- published: 23 Jan 2013
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- author: HotHotHoops
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- 2001 NBA Draft
- 2001–02 NBA season
- 2002–03 NBA season
- 2003–04 NBA season
- 2004 NBA Playoffs
- 2004–05 NBA season
- 2005 NBA Playoffs
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- 2006 NBA Draft
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- 2010-2011 NBA season
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- 2011 NBA Playoffs
- 2011–12 NBA season
- A. J. Guyton
- Acie Law
- Adam Emmenecker
- Adam Haluska
- Adam Morrison
- Adolph Rupp Trophy
- Adrian Dantley
- African American
- Al Harrington
- Alando Tucker
- Alec Kessler
- Alex Groza
- Alonzo Mourning
- Alton Ford
- Alvin Jones
- Anderson Hunt
- Andre Hutson
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British Columbia
British Columbia
i/ˌbrɪtɪʃ kəˈlʌmbiə/ (B.C. or BC) (French: la Colombie-Britannique, C.-B.) is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu ("Splendour without Diminishment"). Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858. In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.
As well as being the westernmost province of Western Canada, British Columbia is also a component of the Pacific Northwest, along with the US states of Oregon and Washington. The province has strong cultural and personal ties to the Prairie Provinces and Ontario as well as to the West Coast of the United States and to Alaska and the Yukon.
The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada. The largest city is Vancouver, the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada, the largest in Western Canada, and the second largest in the Pacific Northwest. In 2009, British Columbia had an estimated population of 4,419,974 (about two and a half million of whom were in Greater Vancouver). The province is currently governed by the BC Liberal Party, led by Premier Christy Clark, who became leader as a result of the party election on February 26, 2011.
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Michigan
Michigan (i/ˈmɪʃɨɡən/) is a state located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake". Michigan is the 8th most populous of the 50 United States, with the 11th most extensive total area. Its capital is Lansing, and the largest city is Detroit. Michigan was admitted into the Union on January 26, 1837 as the 26th state.
Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair. Michigan is one of the leading U.S. states for recreational boating. The state has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds. A person in the state is never more than six miles (9.7 km) from a natural water source or more than 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lakes shoreline. It is the largest state by total area east of the Mississippi River.
Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is often noted to be shaped like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula (often referred to as "the U.P.") is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile (8 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge. The Upper Peninsula is economically important due to its status as a tourist destination. There is also a variety of natural resources to be found there, including a sizable amount of iron ore.
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Tom Gola
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Gola (born January 13, 1933, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a retired American basketball player.
Gola was praised as a great all-around player as a high school student at La Salle College High School, where he led the Explorers to a Philadelphia Catholic League Championship. He entered La Salle a year after another Philadelphia basketball Hall of Famer, Paul Arizin, graduated from Villanova.
Gola was one of the most talented collegiate athletes in Philadelphia sports history. He came to national attention while playing for the hometown La Salle University Explorers men's basketball team in 1954 as an All-American forward. Gola paced the Explorers to the NCAA basketball championship in 1954 and was named Tournament MVP. That same season he was selected as National Player of the Year. As a senior, Gola helped La Salle finish as the runner-up in the 1955 NCAA Tournament. He averaged 20.9 points and 19.0 rebounds during 115 games and holds the NCAA record with 2,201 career rebounds. At 6'6" (198 cm), Gola was clearly a forward who could shoot/score, rebound and defend, but he also had the ballhandling (dribbling, passing) skills of a guard, and with his shooting range and All-Pro defensive skills, could play just as well in the backcourt. He was inducted into the La Salle Hall of Athletes in 1961 and the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1986. Gola was listed on "ESPN's Countdown to the Greatest" College basketball players as #17.
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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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Vancouver
Vancouver (/vænˈkuːvər/) is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. The 2011 census recorded more than 603,000 people in the city, making it the eighth largest among Canadