practically decided. But, after injuries to starting small forward Josh Howard and backup power forward Keith Van Horn, he began to get more time when Nowitzki was in need of rest.
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Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson (born October 18, 1928) is an American former sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports (1966–2006), his coverage of college football (1952–2006), his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R. Murrow reporting on World War II, the voice of ultimate authority in college football."
Keith Jackson was born on October 18, 1928 and grew up on a farm outside Carrollton, Georgia, near the Georgia-Alabama state line. The only surviving child in a poor family, he grew up listening to sports on the radio. After enlisting and serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he attended Washington State University under the G.I. Bill. Jackson began as a political science major, but he became interested in broadcasting. He graduated in 1954 with a degree in Speech Communications.
Though best known for his college football broadcasts, Jackson announced numerous other sports for ABC throughout his career, including Major League Baseball, NBA basketball, boxing, auto racing, PGA Tour golf, the USFL, and the Olympic Games. He briefly worked college basketball with Dick Vitale. Jackson also served as the pregame/halftime/postgame anchor for ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII in 1988. During his onair tenure he is credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl as "The Grandaddy of them All" and Michigan Stadium as "The Big House".
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Ken Mauer
Ken Mauer Jr. (born April 23, 1955 in St. Paul, Minnesota) is a professional basketball official in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 1986–87 NBA season. As of the beginning of the 2006–07 NBA season, Mauer has officiated in 1,167 regular season and 67 playoff games, including one NBA Finals game. (In 2008, Mauer officiated an additional 2 NBA Finals games). Mauer wears uniform number 41.
Mauer attended Harding Senior High School in St. Paul and later attended and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1977. At Minnesota, Mauer played baseball and was named an All-Big Ten player. Mauer comes from a family heavily involved in athletics. Ken's cousin is Minnesota Twins Catcher, Joe Mauer. Ken's father and four brothers were all referees, including his brother Tom Mauer, a referee in the Women's National Basketball Association. Outside of officiating, Mauer is a guest speaker at basketball camps and clinics and charitable and social groups. Mauer's hobbies include cars, art, theater, movies, and traveling.
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Kermit Washington
Kermit Alan Washington (born September 17, 1951 in Washington, D.C.) is an American former professional basketball player. Washington is best remembered for punching opposing player Rudy Tomjanovich during an on-court fight in 1977. The punch nearly killed Tomjanovich, and it resulted in severe medical problems that ultimately ended his playing career. During his pro years and after his retirement, Washington has struggled with the negative perception of him that resulted from the punch.
Washington was not a highly coveted player coming out of high school and barely got into college on an athletic scholarship. He averaged a mere four points per game (ppg) during his senior season of high school. He improved rapidly once at American University, and became one of only seven players in NCAA history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds throughout the course of their career.
A big defensive forward, Washington was known for his ability to gather rebounds. He averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in ten National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons and played in the All-Star Game once. Washington was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the fifth overall pick in the 1973 NBA Draft. He played sparingly his first three seasons, and sought the help of retired basketball coach Pete Newell before his fourth season. Under Newell's tutelage, Washington's game rapidly improved and he became a starter for several teams. He played for the Lakers, Boston Celtics, San Diego Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors.
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Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.
Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals was followed by O'Neal's trade from the Lakers after the 2003–04 season. Following O'Neal's departure Bryant became the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting numerous scoring records in the process. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. He was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2008. After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, earning the NBA Finals MVP Award on both occasions.
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Kurt Rambis
Darrell Kurt Rambis (born February 25, 1958) is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.
Rambis was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. His family moved to Cupertino, California in his preschool years; his number is retired at Cupertino High School. He graduated from Santa Clara University, where he played from 1976 to 1980, becoming its second leading rebounder and all-time leading scorer with 1,736 points. During his Santa Clara years he was awarded the WCC Freshman of the Year and Conference Player of the Year as a senior. His jersey #34 was retired on December 29, 2008.
Rambis was drafted by the New York Knicks as the 58th pick in the 1980 NBA Draft, but he was subsequently waived by the Knicks before playing in Greece, where he also holds citizenship. There he joined the Greek League club AEK Athens, under the name Kyriakos Rambidis, and he won the Greek Cup in 1981.
He was re-signed by the Knicks in 1981 but never played a game for them. His success as an NBA player started when he was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981. Rambis spent most of his 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, winning championships in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. Rambis also played for the Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings before returning to the Lakers in 1993.
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Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6, 1979) is an American professional basketball forward with the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA.
Odom was born in South Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York. His father was a heroin addict and his mother died of colon cancer when he was twelve years old. He was raised by his grandmother Mildred.
In his first three years of high school, Odom played for Christ The King Regional High School in Middle Village, Queens. He transferred first to Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, New York for the basketball season and then to St. Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, Connecticut. Odom was named the Parade Magazine Player of the Year in 1997. He was named to the USA Today All-USA 1st Team as a senior. During his youth, Odom was teamed with Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers and Ron Artest of the Los Angeles Lakers on the same AAU team.
In 1997, Odom attended the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and was enrolled in summer classes. Following an academic scandal, an NCAA inquiry found Odom received payments amounting to $5,600 from booster David Chapman. Coach Bill Bayno was fired and UNLV was placed on probation for four years. Odom transferred to the University of Rhode Island but was forced to sit out the 1997–98 season.
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Lawrence Tanter
Lawrence Tanter is an American public address announcer best known for his work for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. In addition to his duties with the Lakers, Tanter is also the program director for public jazz radio station KKJZ.
Tanter began working as the Lakers' public address announcer at the start of the NBA's 1981-82 season and has been a fixture at Laker home games ever since. He is the longest tenured Lakers PA announcer ever. During his tenure behind the microphones of both The Forum and the Staples Center, Tanter has seen the Lakers win 15 NBA Western Conference titles and 9 NBA Championships. In addition, he has seen the Lakers miss the NBA Playoffs only twice (1994 & 2005) during his time as the team's PA announcer.
When World Wrestling Entertainment fought with the Denver Nuggets over an arena booking for a playoff game in 2009, Tanter was recruited as guest ring announcer for the main event of a newly relocated Raw at Staples Center. In the match, five heel (villain) wrestlers in Denver Nuggets jerseys competed against five face (good guy) wrestlers in Lakers garb, and the Lakers team won. Soon afterward, the Lakers eliminated the Nuggets in the 2009 Western Conference Finals 4-2. They then went on to defeat the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals and capture another NBA title.
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LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James (/ləˈbrɒn/; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a sophomore at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School. He was selected with the number one pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Listed as a small forward, James has set numerous youngest player records since joining the league. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003–04, was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2009, 2010, and 2012 and has been both an All-NBA selection and an All-Star every season since 2005. In 2010, a much-publicized free agency process ended with James signing with the Miami Heat.
James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to consecutive playoff appearances from 2006 through 2010. In 2007, the Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs. In 2011, James and the Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals but lost to the Dallas Mavericks. James has been a member of the USA national team, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and gold at the 2008 Olympics.
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Len Elmore
Leonard J. "Len" Elmore (born March 28, 1952) is an American sportscaster, lawyer and former National Basketball Association player.
Elmore has served as a college basketball analyst for ESPN for over eight years and served in the same capacity for CBS Sports' coverage of the NCAA Tournament; he also serves an analyst for ABC Sports. Elmore is an eight-year veteran of the NBA having played for the Indiana Pacers, Kansas City Kings (presently Sacramento Kings), Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, and New York Knicks, and he also played two seasons with the Pacers when they were in the ABA. In 1990, Elmore served as the color commentator for CBS' number-two NBA broadcasting team, calling much of the Western Conference Playoff action alongside play-by-play man Verne Lundquist.
He attended Power Memorial Academy in New York City, leading its basketball team to the City championship and the "Number 1 Team in the Nation" in 1970. He graduated from the University of Maryland College Park in 1974 where he was a three-time All-ACC player and an All-American in 1974. He is still Maryland's all-time leading rebounder, in both total rebounds and rebounding average. In 2002, Elmore was selected to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring him as one of the 50 greatest players in ACC history.
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Lisa Salters
Alisia (Lisa) Salters is a journalist and former collegiate women's basketball player. She has been a reporter for ESPN and ESPN on ABC since 2000. Previously, she covered the O.J. Simpson murder case for ABC and worked at WBAL-TV in Baltimore, Maryland.
Salters has reported worldwide for ESPN, including a series of reports from the Middle East prior to the Iraq War. In addition, she has hosted ESPN's coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics from Turin, Italy, and ESPN's coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Currently, she is the lead sideline reporter for ABC's coverage of the NBA, as well as the network's Saturday Night college football slate.
Salters joined ESPN as a general assignment reporter in March 2000. She currently serves as sideline reporter for Saturday Night Football and the lead sideline reporter for ESPN’s coverage of the NBA on ABC.
In addition, Salters is one of the featured correspondents on ESPN’s newsmagazine show, E:60, which debuted October 2007. In 2008, she was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award for the story "Ray Of Hope".
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Luke Walton
Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His primary position is at small forward. After the 2010 NBA Finals, Walton and his father, Hall of Famer Bill Walton, became the first father and son to both have won multiple NBA championships. Bill won in 1977 and 1986, and Luke in 2009 and 2010.
Luke Walton is the son of former NBA great Bill Walton, and was named after Bill's close friend and former Portland Trail Blazers teammate Maurice Lucas. He has three brothers — Adam, Nathan (who unsuccessfully ran for governor during the 2003 California recall), and Chris. He attended University of San Diego High School in San Diego, California.
After graduating from University of San Diego High School in 1998, Walton enrolled at the University of Arizona and majored in family studies and human development. There, he played for the Wildcats under coach Lute Olson. In his junior year, Walton averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. As a fifth-year senior, he averaged 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.9 steals.
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Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.
Johnson's career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2. Johnson was a member of the "Dream Team", the U.S. basketball team that won the Olympic gold medal in 1992.
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Marcin Gortat
Marcin Gortat, pronounced "MAHR-cheen GOR-taht" (born February 17, 1984 in Łódź), also known as the Polish Hammer, is a Polish professional basketball player who plays the center position for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. The 6'11", 240 pound power forward/center is the son of boxer Janusz Gortat. He was a second-round draft choice of the Phoenix Suns in the 2005 NBA Draft and was traded for future cash considerations to the Orlando Magic. Gortat started his career in ŁKS Łódź, then he played 3 seasons in RheinEnergie Cologne in Germany's Basketball Bundesliga. RheinEnergie Cologne won the domestic championship in 2006.
In his youth, Marcin was frequent in athletics such as high jump and football. His father Janusz Gortat was a Polish boxer and a bronze medalist in light heavyweight during the Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976 Olympics, and the mother Alicja Gortat was a representative of the Polish national team in volleyball. He has an older brother Robert, who is also a boxer. Gortat grew up in Łódź together with his brother Filip. He graduated from Technical School in Łódź, Poland. Apart from Polish, he is fluent in English, German and Serbian.
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Marv Albert
Marv Albert (born Marvin Philip Aufrichtig; June 12, 1941) is an American sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."
Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called the play-by-play of six Super Bowls, NBA Finals and seven Stanley Cup Finals. He has also called the Wimbledon Tennis Championships for TNT with Jim Courier and Mary Carillo. He also worked as a co-host and reporter for two World Series (1986 and 1988).
Albert currently works for TNT and CBS. He is TNT's lead NBA voice, calls NFL games for CBS, and also calls NCAA tournament action for CBS and Turner Sports.
Albert was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, where he went to Abraham Lincoln High School. While growing up, members of Albert's family owned a grocery store on Brighton Beach Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets known as Aufrichtig's. He then attended Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications from 1960 through 1963. He then graduated from New York University in 1965.
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Matt Guokas
Matthew George "Matt" Guokas, Jr. (born February 25, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; last name pronounced /ˈɡuːkəs/) is a former American professional basketball player and coach.
Guokas played college basketball for hometown Saint Joseph's University, where he set many school records in assists and steals. After SJU, Guokas played on the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers team, featuring Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham, that ended the eight-year championship streak of the Boston Celtics. He also played with the Buffalo Braves, Chicago Bulls, Cincinnati Royals, Houston Rockets, and Kansas City Kings, all of the NBA. In the 1972-73 season, Guokas finished second (to Chamberlain) in the NBA in field goal percentage with a .570 clip during that season.
Guokas later coached the Sixers and was the first coach of the Orlando Magic, compiling a combined 230-305 career record. He currently works as a TV color commentator and sports analyst for the Magic on FS Florida and Sun Sports cable channels, teaming with veteran NBA and college sportscaster David Steele. He has also served as a color commentator for NBA on NBC broadcasts during the 1990s and was a color commentator for the Cleveland Cavaliers for Fox Sports Ohio cable channel for a number of years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
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Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
After a three-season career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness". He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat". Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993–94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards.
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Michael Wilbon
Michael Ray Wilbon (/ˈwɪlbɒn/; born November 19, 1958) is a former sportswriter and columnist for the Washington Post and current ESPN commentator. He serves as an analyst for ESPN and co-hosts Pardon the Interruption on ESPN with former Post writer Tony Kornheiser, and has been doing so since 2001.
Wilbon began working for The Washington Post in 1980 after summer internships at the newspaper in 1979 and 1980. He covered college sports, Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the National Basketball Association before being promoted to full-time columnist in February 1990. His column in the Post, which dealt as much with the culture of sports as the action on the court or field, appeared up to four times a week until he left to work full-time for ESPN on December 7, 2010.
In his career, Wilbon has covered ten Summer and Winter Olympic Games for The Washington Post, every Super Bowl since 1987, nearly every Final Four since 1982 and each year's NBA Finals since 1987.
After contributing to ESPN's The Sports Reporters and other shows on the cable network, he began co-hosting ESPN's daily Pardon the Interruption (PTI) with Tony Kornheiser on October 22, 2001. He is also a member of ABC's NBA Countdown (which he hosts with Jon Barry, Chris Broussard and Magic Johnson) which is the pre-game show for the network's NBA telecasts.
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Michele Tafoya
Michele Tafoya (Vandersall) (born December 17, 1964, in Manhattan Beach, California) is an American sportscaster.
Tafoya received a B.A. in mass communications from the University of California, Berkeley in 1988, and a masters in business administration from the University of Southern California in 1991.
Tafoya worked as a host and reporter for KFAN-AM in Minneapolis, primarily for Minnesota Vikings and University of Minnesota women’s basketball broadcasts. She worked for WAQS-AM in Charlotte, where she went by the name Mickey Conley. She was the first female analyst to call UNC-Charlotte men's basketball games.
Tafoya also worked for the Midwest Sports Channel, serving as a Minnesota Timberwolves host and sideline reporter, as well as a play-by-play commentator for women's Big Ten basketball and volleyball. Tafoya also spent three years at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis as a sports anchor and reporter.
Prior to ESPN and ABC Sports, Michele Tafoya joined CBS Sports in September 1994 as a reporter and host for the CBS Television Network's sports anthology show CBS Sports Spectacular and college basketball coverage. She served as a host of AT THE HALF and as a reporter for college football games. She did make her on-air debut at the 1994 U.S. Open Tennis Championships. She spent 5 years with CBS.
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Mickaël Piétrus
Mickaël Piétrus (born on February 7, 1982) is a Guadeloupean-French professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is listed at 6'6", 215 pounds and plays both the small forward and shooting guard positions. Piétrus was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, and is originally from Guadeloupe, a Caribbean island that is a part of France. His older brother, Florent Piétrus, is also a professional basketball player.
Piétrus is also known by the nicknames MP, Air France, and Puma. He speaks French and English fluently.
With ÉB Pau-Orthez he won the French championship in 2001 and 2003, as well as the national cup in the year 2002. In September 2005 he won the bronze medal at the 2005 European Championship with the French national team.
After leaving his native France, Piétrus was drafted by the Golden State Warriors. He played there for 5 seasons with the last being the 07–08 season.
During the 2008 off-season, he was signed by the Orlando Magic.
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Mike Breen
Michael "Mikael" Breen (born May 22, 1961) is a play-by-play commentator for the NBA on ABC and the lead announcer for New York Knicks games on the MSG network. He also works NBA games for ESPN, and was formerly a play-by-play announcer for New York Giants preseason games, as well as for regular season NFL games on both Fox and NBC.
Breen, a 1983 graduate of Fordham University, is currently in his 19th season as an NBA broadcaster, with some of those 19 taking place while Breen worked for NBC up until 2002, the network's last year as both an NBA and WNBA broadcaster. He is also the main voice for New York Knicks games on MSG Network. He first worked with the Knicks as a radio announcer for WFAN from 1992 to 1997, when he was promoted to television play-by-play upon Marv Albert's firing following his infamous sex scandal. He later became Albert's backup upon his return in 1999, before finally becoming the lead play-by-play upon Albert's second dismissal in 2004. On February 8, 2006, with the departure of Al Michaels from the network, ABC announced that Breen would take over as the lead broadcaster for the NBA, including the NBA Finals. His broadcasting career started doing play-by-play for the Marist College Red Foxes basketball team in 1985. Other than his role as ABC's main play-by-play on Sundays, Breen usually works for ESPN on Fridays, and occasionally on Wednesdays, with the rest of his schedule reserved for MSG.
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Mike Tirico
Michael Todd Tirico (pronounced /tɨˈriːkoʊ/; born December 13, 1966 in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is an announcer for ESPN's presentation of Monday Night Football, and second lead broadcaster for ESPN's presentation of the NBA. In addition, Tirico hosts a multitude of programming on ESPN/ABC. He was the host of ABC's golf coverage from 1996 to 2007, and continues in that capacity for ESPN's U.S. Open, Masters and British Open golf coverage. He also joined ESPN's broadcast team for the 2009 U.S. Open Tennis Championships, and is a studio host for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Tirico was formerly a play-by-play announcer for college football on both ESPN and ABC.
Tirico joined ESPN in 1991 as a SportsCenter anchor, after 4 years as Sports Director at CBS affiliate WTVH-TV in Syracuse, New York, during his undergraduate years at Syracuse University. Tirico is noted for his versatile nature and the variety of assignments he has handled for SportsCenter, Tirico has handled the play-by-play for ESPN's Thursday night college football package (1997 to 2005), college basketball coverage (1997 to 2002), NBA coverage (2002 to present), and PGA golf coverage for ABC (1996 to 2006). Tirico has also hosted studio coverage of various ESPN and ABC covered events, including a stint on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown (previously known as NFL Prime Monday) from 1993–2001 and ABC's NBA studio shows. He also broadcasts NBA games on ESPN/ABC. He anchored the 2009 U.S. Open (tennis).
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Mitch Kupchak
Mitchell "Mitch" Kupchak (born May 24, 1954) is a retired American basketball player and current general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers since the 2000–01 NBA season after predecessor Jerry West moved to the Memphis Grizzlies organization.
Kupchak played for Brentwood High School, Brentwood, Long Island, NY, and was instrumental in Brentwood's Division Titles from 1970-72.
Kupchak was an All-American on the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team. Kupchak played on the gold medal winning team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Kupchak was drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1976 and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. He had four productive seasons with Washington and was part of the team that won the NBA Championship in 1978. He signed a long term contract with the Lakers in 1981 on the behest of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who told owner Jerry Buss, "If we could get Mitch Kupchak, I know we could win," after the team's playoff upset. Unfortunately, 26 games into the season, Kupchak injured his knee and did not play again until the 1983-84 season. However, Kupchak played a key role in the Lakers' 1985 championship team against the Boston Celtics, who had intimidated them in the prior year's Finals. Kupchak retired after the 1985-86 season, having played 510 regular season and 68 playoff games, with regular season averages of 10.2 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game (7.7 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs).
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Monty McCutchen
Monty McCutchen (born February 14, 1966) is a professional basketball referee who has worked in the National Basketball Association. His first season was in 1993. He wears the uniform number 13. He was one of the officials for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game.
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Mychal Thompson
Mychal George Thompson (born January 30, 1955) is a retired Bahamian-American professional basketball player of the NBA. Thompson played both the power forward and center positions and played for the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers.
Thompson was born in Nassau, in the Bahamas, but moved to the United States as a youth, playing high school basketball at Miami Jackson High School (1974) in Miami, Florida. He then attended the University of Minnesota where he had a standout collegiate career.
The Portland Trail Blazers made Thompson the number one pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, the first foreign-born player to be selected at that position.[citation needed]
Thompson was a fixture in the Portland lineup for eight years (though one season was missed due to injury), where he started at both power forward and center positions. He was named to the 1979 All-Rookie team, and had his statistically best season in 1981–82, where he averaged over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game. In the 1986 off-season, Thompson was traded to the Spurs in exchange for center/forward Steve Johnson.
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Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee), nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American National Basketball Association player with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Robertson played the shooting guard/point guard position, and was a twelve-time All-Star, eleven-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in fourteen professional seasons. He is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. He was a key player on the team which brought the Bucks their only NBA title in the 1970-71 NBA season. His playing career, especially during high school and college, was plagued by racism.
For his outstanding achievements, Robertson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, and was voted one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. The United States Basketball Writers Association renamed their college Player of the Year Award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in his honor in 1998, and he was one of five people chosen to represent the inaugural National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame class in 2006.
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Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American professional basketball executive, and a former coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams and an assistant coach to another. He most recently won the 2006 NBA Championship with the Miami Heat. Prior to his tenure in Miami, he served as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. He was named NBA Coach of the Year three times (1989–90, 1992–93 and 1996–97, as head coach of the Lakers, Knicks and Heat, respectively). He was head coach of the NBA All-Star Game teams nine times: eight of the Western team (1982, 1983, 1985–1990, all as head coach of the Lakers) and once of the Eastern team (1993, as head coach of the Knicks). In 1996 he was named one of the 10 Greatest Coaches in the NBA history. As a player, he played for the Los Angeles Lakers' championship team in 1972, bringing his personal total to seven NBA titles.
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Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing, Sr. (born August 5, 1962) is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic. Ewing was named as the 16th greatest college player of all time by ESPN. He won Olympic Gold Medals as a member of the 1984 and 1992 US Men's National Basketball teams. In a 1996 poll celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NBA, Ewing was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time. On April 7, 2008 he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on September 5, 2008 along with former NBA coach Pat Riley and former Houston Rockets center, Hakeem Olajuwon. His number 33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Ewing excelled at cricket and soccer. He was 11 years old when he arrived in the United States with his family, settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He learned to play basketball at Cambridge Rindge and Latin. In order to prepare for college, Ewing joined the MIT-Wellesley Upward Bound Program. Upward Bound is a federally-funded TRIO college-prep program for disadvantaged high school students. He went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C..
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Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol i Sáez (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈpaw ɡəˈzɔɫ]) (born July 6, 1980) is a Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood in Spain. Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, with whom he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the Memphis Grizzlies franchise records for career games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. After seven seasons with the team, Gasol was traded to the Lakers on February 1, 2008. His younger brother, Marc Gasol, who was involved in that trade, is also a professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
Pau Gasol was born in Barcelona. He began playing basketball with his school team called Alvirne, and he eventually signed with Cornellà. When he was sixteen, he began playing for Barcelona's junior team. He also won both the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the 1998 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. After moving to the senior team of Barcelona, Gasol played just 25 total minutes in the Spanish ACB League 1998–99 season, and averaged 13.7 minutes per game in the ACB the next year. However, in his final season in the ACB, Gasol averaged 12.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game. Barcelona was victorious in the Spanish National Cup championship game in 2001, and Gasol was named Most Valuable Player. After entering the NBA Draft, Gasol was selected third overall in the first round in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, who traded his draft rights to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
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Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is a retired American professional basketball coach and former player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998; during his tenure, Chicago won six NBA titles. His next team, the Los Angeles Lakers, won five NBA titles from 2000 to 2010. In total, Jackson has won 11 NBA titles as a coach, surpassing the previous record of nine set by Red Auerbach. He holds the record for the most championships in NBA history as a player and a head coach, after breaking the tie with Bill Russell when the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA Finals. He also has the highest winning percentage of any NBA coach (.704). Jackson was a player on the 1970 and 1973 NBA champion New York Knicks.
Jackson is known for his use of Tex Winter's triangle offense as well as a holistic approach to coaching that is influenced by Eastern philosophy, earning him the nickname "Zen Master". Jackson cites Robert Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as one of the major guiding forces in his life. He also applies Native American spiritual practices as documented in his book Sacred Hoops. He is the author of several candid books about his teams and his basketball strategies. Jackson is also a recipient of the state of North Dakota's Roughrider Award. In 2007 Jackson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Rafer Alston
Rafer Jamel Alston (born July 24, 1976) is an American professional basketball player. He previously played for six NBA teams.
Alston grew up in Jamaica, Queens, New York and was a standout streetball basketball player, known for his untraditional moves which made him particularly adept at getting past ("breaking down") defenders while dribbling the ball. He was the inspiration in many ways for the AND1 Mixtape Tour—a low-quality, jerky 1999 videotape of Alston's extreme playground moves, featuring helter-skelter crossover and other fast dribble moves faking out defenders, attracted a great deal of attention among players and basketball fans. These unique moves became Alston's signature, and in fact, his nickname "Skip 2 My Lou" comes from one of the moves. As the video began to circulate (some can be seen on AND1 Mixtape Volume 1), other non-NBA players began to contribute their own moves and highlights, and eventually the AND1 Live Tour (originally the AND1 Mixtape Tour) developed from that beginning.
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Rashard Lewis
Rashard Quovon Lewis (born August 8, 1979 in Pineville, Louisiana) is an American professional basketball player, currently with the NBA's Washington Wizards as a small forward and a power forward.
Despite being recruited by Florida State, Kansas, and the University of Houston, Lewis bypassed college and opted for the 1998 NBA Draft, wherein he was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the third pick of the second round (32nd overall). At the time of his selection, he was the last player remaining in the "green room", where 15 of the top draft prospects sit until their selection. His hometown team, the Houston Rockets, declined to select Lewis with any of their three first-round picks, much to the disappointment of Lewis and a large majority of Rockets fans.
He has since had a solid career as a forward including two All-Star berths, in the 2004-2005 season and in the 2008-2009 season. In 2001, Lewis was selected to play for the USA in the Goodwill Games, in which they won the gold medal. On October 31, 2003, Lewis scored 50 points to pass Clyde Drexler (41 points) for the most points scored in a single game while playing in Japan. Lewis holds the SuperSonics' record for most 3-pointers made, having passed Dale Ellis for second place on November 22, 2005, and Gary Payton for first place on March 13, 2007, when Lewis made his 918th 3-pointer in the first quarter of a game against the Detroit Pistons.
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Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death. As a coach, he won 938 games (a record at his retirement) and nine National Basketball Association (NBA) championships (surpassed only by Phil Jackson). As general manager and team president of the Celtics, he won an additional seven NBA titles, for a grand total of 16 in a span of 29 years, making him one of the most successful team officials in the history of North American professional sports.
Auerbach is remembered as a pioneer of modern basketball, redefining basketball as a game dominated by team play and tough defense rather than individual feats and high scoring and introducing the fast break as a potent offensive weapon. He groomed many players who went on to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Additionally, Auerbach was vital in breaking down color barriers in the NBA. He made history by drafting the first African-American NBA player, Chuck Cooper in 1950, and introduced the first African-American starting five in 1964. Famous for his polarizing nature, he was well known for smoking a cigar when he thought a victory was assured, a habit that became, for many, "the ultimate symbol of victory" during his Boston tenure.
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Richard DeVos
Richard DeVos, Sr. (born March 4, 1926, Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American businessman, co-founder of Amway along with Jay Van Andel (company restructured as Alticor in 2000), and owner of the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team. In 2011, Forbes magazine listed him as the 79th wealthiest person in the United States, and the 254th richest in the world, with an estimated net worth of USD$ 4.2 billion. (At one point, he was in the top 10 of wealthiest Americans).
DeVos was educated at Calvin College and is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He served in the military in World War II in the United States Army Air Corps.
Books written by him include Compassionate Capitalism, "MOO", and Hope From My Heart: Ten Lessons For Life. The latter reflects his feelings after successfully undergoing a heart transplant operation in 1997. This was preceded by two heart-bypass operations in 1983 and 1992. In 1975, DeVos published a book about his success, co-authored with Charles Paul Conn, titled Believe!.
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Richie Adubato
Richard Adam "Richie" Adubato (born November 23, 1937 in Irvington, New Jersey) was a basketball coach in the National Basketball Association. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams: the Detroit Pistons, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Orlando Magic. In 1999, he took over as the head coach for the WNBA's New York Liberty, making his WNBA debut on June 10, 1999 when he guided the Liberty to an 87-60 victory over the defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Rockers. With the Liberty posting impressive attendance figures for the third straight season, Madison Square Garden played host to the first-ever WNBA All-Star game - a sellout (18,649) - on July 14, 1999. Four Liberty players were selected to the Eastern Conference squad: Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Weatherspoon, Kym Hampton, and Vickie Johnson. With Adubato at the helm, the Liberty posted an overall mark of 18-14 and won its first Eastern Conference title. After defeating Charlotte in the first round of the playoffs, the team faced a rematch with the defending WNBA Champion Houston Comets. Despite falling short of the title, the series was pushed to a third game when Weatherspoon made the most famous shot in WNBA history - a half court buzzer-beating shot that won Game Two before a stunned Houston squad and Compaq Center crowd. Under Adubato, the Liberty went to the finals three out of four seasons and won the Eastern Conference Regular-Season championship three times.
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Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28, 1944), better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers[who?] to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision, knowledge and execution of team defense principles, tenacious and ofttimes demanding will to win, and unorthodox but accurate underhanded free throw shooting. Barry is one of the few elite players who altered their games without losing effectiveness; he broke into the professional ranks as a rebounder and all-purpose scorer before he became a primary ball distributor and lethal perimeter threat.
Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in history by the NBA in 1996, Barry is the only player to lead the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ABA and NBA in scoring for an individual season. In 1987, Barry was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Rod Hundley
Rodney Clark "Rod" Hundley (born 26 October 1934 in Charleston, West Virginia) is a former professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley's life has revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years. At West Virginia University, Hundley played to packed crowds at the Old Field House. His dribbling antics and daredevil maneuvers on the floor led to his popular nickname "Hot Rod" Hundley. He has most recently been known as the sports announcer for the Utah Jazz.
A native of Charleston, West Virginia, Hundley’s talent for the game was evident during his youth. At Charleston High School, he averaged 30 points per game, breaking the state’s four-year scoring record in just three years. He scored 45 points in the WV-Kentucky high school All-Star game. He was named a high school All-American and was offered scholarships to many of the nation’s major universities.
Hundley played for WVU from 1954 to 1957. The Mountaineers made their first NCAA appearance and three total appearances between 1955 and 1957. During his junior year, Hundley averaged 26.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. He scored more than 40 points per game six times, which led to the Mountaineers scoring over 100 points in nine games. The Mountaineers were ranked No. 20 in the nation in 1955 and No. 4 in 1956. Hundley holds a varsity school record with 54 points in a single game against Furman and holds a freshmen team record of 62 points against Ohio University.
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Sasha Vujačić
Aleksandar "Sasha" Vujačić (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар »Саша« Вујачић, Slovene: Saša Vujačič, rendered in English as Sasha Vujacic; born March 8, 1984) is a Slovenian basketball player who has played in Italy, the United States (for the Los Angeles Lakers), and more recently for Anadolu Efes in Turkey. Though he has played the point guard position in Europe, he found more playing time at the shooting guard spot while in the Lakers' triangle offense.
His father Vaso Vujačić is a Serbian basketball coach. Vujačić was a member of the Slovenian junior national team. He won a silver medal at the 2002 European Junior Championship.
Vujačić began his professional career at the age of 16, playing with Snaidero Udine of Italy. The same year, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.
During the 2005–06 season Vujačić made the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime to give the Lakers the lead for good in a win against the Utah Jazz.
During the 2006–07 season he made a shot against the Dallas Mavericks to end their 13-game winning streak.
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Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen (born September 25, 1965) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association. He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in 6 NBA titles and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins. Pippen, along with Michael Jordan, played an important role in transforming the Bulls team into a vehicle for popularizing the NBA around the world during the 1990s.
Considered one of the best small forwards of all time, Pippen was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team 8 straight times and the All-NBA First Team three times. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1994. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History during the 1996–97 season, and is one of four players to have his jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls (the others being Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, and Michael Jordan). During his seventeen-year career, he played twelve seasons with the Bulls, one with the Houston Rockets and four with the Portland Trail Blazers, making the postseason sixteen straight times. Pippen is also the only person to have won an NBA title and Olympic gold medal in the same year twice (1992, 1996). Pippen was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on August 13, 2010.
wn.com/Scottie_Pippen -
Scotty Bowman
William Scott "Scotty" Bowman, OC (born September 18, 1933) is a retired National Hockey League head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings. He is currently the Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations for the Chicago Blackhawks. Bowman is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in history, in any sport.
As head coach, Bowman has won a record nine Stanley Cups with the Canadiens (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979), Penguins (1992) and Red Wings (1997, 1998, and 2002). He has also won three Stanley Cups as a member of an organization's front office. He was director of player development for the 1991 Penguins, Consultant with the 2008 Detroit Red Wings, and Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations for the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks. Bowman won the Jack Adams Award in 1977 and 1996. In the 1976–77 season he won a record 60 games, breaking his own record of 58 wins the year before. He broke his own record again in the 1995-1996 season, with 62 wins. His 8 losses in 1976-77 are a modern record. His teams also made it to the Stanley Cup Finals a record 13 times and the semi-finals a record 16 times.
wn.com/Scotty_Bowman -
Sean Elliott
Sean Michael Elliott (born February 2, 1968) is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.
Elliott was born in Tucson, Arizona and was youngest of three boys. He was a very intelligent boy growing up and attended the G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education) program at Tolson Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona. He played high school basketball at Cholla High School (now Cholla High Magnet School) on Tucson's west side, and after graduating in 1985, remained in Tucson to play college basketball at the University of Arizona. Under the tutelage of Lute Olson, Elliott was selected as a consensus all-American during his junior and senior years, and led the Wildcats to the Final Four in his junior year (1988). After an exceptional senior season, Elliott won the Wooden Award. He is still the University of Arizona's all-time leading scorer.
He played for the US national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.
Elliott was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft under Coach Larry Brown, and spent the majority of his career with the Spurs. Elliott spent the 1993–94 season with the Detroit Pistons. Elliott scored a career-high 41 points against the Dallas Mavericks on December 18, 1992.
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Shannon Brown
Shannon Brown (born November 29, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who plays at the shooting guard and point guard positions. He plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Phoenix Suns. Brown attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball at Michigan State University. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Brown in 2006; Brown played his rookie season with Cleveland and has played for three teams in the NBA Development League.
Brown attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, where his teammates included fellow 2006 draftee Dee Brown (no relation). In 2003, he was named Illinois Mr. Basketball and a McDonald's All-American .
Brown played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. He was second-team All-Big Ten as a junior and an All-Big Ten Defensive selection.
Brown was drafted in the first round with the 25th pick of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Appearing in only 23 games (5 starts) in his debut season, he showed promise, scoring in double figures twice (10 points vs. New York on November 29 and 14 vs. Toronto on 3/3), but was hampered by an injury to his shin.
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Slater Martin
Slater Nelson "Dugie" Martin Jr. (born October 22, 1925) is an American retired professional basketball player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born in El Mina, Texas and played in seven NBA All-Star Games.
Martin was one of the NBA's best defensive players in the 1950s while playing for the George Mikan-led Minneapolis Lakers that won four NBA championships between 1950 and 1954. In 1956 he joined Bob Pettit's St. Louis Hawks and won another NBA title in 1958.
Martin is an alumnus of Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, where he led his school to two state basketball championships in 1942 and 1943.[1] He is also a graduate of University of Texas at Austin, where he set a record in 1949 for putting up 49 points playing for the Texas Longhorns against the opposing Texas Christian University team. Throughout his career with the Longhorns, Martin averaged 12.7 points per game.[2] His former high school now holds an annual funder raiser in his name, the "Slater Martin Golf Tournament", which successfully raises tens of thousands of dollars each year as an aid to high school student clubs and sports teams.
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Stan Van Gundy
Stanley A. "Stan" Van Gundy (born August 26, 1959) is a professional basketball coach, most recently serving as the head coach of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic from 2007 to 2012. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, turning the job over to Pat Riley. He is the brother of former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.
Van Gundy began his coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Vermont, 1981–83, and was head coach at Castleton State College (VT) for three seasons. After serving as an assistant coach at Canisius College in 1987 and Fordham University in 1988, Van Gundy was named head coach at UMass Lowell and spent four seasons there, where he compiled a record of 54-60 and coached Leo Parent, whom Van Gundy called "the best Division 2 player in the nation."
Van Gundy then became an assistant at the University of Wisconsin under Stu Jackson (later NBA Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations), and then became head coach at UW.
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Steve Javie
Steve Javie (born January 17, 1955) is a retired American professional basketball referee who refereed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from the 1986–87 NBA season to the 2010–11 season. As of the beginning of the 2006–07 NBA season, Javie has officiated 1,264 regular season, 190 playoff, and 18 NBA Finals games. He has officiated the NBA championship series every year since the 1995 NBA Finals. According to Referee magazine, Javie is a highly regarded referee in the NBA, and he is respected within the officiating community for his game management skills. He is also notable during his NBA officiating career for his quickness in assessing technical fouls.
Prior to his NBA career, he played and graduated from La Salle College High School. He later played baseball for Temple University from 1974 to 1976 and later was an umpire in the Florida State League (Class-A) from 1978 to 1981. Transitioning to basketball, he officiated in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1981 to 1986.
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Stu Lantz
Stuart (Stu) Burrell Lantz (born July 13, 1946, in Uniontown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a retired American basketball player and the current television commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Fox Sports West and KCAL. He has been the Lakers' color commentator since 1987, sharing the microphone with Chick Hearn and winning numerous awards for his work along the way. The Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association has named Lantz best radio commentator in six of the last seven years.
Lantz played in the National Basketball Association from 1968 until 1976. He was drafted by the San Diego Rockets in the third round (1st pick) of the 1968 NBA Draft and by the Oakland Oaks in the 1968 ABA Draft after attending the University of Nebraska.
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Stuart Scott
Stuart Scott (born July 19, 1965) is a sportscaster and anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter.
Scott attended Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and went to college at the University of North Carolina. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Scott was part of the on-air talent at the student-run radio station WXYC. He graduated from UNC in 1987 with a bachelor of arts in speech communication. Following graduation, Scott worked as a reporter at WPDE-TV in Florence, South Carolina, from 1988–1990 and at WRAL-TV 5 in Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1990–1993. He also worked at WESH, an NBC affiliate in Orlando, Florida, from 1993–1995.
Scott joined ESPN2 at the network's launch in 1993 as the host of SportsNight. He currently works for the ESPN family of networks as an anchor for SportsCenter episodes as well as National Football League and National Basketball Association programming. Scott also appears in each issue of ESPN the Magazine, with his 'Holla' column. In his work at ESPN he has interviewed top professional athletes such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan as well as two American Presidents, then-Senator Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
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Tom Tolbert
Byron Thomas "Tom" Tolbert (born October 16, 1965) is an American retired professional basketball player and sports broadcaster. He played a total of seven seasons in the National Basketball Association. After retiring from basketball, Tolbert became a radio show co-host in San Francisco and NBA commentator for the television networks NBC, ESPN, and ABC.
Tolbert graduated from Artesia High School in Lakewood, California in 1983. Following high school, he played college basketball at University of California, Irvine (1983–1985), Cerritos College (1985–86), and the University of Arizona (1986–1988). While at Arizona, Tolbert played under coach Lute Olson, helping the team to an appearance in the 1988 Final Four. In 1988, he was a second-round draft pick (9th pick, 34th overall) of the Charlotte Hornets. Tolbert spent seven seasons playing for a number of NBA teams, including Charlotte (1988–89, 94-95), the Golden State Warriors (1989–92), the Orlando Magic (1992–93), and the Los Angeles Clippers (1993–94). He also played briefly for Canarias in the Spanish league. He retired following the 1994-95 season after his oldest son was born.
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Tony Battie
Demetrius Antonio Battie (born February 11, 1976) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Battie attended South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas and played college basketball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders where he ended his career as the school all-time leader in blocked shots with 162 blocks.
Battie was drafted fifth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1997 NBA Draft where he played one season. He then played for the Boston Celtics. He remained with the Celtics for six years before moving on to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers traded Battie to the Orlando Magic for Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejão. On June 25, 2009, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets along with Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee in exchange for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson. In July, 2010 Battie signed a contract with Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent.
On September 25, 2000, Battie, along with his brother, saved Battie's teammate Paul Pierce by rushing him to a nearby hospital after a near-fatal stabbing.
wn.com/Tony_Battie -
Trevor Ariza
Trevor Anthony Ariza (born June 30, 1985 in Miami, Florida) is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association who plays for the New Orleans Hornets.
Ariza played AAU basketball for 4d, a traveling youth basketball team that had numerous All-Americans[who?] on the roster. Ariza attended Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California, where as a junior he combined with teammates and fellow future NBA players Hassan Adams, Brandon Heath, and Bobby Brown to lead the Comets to the California State championship.
After one season at UCLA Ariza declared for the NBA draft and was a second round choice (43rd overall) of the New York Knicks in 2004.
Ariza started his rookie season coming off the bench; at 19 he was the second-youngest rookie in Knicks history to play in 80 games. As the season progressed he impressed coach Larry Brown enough to start 12 games. In Ariza's second season, he played in 36 games and started in 10. In February 2006, Ariza was traded along with Penny Hardaway to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Steve Francis. After the trade he played in 21 games and averaged 4.7 per game. In the 2006-07 season he played in 57 games and started in 7, averaging a career high 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
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Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Jamar Lue (born on May 3, 1977 in Mexico, Missouri) is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association. The 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m), 175 lb (79 kg; 12.5 st) point guard was selected out of the University of Nebraska by the Denver Nuggets with the 23rd overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won two NBA championships in his first three seasons. Lue now works as Director of Basketball Development for the Boston Celtics.
Lue attended Raytown Senior High School in Raytown, Missouri. He later went to University of Nebraska. He played basketball and studied Sociology. He finished his Nebraska career ranked third on the all-time list in assists (432), fourth in three-pointers made (145) and attempted (407), fifth in steals (154) and seventh in scoring (1,577). Declaring for the NBA draft after his Junior season, he led the Cornhuskers in assists in each of his three seasons, and finished his career tied with Dave Hoppen for most games with 30 or more points (7).
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Vern Mikkelsen
Arild Verner Agerskov "Vern" Mikkelsen (born October 21, 1928) is an American former professional basketball player. He was one of the NBA's first power forwards in the 1950s and was known for his tenacious defense.
Mikkelsen was born in Fresno, California and was raised in Askov, Minnesota in a town of primarily Danish-Americans. He entered Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota on a basketball scholarship at the age of 16. In his senior year at Hamline, Mikkelsen was voted an All-American. He would later receive a masters degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota.
Mikkelsen played with George Mikan and Jim Pollard in the frontcourt of the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers won four NBA titles during Mikkelsen's career. Mikkelsen played in six NBA All-Star Games and was named to the All-NBA Second Team four times in his career.
Mikkelsen ended his career after ten seasons in the NBA in 1959, having played in 798 of a possible 800 games. He finished his career with 10,063 points scored and led the NBA in both personal fouls and disqualifications for three straight seasons. Mikkelsen still holds the league record for career disqualifications with 127.
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Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter (born January 26, 1977) is an American professional basketball player with the Dallas Mavericks. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward.
A high school McDonald's All-American, Carter played three years at the University of North Carolina, where he twice reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament before being selected as the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, who traded him to the Toronto Raptors. He won the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and won the Slam Dunk Contest at the 2000 NBA All-Star Game the following season. That summer, he represented the United States in the Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal.
He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his leaping ability and slam dunks, earning him nicknames such as "Vinsanity," "Air Canada," and "Half-Man, Half-Amazing."
He led the Raptors to their first three playoff appearances. In 2004, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets, and he helped lead them to three playoff berths. In July 2009, Carter was traded to the Orlando Magic, helping them to advance to the Eastern Conference finals before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in December, 2010.
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Willis Reed
Willis Reed, Jr. (born June 25, 1942) is a retired American basketball player, coach and general manager. He spent his entire professional playing career (1964–1974) with the New York Knicks. In 1982, his outstanding record and achievements were recognized by his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1997, he was voted one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History".
After retiring as a player, Reed served as assistant and head coach with several teams for nearly a decade, then was promoted to General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations (1989 to 1996) for the New Jersey Nets. As Senior Vice President of Basketball, he led them to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.
Reed was born in 1942 in Hico, Louisiana and named after his father, Willis Reed. He grew up on a farm in nearby Bernice, a lumber town in an area of pine woods. His parents worked to ensure Reed got an education in the segregated South. Reed showed athletic ability at an early age and played basketball at West Side High School in nearby Lillie.
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Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21, 1936 – October 12, 1999) was an American basketball player. He played for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA; he played for the University of Kansas and also for the Harlem Globetrotters before playing in the NBA. The 7 foot 1 inch Chamberlain weighed 250 pounds as a rookie before bulking up to 275 and eventually to over 300 pounds with the Lakers. He played the center position and is widely considered one of the greatest and most dominant players in NBA history.
Chamberlain holds numerous NBA all-time records in scoring, rebounding and durability categories. He is the only player to score 100 points in a single NBA game or average more than 40 and 50 points in a season. He also won seven scoring, nine field goal percentage, and eleven rebounding titles, and once even led the league in assists. Although he suffered a long string of professional losses, Chamberlain had a successful career, winning two NBA championships, earning four regular-season Most Valuable Player awards, the Rookie of the Year award, one NBA Finals MVP award, and being selected to 13 All-Star Games and ten All-NBA First and Second teams. Chamberlain was subsequently enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1978, elected into the NBA's 35th Anniversary Team of 1980, and chosen as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History of 1996.
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Lakers vs Magic Game 1 Highlights 2009 NBA Finals 6/4/2009 - Kobe Bryant 40 pts - Lakers win 100-75
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:56
- Updated: 24 Feb 2013
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic 100-75 in Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant led the Lak...
http://wn.com/Lakers_vs_Magic_Game_1_Highlights_2009_NBA_Finals_6_4_2009_Kobe_Bryant_40_pts_Lakers_win_100-75
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic 100-75 in Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant led the Lak...
Lakers vs Magic Game 5 Highlights - 2009 NBA Finals - Lakers win 15th NBA Title
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:21
- Updated: 03 Mar 2013
Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic 99 - 86 to win the 2009 NBA Championship.
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Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic 99 - 86 to win the 2009 NBA Championship.
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 657281
- author: SCHWE1NSTE1GER7
Lakers vs Magic Game 4 Highlights - 2009 NBA Finals - Lakers win 99-91 in OT - Jalen Rose on ESPN
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:09
- Updated: 03 Mar 2013
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Los Angeles Lakers defeat Orlando Magic 99-91 in overtime. Derek Fisher hit a big Three with 4 seconds...
http://wn.com/Lakers_vs_Magic_Game_4_Highlights_2009_NBA_Finals_Lakers_win_99-91_in_OT_Jalen_Rose_on_ESPN
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Los Angeles Lakers defeat Orlando Magic 99-91 in overtime. Derek Fisher hit a big Three with 4 seconds...
- published: 12 Jun 2009
- views: 617925
- author: JalenTV
Top 10: 2009 NBA Finals
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:58
- Updated: 28 Feb 2013
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. The Los Angeles Lakers have won the 2009 NBA Finals, check out the Top 10 Plays from the 2009 Finals.
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Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. The Los Angeles Lakers have won the 2009 NBA Finals, check out the Top 10 Plays from the 2009 Finals.
- published: 18 Jun 2009
- views: 1672690
- author: NBA
2009 NBA Finals: Game 2 All Access Look
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:48
- Updated: 26 Feb 2013
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. Take an exclusive all access look at Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, which was won by the Lakers in OT ove...
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Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. Take an exclusive all access look at Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, which was won by the Lakers in OT ove...
- published: 08 Jun 2009
- views: 209465
- author: NBA
NBA 2009 Finals Game 5 Mini-Movie
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:00
- Updated: 25 Feb 2013
NBA 2009 Finals Mini-movie.
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Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals MVP - Highlights vs. Magic HD 720p
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:06
- Updated: 04 Mar 2013
Kobe Bryant: Finals MVP, 4th Championship Ring Phil Jackson has most NBA titles of all Time (10) *6 with Chicago, 4 with L.A. Lakers Game 1 LAKERS Kobe Break...
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Kobe Bryant: Finals MVP, 4th Championship Ring Phil Jackson has most NBA titles of all Time (10) *6 with Chicago, 4 with L.A. Lakers Game 1 LAKERS Kobe Break...
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 346724
- author: KobeMvP24444
NBA Finals: All Access Game 5
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:56
- Updated: 03 Mar 2013
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. The Lakers are the 2009 NBA Champions. Check out some of the best highlites and access from Game 5 of the...
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Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. The Lakers are the 2009 NBA Champions. Check out some of the best highlites and access from Game 5 of the...
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 276124
- author: NBA
Steve Nash at the 2009 NBA Finals (on David Letterman) HDTV - 2009-06-10
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:32
- Updated: 05 Feb 2013
Steve Nash works as a reporter at the 2009 NBA Finals. Hillarious... Enjoy in HQ! PLEASE RATE VIDEO / LEAVE A COMMENT!
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Steve Nash works as a reporter at the 2009 NBA Finals. Hillarious... Enjoy in HQ! PLEASE RATE VIDEO / LEAVE A COMMENT!
- published: 22 Jun 2009
- views: 17420
- author: videosmdp
Lakers vs Magic Game 3 Highlights - 2009 NBA Finals - Orlando beats LA 108-104
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:58
- Updated: 24 Feb 2013
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose The Orlando Magic defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104 in Game 3 of the 2009 NBA Finals. The Orlando ...
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http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose The Orlando Magic defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104 in Game 3 of the 2009 NBA Finals. The Orlando ...
- published: 10 Jun 2009
- views: 420135
- author: JalenTV
LA Lakers 2009 NBA Championship Celebration
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:42
- Updated: 04 Mar 2013
Championship Celebration of the 2009 NBA Champions.
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Championship Celebration of the 2009 NBA Champions.
- published: 17 Jul 2011
- views: 21813
- author: Lakernation94
Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals Gm 5 (30-6-5) vs. Magic
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:40
- Updated: 01 Mar 2013
Kobe Bryant Game 5 Stats: 30 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 4 blk. Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals Averages: 32.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.4 bpg NBA Finals G...
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant_2009_NBA_Finals_Gm_5_30-6-5_vs_Magic
Kobe Bryant Game 5 Stats: 30 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 4 blk. Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals Averages: 32.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.4 bpg NBA Finals G...
- published: 28 Sep 2012
- views: 2129
- author: sera7ares
Lakers vs Magic Game 2 Highlights - 2009 NBA Finals - Lakers win in OT 101-96
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:37
- Updated: 28 Feb 2013
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose LA Lakers defeat Orlando Magic 101-96 in Game 2 of their 2009 NBA Finals series. Kobe Bryant 29 points...
http://wn.com/Lakers_vs_Magic_Game_2_Highlights_2009_NBA_Finals_Lakers_win_in_OT_101-96
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose LA Lakers defeat Orlando Magic 101-96 in Game 2 of their 2009 NBA Finals series. Kobe Bryant 29 points...
- published: 08 Jun 2009
- views: 298853
- author: JalenTV
NBA Finals: All Access Game 4
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:01
- Updated: 12 Feb 2013
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. The Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-1 lead in the Finals against the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals. Ch...
http://wn.com/NBA_Finals_All_Access_Game_4
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. The Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-1 lead in the Finals against the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals. Ch...
- published: 12 Jun 2009
- views: 221132
- author: NBA
Kobe Bryant is the 2009 NBA Finals MVP
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:56
- Updated: 18 Feb 2013
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. Watch as Bill Russell presents Kobe Bryant with the Finals MVP trophy.
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant_is_the_2009_NBA_Finals_MVP
Visit http://www.nba.com/video for more highlights. Watch as Bill Russell presents Kobe Bryant with the Finals MVP trophy.
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 144478
- author: NBA
![[H4L] NBA Playoffs 2009 Conference Finals Highlight Mix (HD)](http://web.archive.org./web/20130306052554im_/http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YPnBt4N1IrM/default.jpg "[H4L] NBA Playoffs 2009 Conference Finals Highlight Mix (HD)")
[H4L] NBA Playoffs 2009 Conference Finals Highlight Mix (HD)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:29
- Updated: 01 Feb 2013
my 3rd round playoff highlight mix, focuses more on slowmo's and just really trying to put everything... with music from the movie "G.I.Joe" by Alan Silvestri.
http://wn.com/_H4L_NBA_Playoffs_2009_Conference_Finals_Highlight_Mix_HD
my 3rd round playoff highlight mix, focuses more on slowmo's and just really trying to put everything... with music from the movie "G.I.Joe" by Alan Silvestri.
- published: 27 Sep 2009
- views: 67883
- author: renhigotrare
Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals Gm 4 (32-7-8) vs. Magic
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:55
- Updated: 25 Jan 2013
Kobe Bryant Game 4 Stats: 32 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk. Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals Averages: 32.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.4 bpg NBA Finals G...
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant_2009_NBA_Finals_Gm_4_32-7-8_vs_Magic
Kobe Bryant Game 4 Stats: 32 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk. Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals Averages: 32.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.4 bpg NBA Finals G...
- published: 26 Sep 2012
- views: 1235
- author: sera7ares
NBA Finals 2009 Game 1: Orlando Magic @ L.A. Lakers Intro
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:52
- Updated: 07 Feb 2013
This is the intro from Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Line-ups by Lakers' Hall of Fame Public Address Announcer Lawrence Tanter.
http://wn.com/NBA_Finals_2009_Game_1_Orlando_Magic_@_LA_Lakers_Intro
This is the intro from Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Line-ups by Lakers' Hall of Fame Public Address Announcer Lawrence Tanter.
- published: 06 Jun 2009
- views: 92793
- author: Lkr721993
Kobe Bryant Game 5 Presser - 2009 NBA Finals - Lakers vs Magic
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:20
- Updated: 04 Mar 2013
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Kobe Bryant talks to the media after winning his fourth NBA title as the Lakers defeated the Magic in ...
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant_Game_5_Presser_2009_NBA_Finals_Lakers_vs_Magic
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Kobe Bryant talks to the media after winning his fourth NBA title as the Lakers defeated the Magic in ...
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 53485
- author: JalenTV
Kobe Bryant Full Highlights vs Orlando Magic 2009 NBA Finals
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:56
- Updated: 02 Mar 2013
Absolutely no copyright infringement is intended. All images, audio, and video clips are the sole property of their respective owners. This is for enterta...
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant_Full_Highlights_vs_Orlando_Magic_2009_NBA_Finals
Absolutely no copyright infringement is intended. All images, audio, and video clips are the sole property of their respective owners. This is for enterta...
- published: 21 Jan 2013
- views: 636
- author: kobefan124
Kobe Bryant NBA Finals 2009 & 2010 full highlights
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:57
- Updated: 04 Mar 2013
Kobe Bryant NBA Finals 2009 & 2010 full highlights. victorlopez00777 videos. Subscribe ... Miguel Garcia 1 week ago. Obviously winning 5 champs Is a hard thing to do It took mj several years You need to be with the right people at the right time So first of all give kobe and the lakers credit Who played the Best all season Kobe Who deserved the finals mvp Kobe Who was willing to take difficult shots and take full responsibility if they wouldve lost Kobe He was the leader and the best one out there. Reply ...
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant_NBA_Finals_2009_2010_full_highlights
Kobe Bryant NBA Finals 2009 & 2010 full highlights. victorlopez00777 videos. Subscribe ... Miguel Garcia 1 week ago. Obviously winning 5 champs Is a hard thing to do It took mj several years You need to be with the right people at the right time So first of all give kobe and the lakers credit Who played the Best all season Kobe Who deserved the finals mvp Kobe Who was willing to take difficult shots and take full responsibility if they wouldve lost Kobe He was the leader and the best one out there. Reply ...
- published: 24 Jun 2010
- views: 177493
- author: victorlopez007
2009 NBA Finals Lakers Championship Trophy Presentation Kobe Bryant Finals MVP
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:57
- Updated: 19 Feb 2013
2009 NBA Finals Lakers Championship Trophy Presentation Kobe Bryant Finals MVP.
http://wn.com/2009_NBA_Finals_Lakers_Championship_Trophy_Presentation_Kobe_Bryant_Finals_MVP
2009 NBA Finals Lakers Championship Trophy Presentation Kobe Bryant Finals MVP.
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 68634
- author: SCHWE1NSTE1GER7
Lakers vs Magic Game 5 Highlights - 2009 NBA Finals - Lakers win 15th NBA Title
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:31
- Updated: 24 Feb 2013
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic 99 - 86 to win the 2009 NBA Championship. Phil Jackson broke Red...
http://wn.com/Lakers_vs_Magic_Game_5_Highlights_2009_NBA_Finals_Lakers_win_15th_NBA_Title
http://www.jalenrose.com/ http://twitter.com/jalenrose Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic 99 - 86 to win the 2009 NBA Championship. Phil Jackson broke Red...
- published: 15 Jun 2009
- views: 309724
- author: JalenTV
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2010) |
| 200px | ||||||||||
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| Dates: | June 4 – 14 | |||||||||
| MVP: | Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) |
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| Television: | ABC (U.S.) TSN (Canada) |
|||||||||
| Announcers: | Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy | |||||||||
| Radio network: | ESPN | |||||||||
| Announcers: | Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown and Jack Ramsay | |||||||||
| Referees: | ||||||||||
| Game 1: Ken Mauer, Dan Crawford, Joe DeRosa | ||||||||||
| Game 2: Steve Javie, Monty McCutchen, Tom Washington | ||||||||||
| Game 3: Joe Crawford, Derrick Stafford, Mark Wunderlich | ||||||||||
| Game 4: Bennett Salvatore, Mike Callahan, Scott Foster | ||||||||||
| Game 5: Dan Crawford, Joe DeRosa, Ken Mauer | ||||||||||
| Hall of Famers: | Coaches: Phil Jackson (2007) |
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| Eastern Finals: | Magic defeated Cavaliers, 4–2 | |||||||||
| Western Finals: | Lakers defeated Nuggets, 4–2 | |||||||||
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The 2009 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship series for the 2008-09 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending Western Conference champions, and the Orlando Magic, champions of the Eastern Conference. The Lakers defeated the Magic, four games to one, to win the franchise's 15th NBA championship. The 63rd edition of the championship series was played between June 4 and June 14 and was broadcast on ABC.
The Lakers earned their berth into the playoffs by winning the Pacific Division. The Magic won the Southeast Division to earn their berth. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals by defeating the Utah Jazz in the best-of-seven Western Conference First Round, the Houston Rockets in the best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinals, and the Denver Nuggets in the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals. The Magic reached the NBA Finals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference First Round, the defending champion Boston Celtics in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals, and the league best Cleveland Cavaliers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals. The NBA Finals were staged under a 2–3–2 rotation, with the Lakers holding home-court advantage as they had a better regular season record than the Magic.
Kobe Bryant led the team to a Game 1 win with 40 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Game 2 was a high-scoring affair that the Lakers ultimately won on both strong defensive play and last minute heroics by Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol during the overtime. A record-breaking performance from the Magic's 65% team shooting ensured the team a Game 3 win and the first Finals victory in franchise history. Although they trailed the Magic as much as 12 at halftime, the Lakers won Game 4 in overtime on the back of Trevor Ariza's 13 points in the second half and Fisher's pair of three-point clutch shots. Dominant offensive play coupled with a spectacular defense by both starters and reserves from the second quarter until the buzzer helped the Lakers to win Game 5 and secure the series. Bryant was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals.
Rodd Houston narrated the Lakers' 2009 season through the Lakers 2009 championship home video on NBA Entertainment. As with previous championship videos, two versions exist: the DVD version recaps the entire 2009 Lakers' season, from the regular season and playoffs to the finals; the TV version recaps only the Lakers' playoff run.
Contents |
Series summary[link]
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Thursday, June 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | 100-75 (1-0) | Orlando Magic |
| Game 2 | Sunday, June 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | 101-96 (2-0) | Orlando Magic |
| Game 3 | Tuesday, June 9 | Orlando Magic | 108-104 (2-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 4 | Thursday, June 11 | Orlando Magic | 91-99 (3-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 5 | Sunday, June 14 | Orlando Magic | 86-99 (4-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
Background[link]
The two team captains (the Lakers' Kobe Bryant and the Magic's Dwight Howard) were teammates and starters on the United States men's national team the previous summer, winning a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Each player defeated another fellow Olympic starter in his respective conference final series: Bryant defeated Carmelo Anthony's Denver Nuggets and Howard advanced past LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers.
2009 NBA Playoffs[link]
Main article: 2009 NBA Playoffs
| Los Angeles Lakers (Western Conference Champion) | Orlando Magic (Eastern Conference Champion) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 65–17 (.793) 1st Pacific, 1st West, 2nd Overall |
Regular season | 59–23 (.720) 1st Southeast, 3rd East, 4th Overall |
|
| Defeated the (8) Utah Jazz, 4–1 | First Round | Defeated the (6) Philadelphia 76ers, 4–2 | |
| Defeated the (5) Houston Rockets, 4–3 | Conference Semifinals | Defeated the (2) Boston Celtics, 4–3 | |
| Defeated the (2) Denver Nuggets, 4–2 | Conference Finals | Defeated the (1) Cleveland Cavaliers, 4–2 | |
Los Angeles Lakers[link]
Main article: 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season
The Lakers were the favorite to emerge from the Western Conference, but their road to the Finals was a tough one. They played three physical series versus the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets, winning in 5, 7, and 6 games, respectively. Going into the Finals, the Lakers finished off the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals with two good performances in games 5 and 6, making analysts pick them as the favorites in the Finals. It marked a record-extending sixth Finals appearance of the decade and a record-extending 30th Finals appearance overall, the most for any NBA team.
Orlando Magic[link]
Main article: 2008–09 Orlando Magic season
The Magic were overlooked by many to even reach the Eastern Conference Finals, as they played in the shadows of the #1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, led by regular-season MVP LeBron James, and defending champion #2-seed Boston Celtics. However, after dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers in six games, the Magic stunned the Celtics by winning Game 7 in Boston. The Celtics were previously 32–0 when leading a series 3–2, and 17–3 previously in Game 7s at home. Orlando assistant coach Patrick Ewing had publicly "guaranteed" that Orlando would win game 7.[1]
In the next round, Orlando was given little chance by many to defeat the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, but a combination of three-point shooting and the inside presence of Dwight Howard created a matchup nightmare for Cleveland on defense, and Orlando ultimately won in six games. In Game 6, Howard's stellar performance with 40 points and 14 rebounds helped the franchise earn its second Finals appearance (they were swept by the Houston Rockets in the 1995 Finals).
Series Preview[link]
Although the Magic won both regular-season matchups with the Lakers, Los Angeles was able to take 4 out of 5 games in this series. Both regular-season games and three of the NBA Finals games were close contests, decided by six points or fewer or in overtime. The Lakers won Game 2 on June 7 101-96 in overtime. Then they won Game 4 on June 11 in overtime as well.
Tyronn Lue, a backup point guard with Orlando, appeared with the Lakers during their initial championship run in the early 2000s and faced his former team in the finals. Lue and another backup point guard, Anthony Johnson were the only players on Orlando's roster with NBA finals experience. However, neither saw playing time during the series, as Lue was inactive with an injury and Johnson lost his minutes to teammate Jameer Nelson, who returned from a shoulder injury in time for the Finals. Trevor Ariza, the Lakers starting small forward, faced the team who traded him to the Lakers in 2007.
Regular-season series[link]
The Orlando Magic won both games in the regular-season series:
| December 20, 2008 | Recap | Los Angeles Lakers 103, Orlando Magic 106 | Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida | |||
| January 16, 2009 | Recap | Orlando Magic 109, Los Angeles Lakers 103 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California | |||
Game summaries[link]
- All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4).
Game 1[link]
| June 4 9:00 p.m. |
Recap Video highlights |
Orlando Magic 75, Los Angeles Lakers 100 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California Attendance: 18,997 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–22, 19–31, 15–29, 17–18 | |||||||
| Pts: Mickaël Piétrus 14 Rebs: Dwight Howard 15 Asts: Jameer Nelson 4 |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 40 Rebs: Lamar Odom 14 Asts: Kobe Bryant 8 |
||||||
| L.A. Lakers lead series, 1–0 | |||||||
After an evenly battled first quarter, the Magic took the lead thanks to field goals and assists from point guard Jameer Nelson, who was playing his first game since injuring his shoulder during the regular season in February. Down 33–28 with 8:38 left in the 2nd quarter, the Lakers went on a 10–0 run and never looked back. The Lakers ended the 3rd quarter on a 25–10 run, led by fierce play by Kobe Bryant, who finished with 40 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, joining the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, and Jerry West to put up those numbers in a single NBA Finals game. The 25-point margin of victory was the 6th-largest in NBA Finals Game 1 history.
Due to stellar defense by the Lakers, Dwight Howard was a dismal 1–6 from the field, his fewest made field goals in his playoff career, and finished with 12 points, 10 of which came from free throws. The Magic shot only 29.9% (23–77) from the field, the second lowest percentage in the NBA Finals.
Game 2[link]
| June 7 8:00 p.m. |
Recap Video highlights |
Orlando Magic 96, Los Angeles Lakers 101 | OT | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California Attendance: 18,997 Referees:
|
ABC | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–15, 20–25, 30–23, 23–25, OT: 8–13 | |||||||
| Pts: Rashard Lewis 34 Rebs: Dwight Howard 16 Asts: Rashard Lewis 7 |
Pts: Kobe Bryant 29 Rebs: Pau Gasol 10 Asts: Kobe Bryant 8 |
||||||
| L.A. Lakers lead series, 2–0 | |||||||
Both teams got off to a slow start and were tied at 15 after the first quarter, setting a record-low for combined score (30) in the first quarter of an NBA Finals game. The Lakers picked up the pace in the 2nd quarter, but Rashard Lewis kept the Magic in the game, scoring 18 of the team's 20 points in the quarter, including the final 16, on his way to a playoff career-high and Finals franchise-high 34 points for the game. The Magic outscored the Lakers in the 3rd quarter to take a 2-point lead in the 4th.
With the game tied at 84, Rashard Lewis hit a jumper with 1:32 remaining to give the Magic a 2-point lead. Kobe Bryant responded with a jumper of his own to tie the game. With 47 seconds left, Hedo Türkoğlu hit a jumper that was originally called a 3-pointer. However, replay showed that his foot was on the line, giving the Magic a 2-point lead. With 33 seconds remaining, Dwight Howard was able to deflect, but not steal, a Derek Fisher pass, and Pau Gasol was able to again tie the game at 88 with a layup.
On the ensuing Magic possession, the Lakers played great defense and forced Courtney Lee to miss an awkward layup shot with 10.5 seconds left. With a chance to take a 2–0 series lead, Kobe Bryant was blocked on a jumper by Türkoğlu, who gained control of the ball and called time-out with 0.6 seconds left. After another timeout, Türkoğlu threw a half-court lob to Courtney Lee, who had come free after a screen on his defender. However, Lee was traveling too fast and launched his layup from almost behind the backboard, causing it to miss.
With the Lakers up 1 in overtime with 1:55 left, Derek Fisher stole a J. J. Redick pass and was fouled on the ensuing fastbreak, making both free throws. After the Magic were unable to convert, Kobe Bryant made a pivotal assist to Pau Gasol for a layup-and-one, giving the Lakers a 6-point lead and the eventual victory.
Game 3[link]
| June 9 9:00 p.m. |
Recap Video highlights |
Los Angeles Lakers 104, Orlando Magic 108 | Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida Attendance: 17,461 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–27, 23–32, 21–22, 29–27 | |||||||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 31 Rebs: Trevor Ariza 7 Asts: Kobe Bryant 8 |
Pts: Howard, Lewis 21 each Rebs: Dwight Howard 14 Asts: Hedo Türkoğlu 7 |
||||||
| L.A. Lakers lead series, 2–1 | |||||||
The Magic came out in Game 3 with fire. The Magic shot a field goal percentage of 63% for the game, a Finals record. This also included a 75% first quarter, also a Finals record. However, despite the incredible shooting percentage, the Lakers managed to stay close for much of the game. The game was only sealed for the Magic on a Mikael Pietrus steal in the waning minute of the 4th quarter.
This win marked the first Finals win in Magic franchise history, losing their first 6 Finals games (being swept in their first appearance and losing Games 1 and 2)
Game 4[link]
| June 11 9:00 p.m. |
Recap Video highlights |
Los Angeles Lakers 99, Orlando Magic 91 | OT | Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida Attendance: 17,461 Referees:
|
ABC | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–24, 17–25, 30–14, 20–24, OT: 12–4 | |||||||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 32 Rebs: Pau Gasol 10 Asts: Kobe Bryant 8 |
Pts: Hedo Türkoğlu 25 Rebs: Dwight Howard 21 Asts: Rashard Lewis 4 |
||||||
| L.A. Lakers lead series, 3–1 | |||||||
Coming off their franchise's first NBA Finals game victory, the Magic quickly took the lead in the first quarter. However, Kobe Bryant kept the Lakers in the game, scoring 13 of the team's 20 first-quarter points. Dwight Howard played a great first quarter, with 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in the opening frame. In addition, he drew many fouls, putting Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom in foul trouble and forcing Lakers coach Phil Jackson to use Josh Powell and D. J. Mbenga early in the game. The Magic were able to increase the lead to 12 at halftime.
The Lakers came out of the locker room aggressive and outscored the Magic 30–14 in the 3rd quarter, led by Trevor Ariza, who scored 13 points in the quarter, including two 3-pointers. Down by 6 in the opening minutes of the 4th quarter, the Magic were able to come back to take a 76–75 lead halfway through the quarter, but unable to increase the lead due to poor free-throw shooting, specifically from Hedo Türkoğlu and Dwight Howard.
With 3 minutes left in the 4th quarter and the game tied at 79, Howard converted a 3-point play to give the Magic an 82–79 lead. On the next Laker possession, the Magic played good defense, but Trevor Ariza was able to hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to tie the game at 82. After Hedo Türkoğlu hit a stepback 3-point shot, Howard blocked Gasol's jumper, giving him a single-game NBA Finals record with 9 blocked shots. On the bench to witness it was the previous record holder, his assistant coach Patrick Ewing, who had 8 in Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals while with the New York Knicks. Türkoğlu made another jumper with 1:34 remaining to give the Magic a 5-point lead.
Down 87–82 with 31 seconds left, Kobe Bryant spun through the lane and passed to Gasol for a dunk to cut the lead to 3. On the next Magic possession, Howard was fouled by Bryant with 11 seconds remaining. Needing just one free-throw to make the game a 2-possession affair, Howard missed both shots.
Out of the timeout, the Lakers elected to take the ball out at three-quarters court instead of half-court in order to space out the floor. The Magic double-teamed Bryant in the backcourt, allowing him to pass the ball up to Ariza, who in turned passed it to Derek Fisher on the right wing. Having missed his first five 3-point shots of the game, Fisher spotted up and hit a pivotal three-pointer to tie the game at 87 with 4.6 seconds left. On the final possession of regulation, Mickaël Piétrus missed a 20-footer.
The overtime session began with a 3-pointer by Rashard Lewis and two contested jumpers by Kobe Bryant to give the Lakers a 91–90 lead. With 1:27 left in OT, Howard split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 91. On the next possession, the Lakers would miss a layup and a jumper, but regained possession on an offensive rebound by Ariza and a loose-ball foul on Jameer Nelson. With 31 seconds left, Kobe Bryant passed out of a double-team. Fisher then hit a 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 94–91 lead.
Out of a timeout, Türkoğlu rushed a 3-point shot and missed. Rashard Lewis backtapped the rebound to center-court, but the ball went to Pau Gasol, who ran in unimpeded for a dunk, giving the Lakers the lead for good. In the next possession, the Magic missed another shot, bouncing the ball to Fisher, who passed it to Ariza, then to Gasol for a dunk, but Pietrus slammed both arms on his back, resulting in Gasol getting a technical foul and Pietrus a flagrant 1 foul.
After coming so close, the Magic lost a chance to tie the series, a fact not lost upon the arena staff in Orlando. Upon the game's finish, Oasis's "Don't Look Back in Anger" was played throughout Amway Arena.
Game 5[link]
| June 14 8:00 p.m. |
Recap Video highlights |
Los Angeles Lakers 99, Orlando Magic 86 | Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida Attendance: 17,461 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–28, 30–18, 20–15, 23–25 | |||||||
| Pts: Kobe Bryant 30 Rebs: Pau Gasol 15 Asts: Kobe Bryant 5 |
Pts: Rashard Lewis 18 Rebs: Howard, Lewis 10 each Asts: Lewis, Nelson 4 each |
||||||
| L.A. Lakers win series 4–1 | |||||||
The Magic, facing the prospect of the Lakers winning a championship on their home floor, came out with a good start, leading by as much as 9 in the first quarter. In the opening frame, all 5 starters scored and assisted on at least one field goal, but the Lakers pulled to within 2 at the quarter break. Down 40–36 with 7:11 in the 2nd quarter, the Lakers went on a 16–0 run, fueled by two 3-pointers and solid defensive play from Trevor Ariza. The Lakers led by as much as 12 in the 2nd quarter and the score was 56–46 at halftime.
Coming out of the half, Orlando cut the lead to 5 with 7:45 remaining in the 3rd on a 3-pointer by Rafer Alston. Lamar Odom answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to restore the Laker lead to double digits. Leading by as much as 18 in the half, Los Angeles led by 15 going into the 4th quarter. In the final quarter, Orlando attempted a run but managed to cut the lead down to only 12; at the buzzer, the Lakers celebrated their 15th title.[2]
Following the game, NBA Commissioner David Stern presented the Lakers with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and presented Kobe Bryant with the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Trophy during a presentation on center-court at Amway Arena. Bryant averaged 32.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game during the series.
Statistics[link]
 |
 On January 25, 2010, Barack Obama hosted the 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers at the White House following their victory in the 2009 NBA Finals to end the 2008–09 NBA season.
|
| Problems listening to this file? See media help. | |
The series was the third straight championship that the Lakers clinched on the road (after 2001 and 2002); the last time the Lakers clinched the championship at home was in 2000. With their team's win, Pau Gasol became the first Spaniard, and D. J. Mbenga the first Belgian Congolese player, to win an NBA championship. Bill and Luke Walton became the third father and son pair to each win a championship as a player; the other father–son combinations are Matt Guokas, Sr. (1947) with Matt Jr. (1967) and Rick Barry (1975) with son Brent (2005 and 2007). Kobe Bryant averaged 32.4 points and 7.4 assists in this series, which was the best combination of those categories since Jerry West averaged 37.9 points and 7.4 assists (1969).
For the Magic, Game 3 marked their first Finals game victory; the franchise lost their first six Finals games after being swept in their first Finals appearance in 1995. In Game 3, the Magic also set the Finals record for the best field goal percentage with 63 percent, and the Finals record for the best field goal percentage in the first half with 75 percent.
This was the first NBA Finals series since 1984 to have two games go into overtime (Games 2 and 4); both were won by the Lakers. Dwight Howard set an NBA Finals single-game record with 9 blocked shots in Game 4. Although the game went into overtime, all blocks were during regulation. The previous record holders were his assistant coach, Patrick Ewing, who had 8 in Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals while with the New York Knicks, and Bill Walton who accomplished the same feat in Game 6 of the 1977 NBA Finals while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.
This is the seventh time in NBA Finals history that a team that lost the championship the previous season has won the Finals the very next year. It is the second time in Lakers history, after the 1984 and 1985 teams.
This is also the first odd season since 2001 that the San Antonio Spurs did not win the NBA Finals; they won in 2003, 2005 and 2007.
This was the last Finals in which a trophy silhouette was painted in mid-court. The tradition began in 2005 and ended for the 2010 series. This was also the last NBA Finals to be played at Amway Arena; the Magic moved to the Amway Center for the 2010-11 season.
| Category | High | Average | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | Orlando Magic | |||||
| Player | Total | Player | Avg. | Player | Avg. | |
| Points |  Kobe Bryant |
40 | Kobe Bryant |
32.4 |  Hedo Türkoğlu |
18.0 |
| Rebounds | Dwight Howard Dwight Howard |
21 (OT) 15 |
 Pau Gasol |
9.2 | Dwight Howard |
15.2 |
| Assists | Kobe Bryant |
8 | Kobe Bryant |
7.4 | Rashard Lewis |
4.0 |
| Steals | Dwight Howard Mickaël Piétrus |
4 (OT) 3 |
Trevor Ariza |
1.8 | Dwight Howard |
1.6 |
| Blocks | Dwight Howard Marcin Gortat Kobe Bryant Pau Gasol |
9 (OT) 4 4 4 |
Pau Gasol |
1.8 | Dwight Howard |
4.0 |
Rosters[link]
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International broadcasts[link]
Aside from ABC (U.S.) and TSN (Canada), other broadcasters across the world covered the Finals:[3]
Impact and Aftermath[link]
Lakers[link]
The series win brought the Lakers' franchise championship total to 15, trailing only to the Boston Celtics. The championship was the fourth of the decade for the Lakers, most among all teams in the four major professional sports leagues in North America. By virtue of their win this year and loss in the previous year, this marked tenth occurrence that the winners of the NBA Finals were losers in the preceding year's Finals, previously the Detroit Pistons had lost and won the Finals in 1988 and 1989 respectively. The victory was noted by many as a personal success for Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, winning his first championship and succeeding in the playoffs without the presence of former Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal where some people had previously speculated that Bryant could not "win one without Shaq". Head coach Phil Jackson captured his 10th NBA championship as a coach, surpassing Red Auerbach for most championships all-time by an NBA coach. Jackson also passed Auerbach and NHL coach Scotty Bowman for most championships all-time by a head coach in a major American sports league. Having achieved three Game 1 victories throughout the postseason (first round vs. Utah, conference finals vs. Denver, and NBA Finals vs. Orlando), Phil Jackson-coached teams were now 44-0 in series where they win the first game, later improved to 48-0 by the time Jackson retired after the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
The Lakers' only offseason change was the acquisition of Ron Artest from the Houston Rockets, in an essential trade where they let Trevor Ariza sign with the Rockets. Again the Lakers won the top seed in the West, though winning just eight games less than the year before. They eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder in six, the Utah Jazz in four, and the Phoenix Suns in six to return to the NBA Finals and renew their heated rivalry with the Celtics. In the Finals the Lakers won a hard-fought seven game series against the Celtics to retain the NBA title, becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the 2002 Lakers.
Magic[link]
The Magic again won 59 games and the division title in the 2009-10 season, in which they let go of Hedo Türkoğlu to the Toronto Raptors and acquired Vince Carter from the New Jersey Nets. Dwight Howard won Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. In the playoffs the Magic swept the Charlotte Bobcats and the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first team in NBA history to win their first eight playoff games by 20 or more points. However, the Magic would lose to the Boston Celtics in six games of the Eastern Conference Finals, marking the final games held at Amway Arena. The Magic moved to the Amway Center the next season.
References[link]
- ^ Golen, Jimmy (May 18, 2009). "Magic Moment: Orlando beats Boston to advance". Yahoo.com. Associated Press. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap;_ylt=AlT7qdkLBThF5x98WEzpSs.8vLYF?gid=2009051702&prov=ap. Retrieved 29 July 2009. "Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing had guaranteed a victory. But Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who had been Ewing’s teammate with the New York Knicks, laughed it off."
- ^ Withers, Tom (2009-06-14). "Bryant, Lakers reign once more". National Basketball Association. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. http://www.nba.com/games/20090614/LALORL/recap.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ Global NBA Programming. National Basketball Association. Retrieved on June 10, 2009.
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http://wn.com/2009_NBA_Finals
Related pages:
http://de.wn.com/NBA Finals 2009
http://id.wn.com/Final National Basketball Association 2009
http://es.wn.com/Finales de la NBA de 2009
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_NBA_Finals
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
File:NBA Finals logo, 2007.png
Logo of the NBA Finals.
Further information: List of NBA champions
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the NBA. The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986.
The series is played between the winners of Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. At the conclusion of the championship round, the winners of the NBA Finals are awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. (Winners from 1946 to 1977 received the Walter A. Brown Trophy) The NBA Finals has been played at the conclusion of every NBA and BAA season in history, the first being held in 1947.
Since 1985, the winner of the NBA Finals has been determined through a 2–3–2 format. The first two and the last two games of the series are played at the arena of the team who earned home court advantage by having the better record during the regular season.
Contents |
History[link]
See also: List of NBA champions
1947–56: The Early Years and Lakers Dynasty[link]
During the first decade the Minneapolis Lakers had the first NBA dynasty, winning 5 championships in 6 years under Hall of Fame head coach John Kundla. The team also featured George Mikan, one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. Franchises which had previously been in the National Basketball League tended to dominate, especially the Minneapolis Lakers.
1957–69: The Celtics Dynasty[link]
The Boston Celtics went 11–1 in the NBA Finals during 13 seasons (1956–57 to 1968–69). They won the NBA Finals from 1959–66.[1]
The Celtics and Lakers made up 19 of 26 possible NBA appearances during thirteen seasons (1956–57 to 1968–69). The two teams met 6 times during the 8 years Boston won the NBA in a row.[1] This period includes one season (1958–59) when the Lakers were still in Minneapolis, and it marks the largest stretch of seasons (14) that two teams made up over 65% of NBA appearances, second being the 10 seasons (1979–80 to 1988–89) the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers appeared 13 times.
With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, Bill Russell became the star of the league. Game 7 of that year's championship was decided on a Celtics basket in the final seconds of the second overtime. For most of the late 1950s and the 1960s, the Celtics seemed always to have the upper hand on Wilt Chamberlain's teams.
In 1964, Wilt Chamberlain, who had moved to the state of California with his team, the former Philadelphia Warriors, led the San Francisco Warriors to a Western Conference championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. The following season, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Syracuse Nationals team that had moved to cover the vacancy created with the departure of the Warriors.
1966 produced a clash between the two stars in the playoffs, and Boston won 4–1. Chamberlain's coach told him to play a team game, not an individual game, and thus avoid drawing double-teams. His new-found team spirit brought them to a new record of 68 wins the following season, and they defeated the Celtics and then advanced to, and won, the Finals.
In 1968, Boston overcame a 3–1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals. Playing against Jerry West's Lakers, they seemed doomed to defeat. Nevertheless, for the sixth consecutive time, they defeated L.A., winning 4 games to 2.
The following year, 1969, found the Celtics overcoming even longer odds. Boston barely qualified for the playoffs, finishing fourth in the East. The Lakers, who in the offseason added Chamberlain to join West and Elgin Baylor, won the West and were prohibitive favorites to finally win it all for the first time since relocating to LA. They easily won the first two games at the Los Angeles Forum. However, when the series shifted to the Boston Garden, the Celtics won two close games 110–105 and 88–87, respectively, in Games 3 and 4. Game 5, played at the Forum, returned the advantage to the Lakers, but Game 6 was a 99-90 Celtics win, with Chamberlain scoring just two points. Game 7 was held on May 5, with balloons hung up in the arena in anticipation of a Lakers victory. Russell immediately used the balloons as an inspiration for his team[citation needed], and they raced off to an early start and held off a furious Lakers comeback to win 108–106 and take the series, their eleventh championship in thirteen years. This game represented the final one in this first incarnation of the Celtics' dynasty.
1970–79: Decade of Parity[link]
The 1970s saw eight different teams win the title, with the Celtics and Knicks both winning twice.
In 1970, a classic final featured the New York Knicks against the Lakers. In the waning moments of Game 3, with the series tied, Jerry West hit a basket from 60 feet to tie the game, a shot which became one of the most famous ever. Although the Knicks went on to win the game in overtime and continued their momentum for a 4–3 win, the Lakers were not defeated. Just two seasons later, the team won thirty-three games consecutively, the longest such streak in NBA history. By the season's end, they had broken the record for most wins in a season, tallying up 69 wins, one more than the 1966–67 76ers. The Lakers finally, after a tough playoff-season, took home the championship for the first time since the Minneapolis days. The Knicks won the championship again in 1973, using much the same formula, for their second franchise victorious season.
The 1974 championship went back to the Celtics as the remaining players demonstrated excellent teamwork and resilience in the Finals.
The late 1970s were characterized by a major breakthrough of the league's western franchises. In 1975, after compiling a 48–34 regular-season record, the Golden State Warriors swept the heavily-favored Washington Bullets 4–0 in an upset.
The next year, 1976, saw the rise of the Phoenix Suns. Only eight years in existence, they overcame a losing record early in the season to build remarkable win streaks to finish 42–40. The events culminated in upset victories over Seattle and Golden State. In the final against Boston, the teams split the first four games. Game 5 became one of the most memorable games of all. It went into three overtimes but eventually went to Boston 128–126. Two days later, the Celtics finished Phoenix off 87-80 in Game 6 for their 13th championship.
Other western franchises that won their first titles in the late 70's included the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979. Portland's victory was against the heavily favored Philadelphia 76ers led by Julius Erving. Although the Washington Bullets were able to defeat Seattle in the 1978 NBA Finals, Seattle was able to prevail the following year against the Bullets to win its first NBA title.
1980–90: Celtics–Lakers Rivalry[link]
Between 1980 and 1989, the Celtics and/or the Lakers played in every NBA Finals.[1] The Lakers won five titles during this span (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988); the Celtics won three (1981, 1984 and 1986), the Pistons won twice (1989, 1990), and the Sixers won once (1983).
The 1979 NCAA Championship Game featured Earvin "Magic" Johnson's Michigan State University team facing off against Larry Bird's Indiana State team. Michigan State won the game. This meeting has been immortalized, in fact, it attracted the largest ever TV rating for an NCAA Championship game, with 38 percent of all television viewers that night tuned to the game.[citation needed]
Bird had actually been drafted the year before, but later decided to stay in college for one more year, and the two superstars both entered the league in 1979, leading their respective teams to dazzling heights. Johnson's Lakers reached the 1980 NBA Finals, and took a 3–2 lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson shifted to center, ended up playing every position on the court and scored 42 points to win his first championship, a remarkable performance in the annals of the sport.
Boston won the 1981 NBA Finals against Houston thanks to Bird, and the team continued dominating the league afterwards, taking many Atlantic Division titles.
Philadelphia, led by Moses Malone and Julius Erving, won the 1983 NBA Finals, losing only once in the entire playoffs, and sweeping the Lakers. (Malone had predicted earlier that they would sweep every series.) However, in the 1984 NBA Finals, the Celtics and Lakers met for the first time since 1969, and again, from Bird's performance, the Celtics toppled the Lakers 4–3. The seventh game of that series attracted the largest TV audience ever for an NBA game, and the second-largest ever for a basketball game, with only the game between the two stars played five years earlier having a larger audience. It was the last NBA Finals played in the 2–2–1–1–1 format.
In the 1985 NBA Finals, the Lakers made amends for their previous eight losses to the Celtics by defeating them in six games. After losing the first game in a rout, 148–114, dubbed the "Memorial Day Massacre", they won 4 out of 5, including Game 6 in Boston Garden, to finally end the long years of frustration of failing to defeat the Celtics. These finals were the first to be played in the current 2–3–2 format, which Red Auerbach suggested to David Stern in order to cut back on the frequent traveling between Boston and Los Angeles. Auerbach said years later, it was terrible that they went to this format because it takes away the home court advantage from the team with the first two games at home and they don't get to host the all but crucial Game 5, which is the swing game in a 7 game series.
The 1986 NBA Finals brought the Celtics back against the Houston Rockets. Boston won in six games, taking their sixteenth championship, with the MVP award going to Larry Bird, his second Finals MVP trophy.
In 1987, the Lakers and Celtics met again for a rubber match. Both sides had won one series, and now a third was being played. The Lakers pounded out two victories, but Boston took the third. Game 4 was one of the most memorable games ever played. In the waning moments, Magic Johnson hit a skyhook to give the Lakers a 107–106 win and a 3–1 series lead. They lost Game 5, but won Game 6 to take the series.
In 1988 and 1989, the aging Celtics failed to reach the Finals, with the Lakers and Pistons becoming the best of their conferences. The 1988 finals went to Los Angeles in seven games, but the Pistons swept the Lakers in 1989. In 1990, Detroit beat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games, and the name "Bad Boys" became attached to the team for its rough, physical play.
1993–98: The Bulls Dynasty[link]
During the 1990s, the Bulls completed two three-peats. The decade also had the Rockets winning back-to-back titles and the Jazz falling short twice. It started with the Pistons winning their second championship in as many seasons.
The majority of the 1990s was marked by the rise of the Chicago Bulls dynasty (otherwise known as the "Michael Jordan era"), which ended in 1998. Coached by head coach Phil Jackson and led by superstar Michael Jordan, the Bulls won 6 titles from 1991 to 1998. Supported by such remarkable players as Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, Jordan led the Bulls to victory in all NBA Finals series they competed in, and won the Finals MVP award each time. Particularly memorable were the 1993 Finals, which became an offensive showdown between Jordan and regular-season MVP (and close friend) Charles Barkley.
Game 3 of the 1993 Finals is widely considered one of the greatest basketball games ever played. The Bulls attempted to go up 3–0 in the series, but the Suns were not willing to seal their own fate. With neither side quitting, the game took three overtimes to decide, with the Suns finally prevailing 129–121. However, the Bulls would clinch the series in Game 6 at Phoenix on John Paxson's clutch 3 to become only the third team in history to three-peat.
The Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA title. Olajuwon dominated the game during those two seasons, becoming the only player in history to win the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in the same season (1993–94). The seven-game NBA Finals between the Rockets and Knicks in 1994 would be the last to reach a game seven until the 2005 series between San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons. It was also the only year that both NBA and NHL finals would go 7 games, but also involve teams from one city. The Rockets' win in Game 7 denied New York from having both NBA and NHL titles in the same year, as the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup during the series.
The Rockets swept the Orlando Magic in the 1995 Finals, Olajuwon again claiming honors as Finals MVP. The Rockets thus became only the fifth franchise to win back-to-back titles.
After a short stint as a baseball player, Jordan decided to return to basketball in late of the 1994–95 season (March 17). Although he failed to lead the Bulls to the Finals in that year, he returned to pre-retirement form the next year while the team acquired Dennis Rodman, leading the Bulls to one of the most memorable seasons ever. The 1996 Bulls finished the regular season with a record of 72–10, the best regular season record in NBA history. They dominated in the playoffs, with series records of 3–0, 4–1 and 4–0, and then went on to defeat Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and the Seattle SuperSonics in 6 in the NBA Finals.
In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met the Utah Jazz. Led by Olympians John Stockton and Karl Malone, the Jazz were defeated in both Finals by the Bulls in six games. In both series, Chicago won by hitting winning shots in the sixth and deciding game-the first by Steve Kerr in 1997 in Chicago and the second by Jordan in Utah in 1998. Although Jordan, Pippen and coach Phil Jackson were the only three members involved in all 6 titles, the Bulls dynasty had a cast of characters that proved to be decisive in obtaining them. Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, John Paxson, B.J. Armstrong and other supporting cast members were pieces added to the puzzle to create the first three-peat. Of the second, little-known players such as Jud Buechler, Randy Brown, Bill Wennington, Ron Harper and Luc Longley were key factors who rarely produced an astounding amount of points, but proved crucial via setting picks, rebounding, creating turnovers, etc. Before the beginning of the 1999 season, Phil Jackson decided to retire, setting off a chain reaction that resulted in most of the team, including Jordan and Pippen, leaving the Bulls. With no foundation of youth to build upon, the Bulls would be lottery-bound for the next 6 years.
1999–Present: Lakers/Spurs Dominance[link]
The San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have combined to win the last 13 Western Conference titles and ten NBA Championships during this period.
In the 1999 NBA Finals Championship the San Antonio Spurs dominated the playoffs and finished with a 15–2 post-season mark, including sweeps of the Portland Trail Blazers and Lakers. With a defensive squad led by big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan, San Antonio's 84.7 points allowed per game was the fewest average points allowed in the post-season in the last 30 years.[citation needed] In the 1999 NBA Finals that year, the Spurs held the New York Knicks, the first #8 seed team to reach the finals in NBA History, to an average of 79.8 points per game.
From 2000–2002, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, won the NBA Finals in dominating performances. O'Neal won the finals MVP all three times. The first championship came at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, whom the Lakers defeated in 6 games. During their 2001 postseason run, the Lakers swept their first 3 series and won the Finals in 5 games, finishing with a unprecedented 15–1 record. They were particularly dominating in the 2002 Finals, as they kept the lead almost the entire time in each game; only for a short while after the beginning of Game 4 did the New Jersey Nets gain any significant lead in a game. The Lakers sweep of the Nets was the first sweep in the Finals since Houston swept Orlando in the 1995 Finals. However, the Lakers' streak of titles ended with a loss to the Spurs in the 2003 Conference Semifinals.
The 2003 NBA Finals marked the first championship contested between two former ABA teams, the San Antonio Spurs and the New Jersey Nets. The Spurs defeated the Nets and in 6 games. In the series clinching game, Tim Duncan was two blocks short of recording the first quadruple-double in NBA Finals history, finishing with 22 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks.
In the 2004 offseason, veteran stars Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Lakers. Along with Bryant and O'Neal, they formed what many expected to be one of the best teams in NBA history. The Lakers were the clear favorites to win the NBA championship. However, the Detroit Pistons, under coach Larry Brown and led by defensive star Ben Wallace and offensive floor general Chauncey Billups, upset the Lakers in 5 to become the first Eastern Conference team since the 1998 Bulls to win the NBA championship.
The Spurs would go on to win two more titles in 2005 and 2007. In the 2005 series, the Spurs defeated the Pistons, in a battle of the previous two NBA champions, in seven games. Tim Duncan won his third Finals MVP award that year. The Spurs dominated the 2007 Finals, sweeping the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. Tony Parker was named MVP of this series, becoming the first European-born player to win NBA Finals MVP.
Between these two Spurs' titles, the 2006 NBA Finals featured the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. It was the first NBA Finals since 1971 that had both Western and Eastern Conference champions making their first Finals appearance in franchise history. Led by upcoming star and Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, legendary coach Pat Riley and veteran superstar Shaquille O'Neal, most agree that the turning point of the series was in Game 3, when the Heat overcame a 13-point deficit with less than 6 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to win 98–96. The comeback was led by Dwyane Wade's 12 points in the final six minutes and a clutch outside jumpshot by once-perennial all-star Gary Payton, who was appearing in his third NBA finals.
In 2008, the Eastern Conference was represented by the revamped Boston Celtics, and the Western Conference by the Los Angeles Lakers. Renewing the teams' fierce rivalry of the 1980s, this marks the 11th time that these two teams have met in the Finals, the last such meeting happening in 1987. The Celtics were led by their "Big Three" superstars: Long-time Celtic and Finals MVP Paul Pierce, and first year Celtics Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.
The Lakers would bounce back from their 2008 loss to win the title the in 2009 and 2010. The 2010 series was a re-match against the Celtics. The Lakers trailed this series 3-2 before winning the final two games at home. This marked the first time in the history of the Celtics franchise that they lost a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named Finals MVP for both series, and this marked head coach Phil Jackson's unprecedented 10th and 11th NBA title, passing Red Auerbach for the most NBA titles all time, and passing Auerbach and NHL coach Scotty Bowman for the most championships for a head coach in any major American sport.
The 2011 NBA Finals were a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, pitting the Miami Heat against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks defeated the Heat in six games, winning the title for the first time in franchise history. Dirk Nowitzki was named the Finals MVP.
Finals appearances[link]
The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost.
| Num | Team | W | L | PCT | Most recent appearance | Most recent title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Los Angeles Lakers | 16 | 15 | .516 | 2010 | 2010 | 1 NBL title and 5 NBA titles as Minneapolis Lakers; 2 three-peats: one as Minneapolis from 1952–54 and one as Los Angeles from 2000–02. The Lakers have won 11 and lost 14 NBA Championships in Los Angeles. |
| 21 | Boston Celtics | 17 | 4 | .809 | 2010 | 2008 | Won 8 straight titles from 1959–66. The first 13 of their 17 championships were Brown Trophies, the rest being Larry O'Brien Championship Trophies. |
| 9 | Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | .333 | 2001 | 1983 | 1–2 as Syracuse Nationals. |
| 8 | New York Knicks | 2 | 6 | .250 | 1999 | 1973 | In 1999, became first 8th playoff seed to ever reach Finals. |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | .428 | 2005 | 2004 | 0–2 as Ft. Wayne Pistons. |
| 6 | Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | 1998 | 1998 | All with head coach Phil Jackson and players Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Two three-peats: 1991–93 and 1996–98. All championships won without losing the Finals. |
| 6 | Golden State Warriors | 3 | 3 | .500 | 1975 | 1975 | 2–1 as Philadelphia Warriors; 0–2 as San Francisco Warriors; 1–0 as Golden State Warriors.[2] |
| 4 | San Antonio Spurs | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | 2007 | 2007 | All with head coach Gregg Popovich and Power Forward/Center Tim Duncan. Undefeated in 4 NBA Finals appearances. |
| 4 | Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | .500 | 1995 | 1995 | 2 championships with center Hakeem Olajuwon (named MVP in both championship series) and coach Rudy Tomjanovich, championships were back to back. |
| 4 | Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 3 | .250 | 1961 | 1958 | All appearances as St. Louis franchise. |
| 4 | Washington Wizards | 1 | 3 | .250 | 1979 | 1978 | 0–1 as Baltimore Bullets (see note below), 1–2 as Washington Bullets. |
| 3 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1992 | 1977 | Lost games 1 and 2 in Philadelphia, won four straight, three of those coming in Portland, led by UCLA legend and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton. |
| 2 | Dallas Mavericks | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2011 | 2011 | Lost in the 2006 Finals and won in the 2011 Finals versus the Heat. |
| 2 | Miami Heat | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2011 | 2006 | Won in the 2006 Finals and lost in the 2011 Finals versus the Mavericks. |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1974 | 1971 | |
| 2 | Phoenix Suns | 0 | 2 | .000 | 1993 | Never | |
| 2 | Utah Jazz | 0 | 2 | .000 | 1998 | Never | Both with coach Jerry Sloan and players Karl Malone and John Stockton and against the Bulls. |
| 2 | Brooklyn Nets | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2003 | Never | Won 2 ABA titles in 1974 and 1976. Also appeared in 1972 ABA Finals. Appeared twice in NBA Finals as New Jersey Nets. |
| 2 | Orlando Magic | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2009 | Never | Swept by the Rockets in 1995 and defeated in 2009 by the Lakers in a 4–1 series. |
| 1 | Sacramento Kings | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1951 | 1951 | Won one NBL title in 1946. Won first appearance in NBA Finals as Rochester Royals. |
| 1 | Indiana Pacers | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2000 | Never | Team won three ABA championships (1970, 1972, 1973) and made two other ABA Finals appearances (1969, 1975). |
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2007 | Never | Were swept in their first and only appearance in the NBA Finals. |
Active franchises with no Finals appearances[link]
| Team | #Seasons | Founded | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Braves / San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers | 41 | 1970 | Founded as Buffalo Braves, moved to San Diego in 1978 and became Clippers before moving to Los Angeles in 1984. Reached three conference semifinals as the Braves, and two in Los Angeles, the first in the 2005–06 season, where they lost to the Phoenix Suns 4–3, and the second in the 2011-12 season, where they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs 4-0. |
| Denver Nuggets | 35 | 1976 | Joined NBA after 9 ABA seasons (1967–76). Denver played in the 1976 ABA Championship, losing to the New York Nets. Played in the 1977–1978 Conference Finals, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics. Played in the 1984–1985 and 2008–2009 Conference Finals, losing both times to the Los Angeles Lakers. |
| Charlotte / New Orleans Hornets | 23 | 1988 | Founded as the Charlotte Hornets, moved to New Orleans in 2002, split home schedule with Oklahoma City from 2005–07 (due to effects of Hurricane Katrina), during which time they were the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, before returning to New Orleans full time in 2007. Reached the conference semi-finals twice in Charlotte and once in New Orleans. |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 22 | 1989 | Played in the 2003–2004 Conference Finals, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. |
| Vancouver / Memphis Grizzlies | 16 | 1995 | Reached the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2010–11 season, but lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-3. |
| Toronto Raptors | 16 | 1995 | Reached the conference semi-finals in the 2000–01 season. In the 2006–07 season, ranked 3rd in the Eastern Conference, won the division for the first time, and won 47 games, tying the franchise record for wins set in 2000-01. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Raptors lost to the New Jersey Nets four games to two. |
| Charlotte Bobcats | 7 | 2004 | Qualified for their first playoff berth during the 2009–10 season in the 2010 NBA Playoffs but were swept by the Orlando Magic in a 4–0 series. |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 3 | 2008 | Formerly the Seattle SuperSonics, but official franchise records are kept separately. |
Appearances by former NBA teams[link]
The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost.
| Num | Team | W | L | PCT | Most recent appearance | Most recent title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Seattle SuperSonics | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1996 | 1979 | Lost to Washington Bullets in 1978 Finals, then beat Washington Bullets in 1979 Finals rematch. Relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, but official franchise records remain in Seattle. |
| 1 | Baltimore Bullets | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1948 | 1948 | Team folded in 1954 and is not the same franchise as the current Washington Wizards. |
| 1 | Chicago Stags | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1947 | Never | Team folded in 1950. |
| 1 | Washington Capitols | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1949 | Never | Team folded in 1951. |
Most common matchups[link]
- 12 times: Boston Celtics (9) vs. Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (3)
- 6 times: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (5) vs. Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1)
- 5 times: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. New York Knicks (2)
- 4 times: Boston Celtics (3) vs. St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks
- 3 times: Detroit Pistons (2) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1)
- 2 times: Seattle SuperSonics (1) vs. Washington Bullets/Wizards (1)
- 2 times: Boston Celtics (2) vs. Houston Rockets (0)
- 2 times: Chicago Bulls (2) vs. Utah Jazz (0)
- 2 times: Miami Heat (1) vs. Dallas Mavericks (1)
Individual games records[link]
| Num | Team | W | L | PCT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | San Antonio Spurs | 16 | 6 | .727 | Swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in their last appearance. |
| 35 | Chicago Bulls | 24 | 11 | .686 | 4–2 in their last finals appearance against the Utah Jazz. |
| 6 | Baltimore Bullets | 4 | 2 | .667 | Franchise defunct. |
| 11 | Milwaukee Bucks | 7 | 4 | .636 | 3–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Boston Celtics. |
| 122 | Boston Celtics | 74 | 48 | .607 | Has a 9-3 record against the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. |
| 7 | Sacramento Kings | 4 | 3 | .571 | All as Rochester Royals. The Cincinnati Royals and Kansas City Kings both made zero Finals appearances. |
| 40 | Detroit Pistons | 22 | 18 | .550 | Includes 4–8 as Fort Wayne franchise. |
| 31 | Golden State Warriors | 17 | 14 | .548 | Includes 10–6 as Philadelphia franchise and 3–8 as San Francisco franchise. |
| 23 | Houston Rockets | 12 | 11 | .522 | Swept the Orlando Magic in their last finals appearance. |
| 167 | Los Angeles Lakers | 85 | 83 | .503 | Includes 20–15 as Minneapolis franchise. 4–3 in their last finals appearance against the Boston Celtics. |
| 18 | Seattle SuperSonics | 9 | 9 | .500 | 2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Chicago Bulls. Moved and became the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have zero Finals appearances at this time. |
| 12 | Dallas Mavericks | 6 | 6 | .500 | All versus Miami in both appearances. |
| 12 | Miami Heat | 6 | 6 | .500 | All versus Dallas in both appearances. |
| 53 | Philadelphia 76ers | 24 | 29 | .453 | Includes 9–11 as Syracuse Nationals. |
| 25 | Atlanta Hawks** | 11 | 14 | .440 | All as St. Louis franchise. |
| 48 | New York Knicks | 20 | 28 | .417 | 1–4 in their last appearance against the San Antonio Spurs. |
| 17 | Portland Trail Blazers | 7 | 10 | .412 | 2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Chicago Bulls. |
| 12 | Phoenix Suns | 4 | 8 | .333 | 2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Chicago Bulls. |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | 4 | 8 | .333 | 2–4 in both their finals appearances, both to the Chicago Bulls. |
| 6 | Indiana Pacers | 2 | 4 | .333 | 2–4 in their only finals appearance, lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. |
| 6 | Washington Capitols | 2 | 4 | .333 | Franchise defunct. |
| 20 | Washington Wizards | 5 | 15 | .250 | All as Baltimore Bullets (0–4) and Washington Bullets (5–11). |
| 10 | New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets | 2 | 8 | .200 | 2–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the San Antonio Spurs. |
| 5 | Chicago Stags | 1 | 4 | .200 | Franchise defunct. |
| 9 | Orlando Magic | 1 | 8 | .111 | 1–4 in their last finals appearance, lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. |
| 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 0 | 4 | .000 | Swept by the San Antonio Spurs in their only appearance. |
See also[link]
References[link]
External links[link]
- NBA Finals: All-Time Champions
- The Historical Records Section of the NBA official site
- The Greatest Game Ever (Game 5, 1976 Finals)
- NBA.com: Greatest Finals Moments
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 Bryant greeting some fans in February 2007 |
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| No. 24 – Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Shooting guard | |||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1978-08-23) August 23, 1978 (age 33) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Lower Merion HS, Ardmore, Pennsylvania | ||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall | ||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Charlotte Hornets | |||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1996–present | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–present | Los Angeles Lakers | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||
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Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.
Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. A heated feud between the duo and a loss in the 2004 NBA Finals was followed by O'Neal's trade from the Lakers after the 2003–04 season. Following O'Neal's departure Bryant became the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons, setting numerous scoring records in the process. In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second most points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962. He was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2008. After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals, Bryant led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, earning the NBA Finals MVP Award on both occasions.
As of February 2012[update], Bryant ranks third and fifth on the league's all-time post-season scoring and all-time regular season scoring lists, respectively. He is also the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. Since his second year in the league, Bryant has started in every NBA All-Star Game that has been held with fourteen All-Star appearances, winning the All-Star MVP Award four times (2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011). Bryant is tied for the most All Star MVP Awards in NBA history. He is a 14-time member of the All-NBA team and an 12-time member of the All-Defensive team; he is also the youngest player ever to receive defensive honors. At the 2008 Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the USA national team. In 2009, Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s decade.
In 2003, Bryant was accused of sexual assault after having sex with a hotel employee in Colorado. In September 2004, prosecutors dropped the case after his accuser refused to testify. A civil suit was later filed and settled out of court.
Contents |
Early years[link]
Childhood and youth[link]
Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the youngest of three children and the only son of former Philadelphia 76ers player and former Los Angeles Sparks head coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant.[1] He is also the maternal nephew of John "Chubby" Cox. His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu.[1] Bryant was raised Roman Catholic.[2] When Bryant was six, his father left the NBA and moved his family to Italy to continue playing professional basketball.[3] Bryant became accustomed to his new lifestyle and learned to speak Italian and Spanish.[3][4] During summers, he would come back to the United States to play in a basketball summer league.[5]
Bryant started playing basketball when he was 3 years old,[6] and his favorite team growing up was the Lakers.[7] Bryant's grandfather would mail him videos of NBA games, which Bryant would study.[7] At an early age he also learned to play soccer; his favorite team is AC Milan.[8] He has said that if he had stayed in Italy, he would have tried to become a professional soccer player;[8] Bryant is a big fan of former FC Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard and their former player Ronaldinho.[9] Upon Joe Bryant's retirement from playing basketball in 1991, the Bryant family moved back to the United States.
High school[link]
Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. As a freshman, he played for the varsity basketball team.[10] His father coached him his second year of high school. Although during his first year the team was mediocre, the following three years the Aces compiled a 77–13 record, with Bryant playing all five positions.[10] During his junior year, he averaged 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year.[11] College recruiters from across the country were lined up to recruit him after his breakout year.[11] Duke, North Carolina, Villanova and Michigan were at the top of his list; however, when Kevin Garnett went in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft, he began considering going directly to the pros.[11]
At Adidas ABCD camp, Bryant earned the 1995 senior MVP award,[12] while playing alongside future NBA teammate Lamar Odom.[13] While in high school, then 76ers coach John Lucas invited Bryant to work out and scrimmage with the team, where he played one-on-one with Jerry Stackhouse.[14] In his senior year of high school, Bryant led the Aces to their first state championship in 53 years. During the run, he averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.0 steals, and 3.8 blocked shots in leading the Aces to a 31–3 record.[15] Bryant ended his high school career as Southeastern Pennsylvania's all-time leading scorer at 2,883 points, surpassing both Wilt Chamberlain and Lionel Simmons.[16]
Bryant received several awards for his performance his senior year including being named Naismith High School Player of the Year, Gatorade Men's National Basketball Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American, and a USA Today All-USA First Team player.[17] Bryant's varsity coach, Greg Downer, commented that Bryant was "a complete player who dominates".[15] In 1996, Bryant took R&B singer Brandy Norwood to his senior prom,[18] though the two were, and remain, just friends. Ultimately, however, the 17-year-old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA, only the sixth player in NBA history to do so.[10] Bryant's news was met with a lot of publicity at a time when prep-to-pro NBA players were not very common (Garnett being the only exception in 20 years).[10] His SAT score of 1080[19] would have ensured his basketball scholarship to various top-tier colleges and Bryant has stated that had he decided to go to college after high school, he would have attended Duke University.[20] In 2012, Bryant was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All-Americans.[21]
NBA career[link]
1996 NBA Draft[link]
The first guard to ever be taken out of high school, Bryant was chosen as the 13th overall draft pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996.[22] According to Arn Tellem, Bryant's agent at the time, Bryant playing for the Charlotte Hornets was "an impossibility".[23] However, Bill Branch, the Hornets' head scout at the time, said that the Hornets agreed to trade their draft selection to the Lakers before picking Bryant. The teams agreed to the trade the day before the draft and the Lakers did not tell the Hornets who to select until five minutes before the pick was made.[24] Branch said that prior to the trade agreement, the Hornets never even considered drafting Bryant. Prior to the draft, Bryant had worked out in Los Angeles, in which he scrimmaged against former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper, and according to then-Laker manager Jerry West "marched over these people".[25] On July 1, 1996, West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac, to the Hornets in exchange for Bryant's draft rights.[26] Since he was still 17 at the time of the draft, his parents had to cosign his contract with the Lakers until he was able to sign his own when he turned 18 before the season began.[27]
First three seasons (1996–99)[link]
During his rookie season, Bryant mostly came off the bench behind guards Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel.[28] At the time he became the youngest player ever to play in an NBA game (a record since broken by Jermaine O'Neal and Andrew Bynum), and also became the youngest NBA starter ever.[29] Initially, Bryant played limited minutes, but as the season continued, he began to see some more playing time. By the end of the season, he averaged 15.5 minutes a game. During the All-Star weekend, Bryant was the winner of the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest player to be named the slam dunk champion at the age of 18.[30] Bryant's performance throughout the year earned him a spot on the NBA All Rookie second team with fellow bench teammate Travis Knight.[31] His final minutes of the season ended in disaster when he shot 4 air balls at crucial times in the game.[15] He first missed a jumper to win the game in the 4th quarter and 3 three-pointers in overtime (2 of which would have tied the game in the final minute). With that the Utah Jazz ended the playoffs for the Lakers in the second round. Shaquille O'Neal commented years later that "[Bryant] was the only guy who had the guts at the time to take shots like that."[32][33]
In Bryant's second season, he received more playing time and began to show more of his abilities as a talented young guard. As a result Bryant's point averages more than doubled from 7.6 to 15.4 points per game.[34] Bryant would see an increase in minutes when the Lakers "played small", which would feature Bryant playing small forward along side the guards he'd usually back up.[35] Bryant was the runner-up for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award,[36] and through fan voting, he also became the youngest NBA All-Star starter in NBA history.[37] He was joined by teammates Shaquille O'Neal, Nick Van Exel, and Eddie Jones, making it the first time since 1983 that four players on the same team were selected to play in the same All-Star Game. Bryant's 15.4 points per game was the highest of any non-starter in the season.[38]
The 1998–99 season marked Bryant's emergence as a premiere guard in the league. With starting guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones traded, Bryant started every game for the lockout-shortened 50 game season. During the season, Bryant signed a 6-year contract extension worth $70 million.[38] This kept him with the Lakers until the end of the 2003–04 season. Even at an early stage of his career sportswriters were comparing his skills to that of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.[27][39][40] The playoff results, however, were no better, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals.[41]
Three-peat (1999–2002)[link]
Bryant's fortunes would soon change when Phil Jackson became coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999.[42] After years of steady improvement, Bryant became one of the premier shooting guards in the league, earning appearances in the league's All-NBA,[43] All-Star, and All-Defensive teams.[44] The Los Angeles Lakers became true championship contenders under Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, who formed a legendary center-guard combination. Jackson utilized the triangle offense he used to win six championships with the Chicago Bulls, which would help both Bryant and O'Neal rise to the elite class of the NBA. The three resulting championships won consecutively in 2000, 2001, and 2002 further proved such a fact.[45]
Bryant started the 1999–2000 season sidelined for six weeks due to an injury to his hand in a preseason game against the Washington Wizards.[46] With Bryant back and playing over 38 minutes a game, he saw an increase in all statistical categories in the 1999–2000 season. This included leading the team in assists per game and steals per game. The duo of O'Neal and Bryant backed with a strong bench led to the Lakers winning 67 games, tied for fifth-most in NBA history. This followed with O'Neal winning the MVP and Bryant being named to the All-NBA Team Second Team and All-NBA Defensive Team for the first time in his career (the youngest player ever to receive defensive honors).[47] While playing second fiddle to O'Neal in the playoffs, Bryant had some clutch performances including a 25 point, 11 rebound, 7 assist, 4 block game in game 7 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers.[48] He also threw an alley-oop pass to O'Neal to clinch the game and the series. In the 2000 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, Bryant injured his ankle in the second quarter of Game 2 and did not return to the game. He also missed Game 3 due to the injury. In Game 4, Bryant scored 22 points in the second half, and led the team to an OT victory as O'Neal fouled out of the game. Bryant scored the winning shot to put the Lakers ahead 120–118.[49] With a 116–111 Game 6 victory, the Lakers won their first championship since 1988.[50]
Statistically, the 2000–01 season saw Bryant perform similarly to the previous year, except Bryant averaged 6 more points a game (28.5). It was also the year when disagreements between Bryant and O'Neal began to surface.[51] Once again he led the team in assists with 5 per game. The Lakers however, only won 56 games, an 11-game drop off from last year. The Lakers would respond by going 15–1 in the playoffs. They easily swept the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs, before losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers in OT. They would go on to win the next 4 games and bring their second championship to Los Angeles in as many seasons. During the playoffs, Bryant played heavy minutes which brought his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. In the playoffs, teammate O'Neal declared Bryant the best player in the league.[15][52] Bryant ended up making the All NBA Second team and All NBA Defensive Team for the second year in a row. In addition, he was also voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the 3rd year in a row (no game in 1999).
In the 2001–02 season, Bryant played 80 games for the first time in his career. He continued his all-round play by averaging 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He also had a career high 46.9% shooting and once again led his team in assists. While making the All-Star team and All-NBA Defensive team again, he was also promoted to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in his career. The Lakers won 58 games that year and finished second place in the Pacific Division behind in-state rival Sacramento Kings. Bryant was suspended one game after he punched Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers after the Lakers' March 1, 2002 victory over the Pacers.[53][54]
The road to the Finals would prove a lot tougher than the record run the Lakers had the previous year. While the Lakers swept the Blazers and defeated the Spurs 4–1, the Lakers did not have home court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. The series would stretch to 7 games, the first time this happened to the Lakers since the 2000 Western Conference Finals. However, the Lakers were able to beat their division rivals and make their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance. In the 2002 Finals, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game, which included scoring a quarter of the teams points.[55] At age 23, Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships.[55] Bryant's play was notable and praised for his performance in the 4th quarter of games, specifically the last 2 rounds of the playoffs.[55][56] This cemented Bryant's reputation as a clutch player.
Coming up short (2002–04)[link]
In the 2002–03 season, Bryant averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career highs up to that point. Bryant was once again voted on to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive 1st teams,[1] and came in third place in voting for the MVP award. After finishing 50–32 in the regular season, the Lakers foundered in the playoffs and lost in the Western Conference semi-finals to the eventual NBA champions San Antonio Spurs in six games.[57]
In the following 2003–04 season, the Lakers were able to acquire NBA All-Stars Karl Malone, and Gary Payton to make another push at the NBA Championship.[58] Before the season began, Bryant was arrested for sexual assault.[59] This caused Bryant to miss some games due to court appearances or attend court earlier in the day and travel to play games later in same day.[60] In the final game of the regular season the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers. Bryant made two buzzer beaters to win the game and the Pacific Division title. At the end of the fourth quarter, Bryant made a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to tie the game at 87 and send it into OT.[61] The game eventually went to a second overtime, in which Bryant made another 3-pointer as time expired to lift the Lakers past the Blazers 105–104.[61]
With a starting lineup of four future Hall of Famers, O'Neal, Malone, Payton, and Bryant, the Lakers were able to reach the NBA Finals.[62] In the Finals, they were defeated in five games by the Detroit Pistons, who won their first championship since 1990.[63] In that series, Bryant averaged 22.6 points per game and 4.4 assists. He shot a mere 35.1% from the field.[64] Phil Jackson's contract as coach was not renewed, and Rudy Tomjanovich took over.[65] Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant.[66] The following day, Bryant declined an offer to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and re-signed with the Lakers on a seven-year contract.[67]
Setting records and playoffs disappointments (2004–07)[link]
Bryant was closely scrutinized and criticized during the 2004–05 season with his reputation badly damaged from all that had happened over the previous year. A particularly damaging salvo came when Phil Jackson wrote The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul. The book detailed the events of the Lakers' tumultuous 2003–04 season and has a number of criticisms of Bryant. In the book Jackson called Bryant "uncoachable".[68] Midway through the season, Rudy Tomjanovich suddenly resigned as Lakers coach, citing the recurrence of health problems and exhaustion.[69] Without Tomjanovich, stewardship of the remainder of the Lakers' season fell to career assistant coach Frank Hamblen.[70] Despite the fact that Bryant was the league's second leading scorer at 27.6 points per game, the Lakers floundered and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The year signified a drop in Bryant's overall status in the NBA, as he did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was also demoted to the All-NBA Third Team.[71] During the season, Bryant also engaged in public feuds with Ray Allen and Karl Malone.[72][73]
The 2005–06 NBA season would mark a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Phil Jackson returned to coach the Lakers.[74] Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. Bryant's individual scoring accomplishments posted resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant outscored the entire Mavericks team 62–61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the introduction of the shot clock.[75] When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying a change in the feud that had festered between them.[76] A month later, at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, the two were seen laughing together.[77]
On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in a victory against the Toronto Raptors.[78][79] In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81-point game was the second highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.[80] In that same month, Bryant also became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players ever to do so.[81] For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game,[82] the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain.[83] By the end of the 2005–06 season, Bryant set Lakers single-season franchise records for most 40-point games (27) and most points scored (2,832).[84] He won the league's scoring title for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per game. Bryant finished in fourth place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but received 22 first place votes—second only to winner Steve Nash.[85] The Los Angeles Lakers posted a 45–37 record, an eleven-game improvement over the previous season, and the entire squad seemed to be clicking.[86]
Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006–07 NBA season. Bryant's first high school number was 24 before he switched to 33.[87] After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers.[87] In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played well enough to reach a 3–1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns, culminating with Bryant's OT-forcing and game-winning shots in Game 4. They came within six seconds of eliminating the second-seeded Suns in Game 6, however, they lost that game 126–118 in overtime.[88] Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down, and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games.[88] Bryant received criticism for only taking three shots in the second half of the 121–90 Game 7 loss to Phoenix.[89] In the 2006 off-season, Bryant had knee surgery, preventing him from participating in the 2006 FIBA World Championship tournament.[90]
During the 2006–07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All-Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All-Star Game MVP trophy.[91] Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in a number of on court incidents. On January 28 while attempting to draw contact on a potential game winning jumpshot, he flailed his arm, striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili in the face with his elbow.[92] Following a league review, Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. The basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backwards.[93] Later, on March 6, he seemed to repeat the motion, this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jarić.[92] On March 7, the NBA handed Bryant his second one-game suspension.[94] In his first game back on March 9, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retroactively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul.[92]
On March 16, Bryant scored a season-high 65 points in a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers, which helped end the Lakers 7-game losing streak. This was the second best scoring performance of his 11-year career.[95] The following game, Bryant recorded 50 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves,[96] after which he scored 60 points in a road win against the Memphis Grizzlies—becoming the second Laker to score three straight 50-plus point games, a feat not seen since Michael Jordan last did it in 1987.[97] The only other Laker to do so was Elgin Baylor, who also scored 50+ in three consecutive contests in December 1962.[97] In the following day, in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, Bryant scored 50 points, making him the second player in NBA history to have 4 straight 50 point games behind Wilt Chamberlain, who is the all-time leader with seven consecutive 50 point games twice.[98] Bryant finished the year with a total of ten 50-plus point games,[99] becoming the only player beside Wilt Chamberlain in 1961–62 and 1962–63 to do so in one season. He also won his second straight scoring title that season.[100] Throughout the 2006–07 season, Bryant's jersey became the top selling NBA jersey in the United States and China.[101] A number of journalists have attributed the improved sales to Bryant's new number, as well as his continuing All-Star performance on the court.[102][103] In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers were once again eliminated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns, 4–1.[104]
MVP year and trip to the finals (2007–08)[link]
On May 27, 2007, ESPN reported that Bryant stated that he wanted to be traded if Jerry West did not return to the team with full authority.[105] Bryant later confirmed his desire for West's return to the franchise, but denied stating that he would want to be traded if that does not occur.[106] However, three days later, on Stephen A. Smith's radio program, Bryant expressed anger over a Lakers "insider" who claimed that Bryant was responsible for Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the team, and publicly stated, "I want to be traded."[107] Three hours after making that statement, Bryant stated in another interview that after having a conversation with head coach Phil Jackson, he has reconsidered his decision and backed off his trade request.[108] Bryant would later be shown on an infamous amateur video saying that center Andrew Bynum should have been traded for All-Star Jason Kidd.[109][110]
On December 23, 2007, Bryant became the youngest player (29 years, 122 days) to reach 20,000 points, in a game against the New York Knicks, in Madison Square Garden.[111] Despite an injury to his shooting hand's small finger, described as "a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint" that occurred in a game on February 5, 2008, Bryant played all 82 games of the regular season instead of opting for surgery. Regarding his injury, he stated, "I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that myself [sic] and the Lakers' medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis."[112] In early September 2008, Bryant decided not to have surgery to repair the injury.[113]
Leading his team to a West best 57–25 record, they swept the Nuggets in the first round and on May 6, 2008, Bryant was officially announced as the NBA Most Valuable Player award, his first for his career.[114] He said, "It's been a long ride. I'm very proud to represent this organization, to represent this city."[115] Jerry West, who was responsible for bringing Bryant to the Lakers, was on hand at the press conference to observe Bryant receive his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern. He stated, "Kobe deserved it. He's had just another great season. Doesn't surprise me one bit."[116] In addition to winning his MVP award, Bryant was the only unanimous selection to the All-NBA team on May 8, 2008 for the third straight season and sixth time in his career.[117] He would then headline the NBA All-Defensive First Team with Kevin Garnett, receiving 52 points overall including 24 first-place nods, earning his eighth selection.[118]
The Lakers concluded the 2007–08 regular season with a 57–25 record, finishing first in the Western Conference and setting up themselves for a first-round contest against the Nuggets. In Game 1, Bryant, who said he made himself a decoy through most of the game, scored 18 of his 32 points in the final 8 minutes to keep Los Angeles safely ahead.[119] That made Denver the first 50-win team to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs since the Memphis Grizzlies fell in four to the San Antonio Spurs in 2004.[120] In the first game of the next round against the Jazz, Bryant scored 38 points as the Lakers beat the Jazz in Game 1.[121] The Lakers won the next game as well, but dropped Games 3 and 4, even with Bryant putting up 33.5 points per game.[122] The Lakers then won the next two games to win the semifinals in 6.[122] This set up a Western Conference Finals berth against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers defeated the Spurs in 5 games, sending themselves to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. This marked the fifth time in Bryant's career and the first time without Shaquille O'Neal to go to the NBA Finals.[123] The Lakers then lost to the Boston Celtics in 6 games.[124]
Back on top (2008–10)[link]
In the 2008–09 season, the Lakers opened the campaign by winning their first seven games.[125] Bryant led the team to tie the franchise record for most wins to start the season going 17–2,[126] and by the middle of December they compiled a 21–3 record. He was selected to his eleventh consecutive All-Star Game as a starter,[127] and was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December and January in addition to being named Western Conference Player of the week three times.[128] In a game against the Knicks on February 2, 2009, Bryant scored 61 points, setting a record for the most points scored at Madison Square Garden.[129] During the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant who tallied 27 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals was awarded All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal.[130] The Lakers finished the regular season with the best record in the west with a 65–17 record. Bryant was runner-up in the MVP voting behind LeBron James,[131] and was selected to the All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team for the seventh time in his career.
In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz in five games and the Houston Rockets in seven games in the opening two rounds. After finishing off the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals in six games, the Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals where they defeated the Orlando Magic in five games. Bryant was awarded his first NBA Finals MVP trophy upon winning his fourth championship,[132] achieving series averages: 32.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks.[133] He became the first player since Jerry West in the 1969 NBA Finals to average at least 32.4 points and 7.4 assists for a finals series[134] and the first since Michael Jordan to average 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for a title-winning team in the finals.[135]
During the 2009–10 season, Bryant made six game-winning shots including a buzzer-beating, one-legged 3-pointer against the Miami Heat on December 4, 2009.[136] Bryant considered the shot one of the luckiest he has made.[136] A week later, Bryant suffered an avulsion fracture in his right index finger in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.[137] Despite the injury, Bryant elected to continue playing with it, rather than take any time off to rest the injury.[137] Five days after his finger injury, he made another game winning shot, after missing on an opportunity in regulation, this time against the Milwaukee Bucks in an overtime game.[138] Bryant also became the youngest player (31 years, 151 days) to reach 25,000 points during the season, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain.[139] He continued his dominant clutch plays making yet another game-winning three-pointer against the Sacramento Kings,[140] and what would be the game-winning field goal against the Boston Celtics.[141] The following day, he surpassed Jerry West to become the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history.[142] After being sidelined for five games from an ankle injury, Bryant made his return and made another clutch three-pointer to give the Lakers a one point lead with four seconds remaining against the Memphis Grizzlies.[143] Two weeks later, he made his sixth game-winning shot of the season against the Toronto Raptors.[144]
On April 2, 2010, Bryant signed a three-year contract extension worth $87 million.[145] Bryant finished the regular season missing four of the final five games, due to injuries to his knee and finger. Bryant suffered multiple injuries throughout the season and as a result, missed nine games. The Lakers began the playoffs as the number one seed in the Western Conference against the Oklahoma City Thunder,[146] eventually defeating them in six games.[147] The Lakers swept the Utah Jazz in the second round[148] and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they faced Phoenix Suns. In Game 2, Bryant finished the game with 13 assists, setting a new playoff career high; it was the most assists by a Laker in the playoffs since Magic Johnson had 13 in 1996.[149] The Lakers went on to win the series in six games capturing the Western Conference Championship and advancing to the NBA Finals for a third straight season.[150] In a rematch against the 2008 Champion Boston Celtics, Bryant, despite shooting 6 for 24 from the field, led the Lakers back from a thirteen-point third quarter deficit in Game 7 to win the championship; he scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, and finished the game with 15 rebounds. Bryant won his fifth championship and earned his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award.[151] This marked the first time the Lakers won a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.[152] Bryant said that this was the most satisfying of all of his five championships.[153]
Chasing the sixth championship (2010–present)[link]
The Lakers started the 2010–11 season by winning their first eight games.[154] In his ninth game of the season, playing against the Denver Nuggets, Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 26,000 career points.[155] Bryant also recorded his first triple double since January 21, 2009.[156] On January 30 against the Celtics, he become the youngest player to score 27,000 points.[157] On February 1, 2011, Bryant became one of seven players with at least 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 5,000 assists.[158] In Boston on February 10, Bryant scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half as the Lakers rallied from an early 15-point deficit for a 92–86 win over the Celtics.[159] It was the Lakers' first victory of the season against one of the league's top four teams, as they entered the game 0–5 in previous matchups and had been outscored by an average of 11 points.[160] Bryant, selected to his 13th straight All-Star game after becoming the leading vote-getter, had 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals in the 2011 All-Star Game and won his fourth All-Star MVP, tying Hall of Famer Bob Pettit for the most All-Star MVP awards.[161][162] During the season, Bryant moved from 12th to 6th place on the NBA all-time career scoring list, passing John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes, and Moses Malone.[163] Bryant finished the season averaging less than 20 shots a game, his fewest since the 2003–04 season.[164]
On April 13, 2011, the NBA fined Bryant $100,000 for directing a gay slur at referee Bennie Adams in frustration in the previous day's game.[165][166][167] The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation praised the NBA's decision to fine Bryant, and the Human Rights Campaign said that Bryant's language was a "disgrace" and "distasteful". Bryant stated that he was open to discussing the matter with gay rights groups and wanted to appeal his fine.[168][169][170] He later apologized for the use of the word.[171][172] Bryant and other Lakers appeared in a Lakers public service announcement denouncing his behavior.[173] The team's quest for another three-peat was ended when they were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. The Mavericks would go on to win the 2011 NBA Finals.
Bryant received experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy on his left knee and ankle,[174] and Mike Brown replaced the retired Phil Jackson as coach of the Lakers in the offseason. Bryant began the season playing with an injured wrist.[175] On January 10, 2012, Bryant scored 48 points against the Suns, the most ever by a player in his 16th season. "Not bad for the seventh-best player in the league," said Bryant, referring to a preseason ESPN ranking of the NBA's top players.[176] He went on to score 40, 42, and 42 in his next three games.[177] It was the sixth time in his career he scored 40 or more points in four straight games, a feat exceeded only by Wilt Chamberlain (19 times).[178] At the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant scored 27 points to pass Michael Jordan as the career scoring leader in the All-Star Game.[179] He also suffered a broken nose and a concussion in the third quarter of the All-Star Game after a hard foul from Dwyane Wade.[180] In April, Bryant missed seven games with a bruised left shin.[181] He returned three games before the end of the regular season. In the last game of the regular season, against Sacramento, he chose not to go for a possible third NBA scoring title, having needed 38 points to surpass Kevin Durant. [182]
International career[link]
Kobe Bryant declined to play in the 2000 Olympics due to getting married in the off-season.[183] He also decided not to play in the 2002 FIBA World Championship.[184] Bryant was originally selected for the FIBA Americas Championship 2003 but withdrew due to surgeries and was replaced by Vince Carter.[185] In the following summer, he had to withdraw from the Olympic team because of his legal case.[186] Along with LeBron James, he was one of the first two players to publicly named to the 2006–2008 U.S. preliminary roster in 2006 by Jerry Colangelo.[187] However, he was once again sidelined after knee surgery and didn't participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.[188]
Bryant's senior international career with the United States national team finally began in 2007. He was a member of the 2007 USA Men's Senior National Team and USA FIBA Americas Championship Team that finished 10–0, won gold and qualified the United States men for the 2008 Olympics. He started in all 10 of the USA's FIBA Americas Championship games. He finished third on the team for made and attempted free throws, ranked fourth for made field goals, made 3-pointers. Among all FIBA Americas Championship competitors, Bryant is ranked 15th in scoring, 14th in assists, and eighth in steals. Bryant scored double-digits in eight of the 10 games played. Bryant also made the game winning 14 feet (4.3 m) jumper above the foul line with seconds left in the game. He currently averages a .530 shooting percentage, with 16.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.[189]
As a part of his international expansion, he is also featured in a Chinese reality TV show, called the Kobe Mentu show, which documents Chinese basketball players on different teams going through drills, preparing to play each other while Bryant gives advice and words of encouragement to the players while they practice.[190]
On June 23, 2008, he was named to the USA Men's Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[191] This was his first time going to the Olympics. Bryant scored 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, along with six assists, as Team USA defeated Spain 118–107 in the gold medal game of the 2008 Summer Olympics on August 24, 2008, for its first gold medal in a worldwide international competition since the 2000 Olympics.[192] He averaged 15.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting .462 from the field in eight Olympic contests.
Bryant has committed to playing for the national team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.[193]
Player profile[link]
Bryant is a shooting guard who is capable of playing the small forward position. He is considered one of the most complete players in the NBA,[194][195] has been selected to every All-NBA Team since 1999, and has been featured in the last fourteen NBA All-Star games.[1] Sportswriters and sportscasters frequently compare Bryant to Michael Jordan, a comparison Bryant dislikes.[196] In 2007, an ESPN poll of sportswriters voted him as the second best shooting guard in NBA history behind Jordan.[195]
He is a prolific scorer, averaging 25.4 points per game for his career, along with 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.5 steals (as of the end of the 2011–2012 regular season).[197] He is known for his ability to create shots for himself and is a competent three-point shooter at 33.7%. Bryant shares the single-game NBA record for three pointers made with 12.[198] Bryant is often cited as one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA,[199] and utilizes his wide array of moves and shots to elude defenders and score from virtually anywhere on the floor. Some of Bryant's best moves are his turnaround jump shot, and his ability to post up his defenders and score with a fadeaway jumpshot. Chris Ballard, a Sports Illustrated NBA writer, describes a "jab step-and-pause" as a move Bryant uses where he jabs his non-pivot foot forward to let the defender relax and instead of bringing the jab foot back, he pushes off it and drive around his opponent to get to the basket.[200]
Aside from his scoring ability, he has established himself as a standout defender, having made the All-Defensive first or second team twelve of the last thirteen seasons.[1] Bryant has also been noted being one of the premier clutch performers in the NBA.[201] In an annual survey of NBA general managers, Bryant was selected in 2012 for the 10th consecutive season as the player they most wanted taking the shot with the game on the line.[202][203][neutrality is disputed] Both Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the NBA player of the 2000s decade.[204][205]
NBA career statistics[link]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Denotes seasons in which the Lakers won an NBA Championship |
| Led the league |
Regular season[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | L.A. Lakers | 71 | 6 | 15.5 | .417 | .375 | .819 | 1.9 | 1.3 | .7 | .3 | 7.6 |
| 1997–98 | L.A. Lakers | 79 | 1 | 26.0 | .428 | .341 | .794 | 3.1 | 2.5 | .9 | .5 | 15.4 |
| 1998–99 | L.A. Lakers | 50 | 50 | 37.9 | .465 | .267 | .839 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 19.9 |
| 1999–00† | L.A. Lakers | 66 | 62 | 38.2 | .468 | .319 | .821 | 6.3 | 4.9 | 1.6 | .9 | 22.5 |
| 2000–01† | L.A. Lakers | 68 | 68 | 40.9 | .464 | .305 | .853 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 1.7 | .6 | 28.5 |
| 2001–02† | L.A. Lakers | 80 | 80 | 38.3 | .469 | .250 | .829 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 1.5 | .4 | 25.2 |
| 2002–03 | L.A. Lakers | 82 | 82 | 41.5 | .451 | .383 | .843 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 2.2 | .8 | 30.0 |
| 2003–04 | L.A. Lakers | 65 | 64 | 37.6 | .438 | .327 | .852 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 1.7 | .4 | 24.0 |
| 2004–05 | L.A. Lakers | 66 | 66 | 40.7 | .433 | .339 | .816 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 1.3 | .8 | 27.6 |
| 2005–06 | L.A. Lakers | 80 | 80 | 41.0 | .450 | .347 | .850 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 1.8 | .4 | 35.4[206] |
| 2006–07 | L.A. Lakers | 77 | 77 | 40.8 | .463 | .344 | .868 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 1.4 | .5 | 31.6[207] |
| 2007–08 | L.A. Lakers | 82 | 82 | 38.9 | .459 | .361 | .840 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 1.8 | .5 | 28.3 |
| 2008–09† | L.A. Lakers | 82 | 82 | 36.1 | .467 | .351 | .856 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 1.5 | .4 | 26.8 |
| 2009–10† | L.A. Lakers | 73 | 73 | 38.8 | .456 | .329 | .811 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 1.6 | .3 | 27.0 |
| 2010–11 | L.A. Lakers | 82 | 82 | 33.9 | .451 | .323 | .828 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 1.2 | .1 | 25.3 |
| 2011–12 | L.A. Lakers | 58 | 58 | 38.5 | .430 | .303 | .845 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 1.2 | .3 | 27.9 |
| Career | 1161 | 1013 | 36.5 | .453 | .337 | .838 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 1.5 | .5 | 25.4 | |
| All-Star | 13 | 13 | 25.5 | .509 | .350 | .824 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 2.7 | .3 | 20.8 |
Playoffs[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | L.A. Lakers | 9 | 0 | 14.8 | .382 | .261 | .867 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .3 | .2 | 8.2 |
| 1998 | L.A. Lakers | 11 | 0 | 20.0 | .408 | .214 | .689 | 1.9 | 1.5 | .3 | .7 | 8.7 |
| 1999 | L.A. Lakers | 8 | 8 | 39.4 | .430 | .348 | .800 | 6.9 | 4.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 19.8 |
| 2000† | L.A. Lakers | 22 | 22 | 39.0 | .442 | .344 | .754 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 21.1 |
| 2001† | L.A. Lakers | 16 | 16 | 43.4 | .469 | .324 | .821 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 1.6 | .8 | 29.4 |
| 2002† | L.A. Lakers | 19 | 19 | 43.8 | .434 | .379 | .759 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 1.4 | .9 | 26.6 |
| 2003 | L.A. Lakers | 12 | 12 | 44.3 | .432 | .403 | .827 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 1.2 | .1 | 32.1[208] |
| 2004 | L.A. Lakers | 22 | 22 | 44.2 | .413 | .247 | .813 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 1.9 | .3 | 24.5 |
| 2006 | L.A. Lakers | 7 | 7 | 44.9 | .497 | .400 | .771 | 6.3 | 5.1 | 1.1 | .4 | 27.9 |
| 2007 | L.A. Lakers | 5 | 5 | 43.0 | .462 | .357 | .919 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 1.0 | .4 | 32.8[209] |
| 2008 | L.A. Lakers | 21 | 21 | 41.1 | .479 | .302 | .809 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 1.7 | .4 | 30.1[210] |
| 2009† | L.A. Lakers | 23 | 23 | 40.8 | .457 | .349 | .883 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 1.7 | .9 | 30.2 |
| 2010† | L.A. Lakers | 23 | 23 | 40.1 | .458 | .374 | .842 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 1.4 | .7 | 29.2 |
| 2011 | L.A. Lakers | 10 | 10 | 35.4 | .446 | .293 | .820 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 1.6 | .3 | 22.8 |
| 2012 | L.A. Lakers | 12 | 12 | 39.7 | .439 | .283 | .832 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .2 | 30.0 |
| Career | 220 | 200 | 39.3 | .448 | .331 | .816 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 1.4 | .6 | 25.6 |
Accomplishments and records[link]
Main article: List of career achievements by Kobe Bryant
Bryant led the NBA in scoring during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons.[1] In 2006, Bryant scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second-highest number of points scored in a game in NBA history,[78][211] behind only Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point performance. Bryant was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in the 2007–08 season and led his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference.[212] In the 2008 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team".[213] He led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions.
Bryant has been selected to 14 All-NBA Teams (10 times to the All-NBA First Team) and 12 All-Defensive Teams (nine times to the All-Defensive First Team). He was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game on 14 occasions, winning All-Star MVP Awards in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011 (he shared the 2009 award with Shaquille O'Neal). He also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1997.[214] As of May 2011, he has had 5 sixty-point games, 24 fifty-point games, and 107 forty-point games.
Off the court[link]
Personal life[link]
In November 1999, 21-year-old Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up".[215] Bryant was in the building working on his debut musical album, which was never released. The two began dating and became engaged just six months later in May 2000,[215] while Laine was still a senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. To avoid media scrutiny, she finished high school through independent study.[215] According to Vanessa's cousin Laila Laine, there was no prenuptial agreement. Vanessa said Bryant "loved her too much for one".[216]
They married on April 18, 2001, at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Dana Point, California.[217] Neither Bryant's parents, his two sisters, longtime advisor and agent Arn Tellem, nor Bryant's Laker teammates attended. Bryant's parents were opposed to the marriage for a number of reasons. Reportedly Bryant's parents had problems with him marrying so young, especially to a woman who was not African-American.[215] This disagreement resulted in an estrangement period of over two years, which ended when Bryant had his first daughter.
In January 2002, Bryant bought a Mediterranean-style house for $4 million, located in a cul-de-sac in Newport Coast, Newport Beach.[218] The Bryants' first child, a daughter named Natalia Diamante Bryant, was born on January 19, 2003. The birth of Natalia influenced Bryant to reconcile his differences with his parents. Vanessa Bryant suffered a miscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy in the spring of 2005. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, was born on May 1, 2006. Gianna was born six minutes ahead of former teammate Shaquille O'Neal's daughter Me'arah Sanaa, who was born in Florida.[219] On December 16, 2011, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Both parties resolved all the issues related to their divorce prior to the filing.[220] Both Kobe and Vanessa requested joint custody of their daughters, Natalia and Gianna.[221]
In an early 2007 interview, it was revealed that Bryant still speaks Italian fluently.[3] Bryant assigned himself the nickname of "Black Mamba", citing a desire for his basketball skills to mimic the snake of that name's ability to "strike with 99% accuracy at maximum speed, in rapid succession."[222]
Sexual assault allegation[link]
Main article: Kobe Bryant sexual assault case
In the summer of 2003, the sheriff's office of Eagle, Colorado, arrested Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint filed by 19-year old hotel employee Katelyn Faber. Bryant had checked into The Lodge and Spa at Cordillera in Eagle County in advance of undergoing knee surgery nearby. Faber accused Bryant of raping her in his hotel room the night before Bryant was to have the procedure. Bryant admitted an adulterous sexual encounter with his accuser, but denied her sexual assault allegation.[223][224]
The accusation tarnished Bryant's reputation, as the public's perception of Bryant plummeted, and his endorsement contracts with McDonald's and Nutella were terminated. Sales for Bryant's replica jersey fell significantly from their previous highs.[225] However, in September 2004, the assault case was dropped by prosecutors after Faber refused to testify in the trial. Afterward, Bryant agreed to apologize to Faber for the incident, including his public mea culpa: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter."[226][227] Faber filed a separate civil lawsuit against Bryant, which the two sides ultimately settled with the specific terms of the settlement being undisclosed to the public.
Endorsements[link]
Before starting the 1996–97 NBA season, Bryant signed a 6-year contract with Adidas worth approximately $48 million.[228][229] His first signature shoe was the Equipment KB 8.[230] Bryant's other earlier endorsements included deals with The Coca-Cola Company to endorse their Sprite soft drink, appearing in advertisements for McDonald's, promoting Spalding's new NBA Infusion Ball, Upper Deck, Italian chocolate company Ferrero SpA's brand Nutella, Russell Corporation,[231] and appearing on his own series of video games by Nintendo. Many companies like McDonald's and Ferrero SpA terminated his contracts when rape allegations against him became public.[232] A notable exception was Nike, Inc., who had signed him to a 5-year, $40–45 million contract just before the incident.[233][234] However, they refused to use his image or market a new shoe of his for the year, but eventually did start promoting Bryant once his image recovered 2 years later.[234] He has since resumed endorsement deals with The Coca-Cola Company, through their subsidiary Energy Brands to promote their Vitamin Water brand of drinks.[235] Bryant was also the cover athlete for NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2 and appeared in commercials for the video games Guitar Hero World Tour (with Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps, and Alex Rodriguez) in 2008 and Call of Duty: Black Ops (alongside Jimmy Kimmel) in 2010.[236]
In a 2008 video promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Bryant appears to jump over a speeding Aston Martin. The stunt was considered to be fake, and the Los Angeles Times said a real stunt would probably be a violation of Bryant's Lakers contract.[237] After promoting Nike's Hyperdunk shoes, Bryant came out with the fourth edition of his signature line by Nike, the Zoom Kobe IV. In 2010 Nike launched another shoe, Nike Zoom Kobe V.[238] In 2009, Bryant signed a deal with Nubeo to market the "Black Mamba collection", a line of sports/luxury watches that range from $25,000 to $285,000.[239] On February 9, 2009, Bryant was featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine. However, it was not for anything basketball related, rather it was about Bryant being a big fan of FC Barcelona.[240] CNN estimated Bryant's endorsement deals in 2007 to be worth $16 million a year.[241] In 2010, Bryant was ranked third behind Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid athletes with $48 million.[242]
On December 13, 2010, Bryant signed a two-year endorsement deal with Turkey's national airline, Turkish Airlines. The deal involved Bryant being in a promotional film to be aired in over 80 countries in addition to him being used in digital, print and billboard advertising.[243][244][245]
Bryant has appeared as the cover athlete for the following video games:
- Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside[246]
- NBA Courtside 2: Featuring Kobe Bryant[247]
- NBA Courtside 2002[248]
- NBA 3 On 3 Featuring Kobe Bryant[249]
- NBA '07: Featuring the Life Vol. 2[250]
- NBA '09: The Inside[251]
- NBA 2K10
Music[link]
In 2011, Bryant was featured in Taiwanese singer Jay Chou's single, "The Heaven and Earth Challenge" (天地一鬥, pronounced "Tian Di Yi Dou").[252] The proceeds for downloads of both the single and ringtones were donated to impoverished schools for basketball facilities and equipment.[253] The music video of the single also features Bryant.[254] The song was also used by Sprite in its 2011 marketing campaign in China.[255]
Philanthropy[link]
Bryant is the official ambassador for After-School All-Stars (ASAS), an American non-profit organization that provides comprehensive after-school programs to children in 13 US cities.[256] Bryant also started the Kobe Bryant China Fund which partnered with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a charity backed by the Chinese government.[257] The Kobe Bryant China Fund raises money within China earmarked for education and health programs.[257] On November 4, 2010, Bryant appeared alongside Zach Braff at the Call of Duty: Black Ops launch event at the Santa Monica Airport, where they presented a $1 million check to the Call of Duty Endowment, an Activision-founded nonprofit organization that helps veterans transition to civilian careers after their military service has ended.[236]
See also[link]
- Kobe Bryant (song) at Lil Wayne
- Shaq–Kobe feud
- Kobe Doin' Work
- List of 40-plus point games by Kobe Bryant
- List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played
- List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with 50 or more points in a playoff game
- List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game
- List of National Basketball Association season scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association franchise career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association top individual scoring season averages
- List of NBA players with most championships
- List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise
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External links[link]
| Find more about Kobe Bryant on Wikipedia's sister projects: | |
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Images and media from Commons |
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News stories from Wikinews |
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Quotations from Wikiquote |
- Official website
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com, or Basketball-Reference.com, or ESPN.com
- Kobe Bryant at the Internet Movie Database
- NBA.com – The Ultimate Kobe Page
- Kobe Bryant Video on FoxSports Video Archive
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bryant, Kobe Bean |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Professional basketball player |
| Date of birth | August 23, 1978 |
| Place of birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Kobe_Bryant
Related pages:
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http://ru.wn.com/Брайант, Коби
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
 Rose presenting the Detroit BME Leadership Awards |
|
| No. 5, 8 | |
|---|---|
| Small forward / Shooting guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1973-01-30) January 30, 1973 (age 39) Detroit, Michigan |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Southwestern (Detroit, Michigan) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Michigan (1991–1994) |
| NBA Draft | 1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall |
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | |
| Pro career | 1994–2007 |
| Career history | |
| 1994–1996 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1996–2002 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2002–2003 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2003–2006 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2006 | New York Knicks |
| 2006–2007 | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 13,220 (14.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,193 (3.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,527 (3.8 apg) |
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Jalen Anthony Rose (born January 30, 1973) is a retired American professional basketball player and current sports analyst for the television network ESPN. In college, he was a member of the University of Michigan Wolverines' "Fab Five" (along with Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson) that reached the 1992 and 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games as both Freshmen and Sophomores. Rose played in the NBA for six teams, most notably alongside Reggie Miller on the Indiana Pacers teams which made three consecutive Eastern Conference finals, including the 2000 NBA Finals.
Contents |
College career[link]
As a star at Southwestern High School in Detroit, Rose obtained a high profile and can even be seen at a high school All-American camp in the documentary film, Hoop Dreams. Rose attended the University of Michigan where the Wolverines reached two NCAA Finals games in 1992 and 1993, finishing as national runners up both times. Rose was a part of Wolverines coach Steve Fisher's legendary 1991 recruiting class, dubbed the "Fab Five". He led the Fab Five in scoring his freshman year, averaging 19 points per game, and set the school freshman scoring record with 597 total points. Aside from being the most outspoken of the Fab Five, Rose was also their point guard and leader. During his career, he racked up over 1700 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists, and 100 steals. Of the players called before the grand jury (Robert Traylor, Webber, Rose, Maurice Taylor, and Louis Bullock)[1] in the University of Michigan basketball scandal, he was the only one not listed as having received large amounts of money.[2]
NBA career[link]
Rose played for six different NBA teams, forging a solid pro career after skipping his senior season at Michigan. He was selected 13th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1994 NBA Draft. After two years with Denver, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers, along with Reggie Williams and a future first round draft pick, for Mark Jackson, Ricky Pierce, and a 1st round draft pick.
Despite his successes in Indiana, he was never readily accepted early on. Rose frequently logged DNPCDs (Did Not Play - Coach's Decision) under Coach Larry Brown. Rose also often spoke out about the fact he was being used as a backup two-guard and small forward over his preference, which was point guard. It was not until Larry Bird took over coaching duties did Rose finally begin to blossom, eventually realizing he was most effective at small forward.
Rose's greatest moments as a pro occurred as a member of the Indiana Pacers, as he helped the team get back on its feet after a disastrous 1996–97 season and make it to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances. Rose became the first player in eight years other than Reggie Miller to lead the Pacers in scoring in the 1999–2000 season when he averaged 18.2 points per game for the eventual Eastern Conference Champions. After helping lead his team to the 2000 NBA Finals, Rose went on to average 25 points per game in the six game series, including a 32-point effort in a game five win. However, the Pacers lost the series to the Los Angeles Lakers.
During the 2001–02 season, Rose was traded to the Chicago Bulls along with Travis Best, Norman Richardson, and a future second round draft pick in exchange for Brad Miller, Ron Mercer, Ron Artest and Kevin Ollie.
After 16 games in the 2003–04 season, Rose was traded to the Toronto Raptors, along with power forwards Donyell Marshall and Lonny Baxter. Jalen Rose found moderate success with the Raptors, but the team soon decided to rebuild.
On February 3, 2006, midway through the 2005–06 campaign, he was traded, along with a first-round draft pick, and an undisclosed sum of cash (believed to be around $3 million), to the New York Knicks for Antonio Davis, where he was reunited with Larry Brown, his coach for one year with the Indiana Pacers. The motivation behind this trade was apparently to free up cap space (Rose earned close to $18 million a year) as well as for the Raptors to acquire an experienced center who could relieve some of Chris Bosh's rebounding duties. Rose's final game and contribution for the Raptors was a home win against the Sacramento Kings, where he scored the winning basket in overtime.
Rose's tenure with the Knicks was uneventful and prior to the start of the 2006–07 NBA season on October 30, 2006, the Knicks cut ties with Rose by waiving him. He was courted by several teams including the Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat. On November 3, 2006, Rose announced he would sign with the Suns on his blog at jalenrose.com.[3] On November 7, it was officially announced that Rose had signed a $1.5 million one-year deal with Phoenix.[4]
As a member of the Phoenix Suns, Rose did not play very many minutes. The fast-paced Suns offense was too fast for the aging swingman and his knees became a liability on defense. Upon the Suns' elimination from the 2007 NBA Playoffs, he became a regular commentator for ESPN giving regular insider perspective on games from both a player's and analyst's perspective. Rose has also been a courtside reporter for TNT during the playoffs.
NBA career statistics[link]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Denver | 81 | 37 | 22.2 | .454 | .316 | .739 | 2.7 | 4.8 | .8 | .3 | 8.2 |
| 1995–96 | Denver | 80 | 37 | 26.7 | .480 | .296 | .690 | 3.3 | 6.2 | .7 | .5 | 10.0 |
| 1996–97 | Indiana | 66 | 6 | 18.0 | .456 | .292 | .750 | 1.8 | 2.3 | .9 | .3 | 7.3 |
| 1997–98 | Indiana | 82 | 0 | 20.8 | .478 | .342 | .728 | 2.4 | 1.9 | .7 | .2 | 9.4 |
| 1998–99 | Indiana | 49 | 1 | 25.3 | .403 | .262 | .791 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.0 | .3 | 11.1 |
| 1999–00 | Indiana | 80 | 80 | 37.2 | .471 | .393 | .827 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 1.1 | .6 | 18.2 |
| 2000–01 | Indiana | 72 | 72 | 40.9 | .457 | .339 | .828 | 5.0 | 6.0 | .9 | .6 | 20.5 |
| 2001–02 | Indiana | 53 | 53 | 36.5 | .444 | .356 | .839 | 4.7 | 3.7 | .8 | .6 | 18.5 |
| 2001–02 | Chicago | 30 | 30 | 40.5 | .470 | .370 | .839 | 4.1 | 5.3 | 1.1 | .5 | 23.8 |
| 2002–03 | Chicago | 82 | 82 | 40.9 | .406 | .370 | .854 | 4.3 | 4.8 | .9 | .3 | 22.1 |
| 2003–04 | Chicago | 16 | 14 | 33.1 | .375 | .426 | .765 | 4.0 | 3.5 | .8 | .2 | 13.3 |
| 2003–04 | Toronto | 50 | 50 | 39.4 | .410 | .311 | .822 | 4.0 | 5.5 | .8 | .4 | 16.2 |
| 2004–05 | Toronto | 81 | 65 | 33.5 | .455 | .394 | .854 | 3.4 | 2.6 | .8 | .1 | 18.5 |
| 2005–06 | Toronto | 46 | 22 | 26.9 | .404 | .270 | .765 | 2.8 | 2.5 | .4 | .2 | 12.1 |
| 2005–06 | New York | 26 | 23 | 28.7 | .460 | .491 | .812 | 3.2 | 2.6 | .4 | .1 | 12.7 |
| 2006–07 | Phoenix | 29 | 0 | 8.5 | .442 | .447 | .917 | .8 | .6 | .2 | .1 | 3.7 |
| Career | 923 | 572 | 30.3 | .443 | .355 | .801 | 3.5 | 3.8 | .8 | .3 | 14.3 |
Playoffs[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Denver | 3 | 3 | 33.0 | .464 | .250 | .600 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 1.0 | .7 | 10.0 |
| 1997–98 | Indiana | 15 | 0 | 19.5 | .480 | .375 | .741 | 1.8 | 1.9 | .7 | .4 | 8.1 |
| 1998–99 | Indiana | 13 | 0 | 27.3 | .442 | .348 | .824 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .4 | 12.2 |
| 1999–00 | Indiana | 23 | 23 | 41.9 | .437 | .429 | .805 | 4.4 | 3.4 | .7 | .5 | 20.8 |
| 2000–01 | Indiana | 4 | 4 | 41.0 | .380 | .313 | 1.000 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 1.5 | .2 | 18.0 |
| 2006–07 | Phoenix | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | .250 | .000 | .000 | 1.0 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Career | 59 | 30 | 31.9 | .438 | .385 | .801 | 3.2 | 2.9 | .8 | .4 | 14.6 |
Player profile[link]
A left-handed player, Rose was known to have a smooth and versatile offensive game. Jalen was particularly gifted as a scorer from the perimeter or the post, capable of putting up 20 points any night. Jalen was used throughout his career at three different positions. He began his career as a point guard for the Denver Nuggets and became a shooting guard/small forward for the Indiana Pacers. He then returned to the point guard position briefly with the Toronto Raptors. However, during his career he was most effective as a small forward or swingman. Jalen was also a good passer, especially for his height, and Indiana often employed him as a point forward. Not known for his defense, Rose's best moment defensively came during the 1997–1998 season, when Rose emerged as a defensive stopper on Michael Jordan in the Eastern Conference Finals, though the Bulls pulled out the series in seven games. Rose has sometimes been regarded as a team leader, particularly under head coach Larry Bird, though he reportedly was a disruptive force in the Pacers' locker room during his feud with the coach at that time Isiah Thomas, after Thomas cut former Fab Five teammate Jimmy King on the final day to do so before the 2000–2001 season.
While he showed a willingness in Toronto to work harder than ever (particularly on defense), Rose also frequently clashed with Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, who benched a struggling Jalen early in the 2005–06 season in favor of rookie Joey Graham.
In the following months, Rose at least raised his play to a more acceptable level. He increased his Player Efficiency Rating more than three whole points (to 13.7) while averaging 12.1 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. However, he only shot 40.4% from the field and 27% from three-point range (including a 51.4 true shooting percentage) through 46 games.
Off the court[link]
Rose's biological father Jimmy Walker was a former #1 overall pick who started in the backcourt alongside Jerry West in the 1972 NBA All-Star Game. Walker died in July 2007 of lung cancer. Although they eventually spoke several times over the phone, Rose never met his father in person.[5]
In 2005 Rose earned a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies from the University of Maryland.[6][7]
Rose is a supporter of his alma mater and was seen rooting for Michigan's basketball team during the 2006 NIT Final Four with fellow ex-Wolverine, Maurice Taylor. Rose is also known for his philanthropic efforts. He contributes to inner city youth by helping to build reading centers. He has also given Dikembe Mutombo a check for $100,000 to help with the construction of an operating room for the hospital Mutumbo built in the Congo.[8]
Rose is the owner of Three Tier Entertainment, an independent, LA based management and production company. Created in 2007, Three Tier Entertainment is heavily involved in the development of television and film projects and also manages talent including directors, actors and screenplay writers.
In recent years Rose has become a community activist and a contributing editor of the Huffington Post.[9]
The March 13, 2011 airing of the documentary The Fab Five, which Rose produced, sparked controversy that led to a series of media exchanges between members of the press, Michigan Wolverines men's basketball players and Duke Blue Devils men's basketball players in forums such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.[10]
DUI arrest and jail sentence[link]
On March 11, 2011, Rose was arrested for suspicion of DUI.[11][12] He pleaded guilty on May 25, 2011.[13] On July 27, 2011, Judge Kimberly Small sentenced Rose to 20 days in county jail starting August 2, 2011, despite pleas for leniency from prominent people such as Detroit mayor Dave Bing.[14] Rose was released on August 18, 2011—four days ahead of time due to good behavior—and ordered to complete one year of probation, and attend alcohol awareness classes and alcohol impact group sessions.[15]
See also[link]
References[link]
- ^ Larcom,Geoff (2000-10-19). "Former U-M assistant testifies in Martin case: Also, prosecutors issue two indictments of Martin's associates". Ann Arbor News. Michigan Live LLC. http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/aanews/basketball/index.ssf?/stories/wolverines/20001019amartin19.frm. Retrieved 2008-08-21. [dead link]
- ^ "Text of the indictment". Ann Arbor News. Michigan Live LLC. 2002-03-22. http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/aanews/basketball/index.ssf?/stories/wolverines/20020322martin_indictment_text.html. Retrieved 2008-08-19. [dead link]
- ^ http://www.insidehoops.com/rose-davis-trade-020306.shtml
- ^ ESPN - Full bloom: Free agent Rose signs deal with Suns - NBA
- ^ The legacy of Jimmy Walker and Jalen Rose
- ^ Practicing What He Preaches. Detroit Free Press, Jul 9, 2005 - (jalenrose.com full text archive)
- ^ Practicing What He Preaches. Detroit Free Press, Jul 9, 2005 (partial ProQuest archive)
- ^ http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007703120396
- ^ Rose, Jalen (2010-10-25). "Voter Education Equals Improving Our Educational System". Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jalen-rose/voter-education-equals-im_b_773331.html.
- ^ "The Fab Five: Hating Duke". ESPN. 2011-03-10. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6202585. Retrieved 2011-03-18.
- Reid, Jason (2011-03-13). "Jalen Rose’s comments on race in ESPN documentary are misguided". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/jalen-roses-comments-on-race-in-espn-documentary-are-misguided/2011/03/12/ABFHbLS_story.html. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
- Hill, Grant (2011-03-16). "Grant Hill’s Response to Jalen Rose". The New York Times. http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/grant-hills-response-to-jalen-rose/. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
- Everson, Darren (2011-03-16). "Fab Five Member Responds to Hill". The Wall Street Journal. http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2011/03/16/fab-five-member-responds-to-hill/. Retrieved 2011-03-18.
- "Hill Takes Issue In Fab Five Flap". MSNBC. 2011-03-16. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/42117791/ns/sports-college_basketball/. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
- "Hill Takes Issue In Fab Five Flap". Forbes. 2011-03-16. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/03/16/sports-bkc-fab-five-hill_8359957.html. Retrieved 2011-03-17. [dead link]
- ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/Jalen-Rose-arrested-and-charged-with-DUI-Michigan-Fab-Five-032911
- ^ Booking Photo of Rose. FamousDockets.com. Retrieved 4/12/2011
- ^ ESPN's Jalen Rose pleads guilty to drunken driving in court
- ^ "Jalen Rose to do jail time for DUI". ESPN. July 27, 2011. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6808190/jalen-rose-receives-jail-time-drunken-driving. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- ^ http://www.detnews.com/article/20110818/METRO02/108180430/1411/METRO02/Jalen-Rose-wraps-up-jail-time-for-drunken-driving
External links[link]
- Official Jalen Rose player profile at NBA.com
- ESPN.com
- Jalen Rose at basketball-reference.com
- Jalen Rose at basketballreference.com
- Official Website
- SI.com
- Yahoo Sports
- University of Michigan Basketball Statistical Archive
- YouTube page
- Three Tier Entertainment
- TheRoseBlog.com (Jalen Rose's official blog site)
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rose, Jalen |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American basketball player |
| Date of birth | January 30, 1973 |
| Place of birth | Detroit, Michigan |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Jalen_Rose
Related pages:
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http://de.wn.com/Jalen Rose
http://it.wn.com/Jalen Rose
http://id.wn.com/Jalen Rose
http://es.wn.com/Jalen Rose
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalen_Rose
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
For other people named Stephen Nash, see Stephen Nash (disambiguation).
 Nash with the Suns |
|
| No. 13 – Phoenix Suns | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1974-02-07) 7 February 1974 (age 38) Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Nationality | Canadian, British[1] |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 178 lb (81 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Santa Clara |
| NBA Draft | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15th overall |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Pro career | 1996–present |
| Career history | |
| 1996–1998 | Phoenix Suns |
| 1998–2004 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2004–present | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Stephen John "Steve" Nash, OC, OBC (born 7 February 1974) is a South African-born Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nash enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara University. In his four seasons with the Broncos, the team made three NCAA Tournament appearances, and Nash was twice named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.
After graduating from Santa Clara as the team's all-time leader in assists, Nash entered the 1996 NBA Draft and was selected as the 15th pick by the Phoenix Suns. He made a minimal impact, and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. By his third season with the Mavericks, he was voted into his first NBA All-Star Game and had earned his first All-NBA selection. Together with Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley, Nash led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals the following season. However, he became a free agent after the 2003–04 season and returned to the Phoenix Suns.
In the 2004–05 season, Nash led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was named MVP again in the 2005–06 season, and missed out on a third consecutive MVP title to Nowitzki the next season. Named by ESPN in 2006 as the ninth greatest point guard of all time, Nash has led the league in assists and free-throw percentage at various points in his career. He is also ranked as one of the top players in NBA league history for three-point shooting, free-throw shooting, total assists and assists per game.
Nash has been honoured for his contributions to various philanthropic causes. In 2006, he was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He also received the Order of Canada in 2007, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Victoria in 2008.
Contents |
Early life[link]
My heroes were Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson. I think they were just so competitive and creative. Especially Isiah, he was somebody that wasn't very tall. He had played the game mostly on the floor and it made me feel that I could find a way to do the same.
Steve Nash[2]
Nash was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Welsh mother and an English father on 7 February 1974.[3][4][5] His family moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, when he was 18 months old, then to Vancouver, before finally settling in Victoria, British Columbia.[6] Although Nash played soccer and ice hockey, often with his younger brother, Martin, he did not start playing basketball until he was 12 or 13.[2] In eighth grade, however, he told his mother that one day he would play in the NBA and would become a star.[6]
High school[link]
Nash originally attended Mount Douglas Secondary School, but after his grades began to drop, his parents decided to enroll him at St. Michaels University School, a private boarding school.[7] At St. Michaels, he starred in basketball, soccer, and rugby union. While playing basketball during his senior season, Nash averaged 21.3 points, 11.2 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game.[8] In the 1991–92 season, he led his team in his final year to the British Columbia AAA provincial championship title, and was named the province's Player of the Year.[9]
College career[link]
Although Nash's high school coach, Ian Hyde-Lay, sent letters of inquiry and highlight reels on Nash's behalf to over 30 American universities, Nash was not recruited by any university,[6] until Santa Clara coach Dick Davey requested video footage of the young guard. After watching Nash in person, Davey said he "was nervous as hell just hoping that no one else would see him. It didn't take a Nobel Prize winner to figure out this guy's pretty good. It was just a case of hoping that none of the big names came around."[7] However, Davey also told Nash that he was "the worst defensive player" he had ever seen.[7]
Nash was awarded a scholarship by Santa Clara for the 1992–93 season. At that time, it had been five years since the Broncos appeared in the NCAA tournament. That changed when Nash led the Broncos to a West Coast Conference (WCC) Tournament title and an upset win over the No. 2 seeded Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.[6] In that game, Nash scored six straight free throws in the last 30 seconds of the contest.[7] Although Santa Clara was defeated by Temple in the next round, the 1992–93 campaign was considered a successful one. However, the Broncos failed to sustain the momentum the following season, and only managed a 5–7 record in the conference.[6] The team rebounded in the 1994–95 season, with Nash being named Conference Player of the Year and the Broncos topping the WCC.[6] Featuring the league leader for scoring and assists in Nash, the Broncos returned to the NCAA tournament, but they were defeated by Mississippi State.[6] After the season, Nash contemplated turning professional, and decided against it when he learned that he would probably not be considered as a first-round pick in the 1995 NBA Draft.[6]
In the 1995–96 season, Nash began attracting the attention of the national media and professional scouts. He had spent the summer before that honing his skills, playing with the Canadian national team and working out with the likes of established NBA players Jason Kidd and Gary Payton.[6] Santa Clara again captured the WCC title, and for the second consecutive year, Nash was named Conference Player of the Year, the first Bronco to do so since Kurt Rambis.[8] He scored 28 points in leading the #10 seed Broncos to a first round upset win over #7 seed Maryland, but then the Broncos were eliminated by Kansas. Nash's performances ensured that he was named Honorable Mention All-America as a senior by The Associated Press and the USBWA. He also finished his career as Santa Clara's all-time leader in career assists (510), free-throw percentage (.862), and made and attempted three-pointers (263–656).[8] He remains third on the school's all-time scoring list (1,689), and holds Santa Clara's single-season free-throw percentage record (.894).[8] In September 2006, Nash had his jersey (#11) retired, becoming the first Santa Clara student-athlete to receive that honour.[10]
NCAA career statistics[link]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | Santa Clara | 31 | ... | 24.0 | .424 | .408 | .825 | 2.5 | 2.2 | .8 | .1 | 8.1 |
| 1993–94 | Santa Clara | 26 | ... | 29.9 | .414 | .399 | .831 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 1.3 | .0 | 14.6 |
| 1994–95 | Santa Clara | 27 | ... | 33.4 | .444 | .454 | .879 | 3.8 | 6.4 | 1.8 | .1 | 20.9 |
| 1995–96 | Santa Clara | 29 | ... | 33.8 | .430 | .344 | .894 | 3.6 | 6.0 | 1.3 | .0 | 17.0 |
| Career[11] | 113 | ... | 30.1 | .430 | .401 | .867 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 1.3 | .1 | 14.9 |
NBA career[link]
Phoenix Suns (1996–98)[link]
After graduating with a degree in sociology,[7] Nash was selected 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft. Upon hearing the draft announcement, Suns fans booed in disapproval of the relatively unknown player.[7] This was because despite his impressive college accomplishments, Nash had not played in one of the major college conferences. During his first two seasons in the NBA, Nash played a supporting role behind NBA star point guards Kevin Johnson, Sam Cassell, and later, Jason Kidd.[6] Both Johnson and Cassell had NBA Finals experience, while Kidd was the second overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft and already an All-Star when he arrived at Phoenix.
In his rookie season, Nash only managed 10.5 minutes a game,[12] but in his second season, his playing time increased significantly and he was even ranked 13th in the league for three-point field-goal percentage.[6] Nevertheless, the Canadian's tenure with the Suns did not last. While at Santa Clara, Nash had met and befriended Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Donnie Nelson, who worked for the Golden State Warriors at that time. After moving to Dallas, Nelson was able to convince his father, Don Nelson—then the Mavericks coach and general manager—to acquire the under-utilised Nash.[6] Following the 1998 NBA Draft, Nash was traded from the Suns to the Mavericks in exchange for Martin Müürsepp, Bubba Wells, the draft rights to Pat Garrity and a first-round draft pick (who later turned out to be future Phoenix team-mate Shawn Marion).[6]
Dallas Mavericks (1998–2004)[link]
It was in Dallas that Nash established himself as a formidable point guard, beginning a decade as one of the game's top players. During his first year as a Maverick (the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season) he started in all 40 games he played in, and averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.[12] The 19–31 Mavericks failed to make the playoffs but in the 1999–2000 season, the team's prospects improved considerably. Nash missed 25 mid-season games due to an ankle injury, but came back to record six double-doubles in the last month of play.[8] He finished the season with averages of 8.6 points and 4.9 assists per game.[12] More importantly for the team, second-year teammate and friend Dirk Nowitzki was blossoming quickly into a top player, veteran Michael Finley was having an All-Star-calibre year, and the team's new owner, billionaire Mark Cuban, was bringing new energy and excitement to the franchise. Nash now had a supportive environment in which he could thrive.
In the 2000–01 season, Nash averaged 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game in a breakout season.[12] With Nash directing the team's offense, Nowitzki and Finley playing at their best, and the acquisition of All-Star Juwan Howard complementing the high-scoring trio, the Mavericks earned a playoff berth for the first time in more than a decade. Dallas lost in the Western Conference Semifinals four games to one to the San Antonio Spurs, but it marked the beginning of a memorable run for Nash and the Mavericks.[13] In the 2001–02 season, Nash posted career-highs of 17.9 points and 7.7 assists per game[12] and earned a spot in the NBA All-Star Game and on the All-NBA Third Team.[14][15] He was now an All-Star, increasingly appearing in television commercials and, with Finley and Nowitzki, a part of the Dallas Mavericks "Big Three."[16] Dallas earned another trip to the playoffs but lost again in the Semifinals to the Sacramento Kings four games to one.[17]
Nash closely replicated his previous season's performance in the 2002–03 season, averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 assists per game,[12] again earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honours.[14][18] Nowitzki and Nash led the Mavericks from a 14-game winning streak to open the season all the way to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champions, the San Antonio Spurs four games to two.[19] It was only the second Conference Finals appearance in the franchise's history. The 2003–04 season saw an offensively boosted Mavericks roster (with the acquisitions of Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamison) but a dip in Nash's scoring contributions. As a result he was not selected for the All-Star and All-NBA team rosters even though he achieved new career highs in assists per game (8.8) and free-throw accuracy (91.6%).[12] In the playoffs, the fifth-seeded Dallas failed to make progress yet again as the Sacramento Kings saw them off four games to one.[20]
After the 2003–04 season, Nash became a free agent. He attempted to negotiate a long-term contract with Cuban, who was paying Walker, Finley, Nowitzki and Jamison nearly $50 million in combined salaries that season. Cuban wanted to build his franchise around the younger Nowitzki and did not want to risk signing the 30-year-old Nash to a long-term deal, and offered Nash a four-year deal worth about $9 million annually, with a fifth year partially guaranteed. The Phoenix Suns on the other hand offered the point guard a six-year, $63 million contract. Nash was reluctant to leave Dallas and returned to Cuban to see if he would match the deal; Cuban did not, and Nash signed for the Suns for the 2004–05 season. The Canadian would go on to win two League MVP awards with Phoenix, and on a 14 June 2006 appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Cuban wondered out loud, "... you know Steve's a great guy and I love him to death, but why couldn't he play like an MVP for us?"[21]
Return to Phoenix Suns (2004–present)[link]
Nash joined a Suns team which had emerging young players in Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and Amar'e Stoudemire. In the season before Nash arrived, the Suns had recorded a 29–53 win–loss record,[6] and they were projected to have another poor season. Head coach Mike D'Antoni favoured an up-tempo style of basketball; this required smaller and more athletic players with the capability to outrun and outshoot their opponents. Nash's familiarity with this style combined with the athleticism of his teammates produced an NBA-best 62–20 record and a points-per-game average of 110.4, the highest in a decade.[22] The catalyst of this turnaround, Nash averaged 11.5 assists per game while making 50.2% of his field goals and 43.1% of his three-pointers in the regular season.[12][23] He edged Shaquille O'Neal to win the 2004–05 NBA MVP award,[24] becoming the first Canadian to earn the honour, as well as the third point guard ever to be named MVP, along with Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy.[8] In the playoffs, Phoenix swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games before meeting the Dallas Mavericks in the second round.[25] Nash led the Suns to a 4–2 series win,[25] and the Suns reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1993, but lost to the eventual NBA Champions and arch-rival, the San Antonio Spurs, in five games.[25]
The next season, Stoudemire suffered a serious knee injury, and Johnson and Quentin Richardson were traded away.[26] The Suns were not expected to repeat their successful 2005 season, but with Nash directing the same high-tempo offence, the team compiled a respectable 54–28 record and won the division title.[23][26] The Suns were again the highest-scoring team in the league with seven players averaging double figures in points per game,[26] and Nash was voted for the first time to start for the 2006 Western All-Star team.[27] Having recorded career highs in points (18.8), rebounds (4.2), field goal percentage (.512) and free-throw percentage (a league-leading .921), and leading the league with 10.5 assists per game,[8] Nash was named the league MVP for the second year in a row.[28] In the first round of the playoffs, Phoenix overcame a 3–1 deficit against the Los Angeles Lakers and won the series 4–3.[26] The Los Angeles Clippers were their Conference Semifinals opponents, and the Suns again needed seven games to clinch the series.[26] For the second year in a row however, the Suns bowed out in the Conference Finals, this time to Nash's former team, Dallas.[26]
In the 2006–07 season, Nash had another stellar campaign, averaging 18.6 points and a career-high 11.6 assists per game while becoming the first person since Magic Johnson in 1990–91 to average 18 points and 11 assists per game during the regular season.[29] Nash received the most votes for first-team All-NBA and was joined by teammate Stoudemire; the two were the first teammates to make the first team since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in 2003–04.[29] Nash received 129 first-place votes and 645 total points from the panel of 129 media members.[29] He narrowly missed being MVP a third consecutive time, coming in second with 44 first place votes to 83 for Dirk Nowitzki.[30] In the playoffs, the Suns eliminated the Lakers in five games, but were unable to overcome the Spurs in the Conference Semifinals, losing the series 4–2.[31]
Nash played in 81 regular-season games during the 2007–08 season; in this campaign, the Western Conference was especially competitive and he led the Suns to 55 wins and the sixth seed for the 2008 NBA Playoffs. Although there was a dip in his regular-season output, Nash's shooting remained sharp; the accuracy of his shooting was on par with his 2005–06 MVP campaign (shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point arc, and 90% from the free throw line).[12] On 31 January 2008, he collected his All-Star stripes for the sixth time in his career.[32] However, Nash continued to experience agony in the playoffs. Despite a mid-season trade that sent Shawn Marion to the Miami Heat and brought four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal to the team, the Suns were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in four years.[33] In the deciding Game 5, Nash was perceived to have suffered from "elimination-game jitters", and turned over the ball twice in the final two minutes of what was a tight contest.[33] Nevertheless, Nash was later named to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2007–08 season.[34]
Before the 2008–09 season began, coach D'Antoni was replaced by Terry Porter, who preferred a more defensive-oriented style of basketball. The Suns had difficulties adapting to this new system, and even a December trade involving sending stalwarts Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to the Charlotte Bobcats for athletic swingman Jason Richardson[35] saw the team continue to struggle. Porter was then replaced by Alvin Gentry in February after a 28–23 record, but the Suns were unable to secure the final seed for the playoffs,[36] resulting in Nash missing the playoffs for the first time since he returned to Phoenix for his second stint.
Nash and the Suns opened the 2009–10 season with a series of strong performances, going 8–1 in their first nine games (a franchise-best since 1980–81), with Nash producing two 20-assists games.[37] On 21 January 2010, Nash was named as the starting point guard for the West for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game.[38] With him operating at the point, the Suns were the highest-scoring team in the league for the fifth season in a row, and were seeded third in the conference for the playoffs with 54 wins. Behind solid performances by Richardson and veteran Grant Hill, the Suns defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 4–2 in the first round of the playoffs, and swept the Spurs 4–0 in the second round. The Suns met the defending champions, Los Angeles Lakers, in the Conference Finals. After losing the first two games, Phoenix won the next two to tie the series. A Ron Artest buzzer-beater in Game 5 pushed the Lakers one game closer to the Finals, and Kobe Bryant's 37 points in Game 6 completed the defeat of the Suns.
The Suns underwent two major roster changes in the 2010–11 season. During the pre-season, Stoudemire left for New York, while longtime teammate Leandro Barbosa was traded for Hedo Türkoğlu. Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick were also recruited to join the Suns. Not long after the season began, Türkoğlu, Richardson, and Earl Clark were traded to Orlando for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickaël Piétrus, while rising star Goran Dragic was traded to the Houston Rockets for Aaron Brooks.[39] The Suns had difficulty being even a .500 team, and for the second time since Nash returned to Phoenix, the Suns failed to make the playoffs.
In February 2012, Nash was named to his eighth All-Star Game. At the time, he was leading the NBA in assists per game.[40]
On April 21, 2012, Nash passed Oscar Robertson for career assists versus the Denver Nuggets.
International career[link]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Basketball | ||
Competitor for  Canada |
||
| FIBA Americas Championship | ||
| Bronze | 2001 Neuquén | National team |
In 1993, while in college, Nash played for the national team and competed in the Canada Games and World University Games. He won a bronze medal at the Canada Games and won a silver medal at the World University Games, losing to Team USA, which included players such as Michael Finley and Damon Stoudamire.[6]
Nash captained Canada at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.[41] He led Canada to win their round robin group with a victory over Spain and a stunning 83–75 win over favoured Yugoslavia when he scored 26 points with eight rebounds and eight assists. Canada was eliminated in the quarterfinals with a loss to France and Nash left the court in tears. Nash expressed disappointment with the result, saying "It hurts a lot. I feel like I let everybody down. We could have been in the championship game. We were good enough."[42] Nevertheless, he did see a possible silver lining, saying "Hopefully kids [in Canada] will be inspired to play—that's what I really hope."[42] A victory in its final game of the tournament, a placement game against Russia, enabled Canada to salvage 7th place. Nash's Olympic performance propelled him to stardom in Canada and he finished fifth in voting for the 2000 Lionel Conacher Award, which is handed out to the Canadian male athlete of the year.[43]
Nash again led Team Canada during qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics at the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was named tournament MVP,[44] but Canada finished fourth, missing out on the three Olympic spots available. That was the last time Nash played for Canada. In December 2007, he said, "In my mind right now, I'm not going to play for Canada any more."[45]
Player profile[link]
Nash is most noted for his playmaking, ball-handling skills and shooting. He led the league in assists for five years, averaging 11.5 assists per game in 2004–05, 10.5 in 2005–06, 11.6 in 2006–07, 11.0 in 2009–10 and 11.4 in 2010–11[12] and won the 2005 and 2010 NBA All-Star Skills Contests.[8] As of the end of 2011–12 season, he had a 90.4% career free-throw shooting average (second best in NBA history)[46] and a 42.9% career three-point shooting average (eight-best in league history),[47] and ranked as one of the top 10 players in league history in total assists, assists per game, and three-point field goals made.[48][49][50] In addition, he is ranked third (starting from 1986–87) in regular season point-assist double doubles.[51] In the 2005–06 season, Nash became the fourth player in NBA history to shoot 50% or better from the field, 40% from three-point range (43.9), and 90% from the line, joining Larry Bird, Reggie Miller and Mark Price in the 50-40-90 Club.[26][52] This was a feat he would repeat in the 2006-07, 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2009–10 campaigns.[12] Only 11 times has a player shot 50-40-90 in an NBA season while also achieving the NBA league minimum number of makes. Nash (five times) and Larry Bird (three times) are the only players to have accomplished this feat more than once.[53] A two-time NBA MVP, Nash is only the second point guard (along with Magic Johnson) to win the MVP award multiple times and the third guard in NBA history to earn back-to-back MVPs (joining Johnson and Michael Jordan).[8] Only nine other NBA players have won back-to-back MVP awards: Johnson, Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, and LeBron James.[8] On 11 May 2006, ESPN.com rated Nash as the 9th-best point guard of all time,[54] and in a survey by nba.com in 2007, Nash received 85% of the votes by the league's general managers as best point guard in the league.[55] In a similar survey in 2009, Nash was rated as the best passer of the ball and the player possessing the best basketball IQ.[56] Commenting on Nash losing out to former teammate Dirk Nowitzki for the 2007 NBA MVP, Boston Celtics centre and Hall of Famer Russell stated: "I think, on the world stage, he's one of our great athletes in all sports... I'm a big fan. The two MVPs he got, he deserved. Part of the reason that he's so good and so effective is that the guys like playing with him. He creates an atmosphere where they win games."[57]
In terms of specific skills, Nash is particularly effective playing the pick and roll, notably with Nowitzki when he was at Dallas and later with the Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.[58] When Nash returned to Phoenix in 2004, he helped the Suns improve from a 29–53 record in 2003–04 to 62–20 in 2004–05, reaching the Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years, earning him his first MVP award. The next season, he led the Suns into the Conference Finals, despite the injuries of all three big men (Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant); further, Nash was responsible for seven of his teammates attaining career-highs in season scoring.[26] With Nash operating at the point, between the 2005–06 and 2009–10 seasons, the Suns led the league in field goal percentage.
NBA career statistics[link]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Led the league |
Regular season[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Phoenix | 65 | 2 | 10.5 | .423 | .418 | .824 | 1.0 | 2.1 | .3 | .0 | 3.3 |
| 1997–98 | Phoenix | 76 | 9 | 21.9 | .459 | .415 | .860 | 2.1 | 3.4 | .8 | .1 | 9.1 |
| 1998–99 | Dallas | 40 | 40 | 31.7 | .363 | .374 | .826 | 2.9 | 5.5 | .9 | .1 | 7.9 |
| 1999–00 | Dallas | 56 | 27 | 27.4 | .477 | .403 | .882 | 2.2 | 4.9 | .7 | .1 | 8.6 |
| 2000–01 | Dallas | 70 | 70 | 34.1 | .487 | .406 | .895 | 3.2 | 7.3 | 1.0 | .1 | 15.6 |
| 2001–02 | Dallas | 82 | 82 | 34.6 | .483 | .455 | .887 | 3.1 | 7.7 | .6 | .1 | 17.9 |
| 2002–03 | Dallas | 82 | 82 | 33.1 | .465 | .413 | .909 | 2.9 | 7.3 | 1.0 | .1 | 17.7 |
| 2003–04 | Dallas | 78 | 78 | 33.5 | .470 | .405 | .916 | 3.0 | 8.8 | .9 | .1 | 14.5 |
| 2004–05 | Phoenix | 75 | 75 | 34.3 | .502 | .431 | .887 | 3.3 | 11.5 | 1.0 | .1 | 15.5 |
| 2005–06 | Phoenix | 79 | 79 | 35.4 | .512 | .439 | .921 | 4.2 | 10.5 | .8 | .2 | 18.8 |
| 2006–07 | Phoenix | 76 | 76 | 35.3 | .532 | .455 | .899 | 3.5 | 11.6 | .8 | .1 | 18.6 |
| 2007–08 | Phoenix | 81 | 81 | 34.3 | .504 | .470 | .906 | 3.5 | 11.1 | .6 | .1 | 16.9 |
| 2008–09 | Phoenix | 74 | 74 | 33.6 | .503 | .439 | .933 | 3.0 | 9.7 | .7 | .1 | 15.7 |
| 2009–10 | Phoenix | 81 | 81 | 32.8 | .507 | .426 | .938 | 3.3 | 11.0 | .5 | .2 | 16.5 |
| 2010–11 | Phoenix | 75 | 75 | 33.3 | .492 | .395 | .912 | 3.5 | 11.4 | .6 | .0 | 14.7 |
| 2011–12 | Phoenix | 62 | 62 | 31.6 | .532 | .390 | .894 | 3.0 | 10.7 | .6 | .1 | 12.5 |
| Career | 1152 | 993 | 31.4 | .491 | .428 | .904 | 3.0 | 8.6 | .8 | .1 | 14.5 | |
| All-Star | 7 | 2 | 15.9 | .429 | .250 | .000 | 2.0 | 6.7 | .4 | .1 | 3.7 |
Playoffs[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Phoenix | 4 | 0 | 3.8 | .222 | .250 | .000 | .3 | .3 | .2 | .2 | 1.3 |
| 1997–98 | Phoenix | 4 | 1 | 12.8 | .444 | .200 | .625 | 2.5 | 1.8 | .5 | .0 | 5.5 |
| 2000–01 | Dallas | 10 | 10 | 37.0 | .417 | .410 | .882 | 3.2 | 6.4 | .6 | .1 | 13.6 |
| 2001–02 | Dallas | 8 | 8 | 40.4 | .432 | .444 | .971 | 4.0 | 8.8 | .5 | .0 | 19.5 |
| 2002–03 | Dallas | 20 | 20 | 36.5 | .447 | .487 | .873 | 3.5 | 7.3 | .9 | .1 | 16.1 |
| 2003–04 | Dallas | 5 | 5 | 39.4 | .386 | .375 | .889 | 5.2 | 9.0 | .8 | .0 | 13.6 |
| 2004–05 | Phoenix | 15 | 15 | 40.7 | .520 | .389 | .919 | 4.8 | 11.3 | .9 | .2 | 23.9 |
| 2005–06 | Phoenix | 20 | 20 | 39.9 | .502 | .368 | .912 | 3.7 | 10.2 | .4 | .2 | 20.4 |
| 2006–07 | Phoenix | 11 | 11 | 37.5 | .463 | .487 | .891 | 3.2 | 13.3 | .4 | .1 | 18.9 |
| 2007–08 | Phoenix | 5 | 5 | 36.6 | .457 | .300 | .917 | 2.8 | 7.8 | .4 | .2 | 16.2 |
| 2009–10 | Phoenix | 16 | 16 | 33.7 | .518 | .380 | .893 | 3.3 | 10.1 | .2 | .1 | 17.8 |
| Career | 118 | 111 | 35.8 | .473 | .409 | .899 | 3.5 | 8.9 | .6 | .1 | 17.3 |
NBA career highlights[link]
- 2× NBA Most Valuable Player: 2005, 2006
- 8× NBA All-Star: 2002–03, 2005–08, 2010, 2012
- 7× All-NBA selection:
- First team: 2005–07
- Second team: 2008, 2010
- Third team: 2002, 2003
- 2× NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge winner: 2005, 2010
- 5× NBA regular season leader for assists per game: 2005 (11.5), 2006 (10.5), 2007 (11.6), 2010 (11.0), 2011 (11.4)[8]
- 5× NBA regular season leader for total assists: 2005 (861), 2006 (826), 2007 (884), 2010 (892), 2011 (855)[8]
- 2× NBA regular season leader for free-throw percentage: 2006 (.921), 2010 (.938)[8]
- 7× NBA regular season leader for assists per 48 minutes: 2004 (12.6),[59] 2005 (16.1),[60] 2006 (14.2),[61] 2007 (15.8),[62] 2008 (15.5),[63] 2010 (16.1), 2011 (16.4)
- 4× member of 50-40-90 Club: (2006, 2008–10)
- Has more 50-40-90 seasons than any other player in NBA history
- One of only five players to have ever shot 50-40-90
- One of only two players to have shot 50-40-90 more than once
- Lou Marsh Trophy (Canadian athlete of the year): 2005[64]
- 3× Lionel Conacher Award (Canadian male athlete of the year): 2002, 2005, 2006
- J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (NBA award for outstanding citizenship and community service): 2007
Off the court[link]
Personal life[link]
In 2001, Nash met Alejandra Amarilla in Manhattan. They married in June 2005 and have twin daughters, Lola and Bella, born on October 14, 2004,[8] and a son, Matteo Joel, born November 12, 2010.[65] On the day of his son's birth, Nash made a statement to Life & Style in which he announced the birth but called it a "bittersweet moment", revealing that he and his wife had "lived separately for the past several months" and are "in the process of dissolving" their marriage.[66][67]
Nash's younger brother, Martin Nash, played soccer for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and made 30 appearances for the Canadian national soccer team.[5] Their younger sister, Joann, was the captain of the University of Victoria Vikes women's soccer team for three years and was named a Canada West Universities Athletic Association All-Star.[7][68] She is married to Manny Malhotra of the NHL Vancouver Canucks.
Nash has a medical condition called spondylolisthesis, which causes muscle tightness and back pain. Due to the condition, when he is not in the game he lies on his back rather than sitting on the bench to keep his muscles from stiffening.[69]
Charity[link]
In 2001, Nash formed the Steve Nash Foundation. Through grants to public service and nonprofit entities, the foundation aims to foster health in kids by funding projects that provide services to children affected by poverty, illness, abuse, or neglect, and create opportunity for education, play, and empowerment. It focuses its resources on communities in Phoenix, Arizona, and British Columbia, Canada. It was given charitable status in 2004.[5] This foundation was awarded the Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy in 2008.[70] Nash also founded the Jim Jennings Memorial Endowment Fund, established in honour of a volunteer staff member at Santa Clara University who served the basketball team for more than 20 years.[10]
Elsewhere, Nash is the sponsor of the Steve Nash Youth Basketball League in British Columbia that has grown over 10,000 participants.[8] He has also become involved with GuluWalk, a Canadian-operated charitable organization that raises awareness and funds for the war-affected children of northern Uganda. In September 2007, Nash and Yao Ming headlined a group of NBA players who travelled to China and played an exhibition game with the Chinese national basketball team. The charity event reportedly raised 2.5 million dollars, earmarked for Chinese children in need.[71]
In May 2006, Nash was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In the accompanying write-up by Charles Barkley, Nash was lauded for his unselfishness on the basketball court, and being "just a nice guy" who had paid for a new pediatric cardiology ward in a Paraguayan hospital.[72] On 28 December 2007, it was announced that Nash would receive Canada's highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada,[73] and on 3 June 2008, it was announced that Nash would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.[74] On 18 September 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Victoria, in recognition of his athletic achievements and his philanthropic work on behalf of young people through the Steve Nash Foundation.[75]
Endorsements[link]
Nash is known to be selective about endorsing products, preferring to work with companies he deems socially responsible. After winning his first MVP award, he was approached to be the spokesperson for numerous products, including MDG Computers, Raymond Weil watches, Vitamin Water, and Clearly Canadian bottled water.[76] He also has a longstanding relationship with Nike.[77] Like fellow NBA stars Yao Ming, Carmelo Anthony, and Greg Oden, Nash is represented by agent Bill Duffy.[78]
Soccer[link]
Nash grew up playing soccer—he stated in a 2005 interview that he could have played professionally if he had focused on it[79]—and continues to hold an interest in the sport. When Dirk Nowitzki arrived in the NBA from Germany, he and Nash became close friends, in part because they enjoyed watching soccer together. Nash is friends with several professional soccer players, including Alessandro Del Piero, Thierry Henry, Owen Hargreaves, Massimo Ambrosini and Steve McManaman.[80] During his off-season, when he lives in New York City, he has trained with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer,[81] and once tried to arrange a pick-up game in the city's Central Park with the Red Bulls and one of his local teams.[82]
Nash—whose father was born in the Tottenham district of London—is a lifelong Tottenham Hotspur supporter, and has expressed interest in owning a minority stake in the club. "I'd like to be an owner. It's something I could do for the rest of my life after my little window of popularity dies," he said in an interview with The New York Times.[83] Nash added, "I've been a passionate supporter all my life. My parents are from north London and so it's not like I'm some Yank who wants to make a profit out of football. I don't care about making money. I just want to see Spurs succeed and, if I can help, that's great." However, he said any participation in Spurs would come after his basketball career is over, and he has had only "casual contact" with chairman Daniel Levy and former director of football Damien Comolli.[84] Nash is also a fan of Brazilian team Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, which his former Suns teammate Leandro Barbosa supports. When Barbosa visited Corinthians in 2007, the club gave him a shirt with Nash's name and jersey number.[85]
Nash had also previously made statements about his intention to bring Major League Soccer to Vancouver as early as 2011, which he has succeeded in doing.[86] He joined the USL-1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC team's ownership group in July 2008 and in March 2009, Vancouver was officially named as a future MLS expansion city, set to join the league in 2011.[87][88]
Nash, along with former Yahoo! president and fellow Victoria-native Jeff Mallett, are investors in Women's Professional Soccer, a soccer league that was launched in March 2009. Nash cited his twin daughters and wanting to have role models for them to look up to as a reason for supporting the league.[89] Nash also co-hosted Showdown in Chinatown in 2008, an 8-on-8 charity soccer game held at Sara D. Roosevelt Park. He scored two goals in his team's 8–5 victory. Participants included Thierry Henry, Jason Kidd, Baron Davis, and Suns teammates Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa.[90]
Other interests[link]
Nash and a Montreal-based partner, Leonard Schlemm, opened the first Steve Nash Sports Club in the spring of 2007 in downtown Vancouver, a high-end, $5-million, 38,500-square-foot (3,580 m2) facility that will mirror Nash's own fitness philosophy.[91]
In 2007, Nash wrote and produced an 81-second commercial for Nike titled "Training Day", directed by Julian Schnabel's daughter Lola, which gained popularity as a viral video on YouTube.[92] Nash also started a film production company together with his cousin, filmmaker Ezra Holland, and intends to produce independent films.[92] The first creative effort to come from Meathawk was a 91-second commercial, titled "The Sixty Million Dollar Man", for Nike's eco-friendly Trash Talk shoe, the first high-performance shoe to be made—at the behest of the environmentally conscious Nash—from recycled materials. Nash has worn the shoe since February 2008 but Nike produced only 5,000 pairs for sale. The ad which broke virally on Earth Day 2008, was written by Nash and the directors of the spot, Danny Vaia and Ezra Holland. It is a spoof remake of the title sequence of the American television series The Six Million Dollar Man and plays on Nash’s numerous on-court collisions. Amar'e Stoudemire and Raja Bell have cameo appearances.[93][94][95] Nash and Holland also co-directed the documentary Into the Wind, about iconic Canadian athlete and activist Terry Fox, as part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series.
For the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, Nash became the first NBA player in Olympic history to carry the torch and light the Olympic cauldron.[96]
See also[link]
- List of Canadians in the National Basketball Association
- List of foreign NBA players
- List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played
- List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game
References[link]
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Further reading[link]
- Jeff Rud, (1996), Long Shot: Steve Nash's Journey to the NBA, Polestar Books ISBN 1-896095-16-X
- Jeff Rud. (2007), Steve Nash: The Making of an MVP, Puffin ISBN 0-14-241014-4
- Jeff Savage (6 November 2006). Steve Nash. Lerner Publications. ISBN 978-0-8225-5956-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=Oc7urw7rQj4C&pg=PP1.
- Paul Arseneault; Peter Assaff (14 November 2006). Steve Nash. Heritage House Publishing Co. ISBN 978-1-894974-25-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=scoByYq6QGAC&pg=PP1.
- Ryan Basen, (2007) Steve Nash: Leader on and Off the Court, Enslow Publishers ISBN 0-7660-2868-2
- Dan Osier (15 January 2011). Steve Nash. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-4488-2525-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=RhxZNg6WyqcC&pg=PP1.
- Jay Triano; Steve Nash. 2009 Basketball Basics: How to Play Like the Pros. Greystone Books. ISBN 978-1-55365-451-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=fmhveLFMHn8C&pg=PP1date=October 2009.
External links[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Steve Nash |
- NBA.com profile
- Basketball-Reference.com: Steve Nash
- Canada Basketball profile
- Steve Nash at the Internet Movie Database
- Steve Nash on Twitter
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Adam van Koeverden |
Lou Marsh Trophy Winner 2005 |
Succeeded by Cindy Klassen |
| Olympic Games | ||
| Preceded by Stefania Belmondo |
Final Winter Olympic Torchbearer with Catriona LeMay Doan, Nancy Greene, and Wayne Gretzky Vancouver 2010 |
Succeeded by TBA 2014 |
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nash, Steve |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Canadian professional basketball player |
| Date of birth | 7 February 1974 |
| Place of birth | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
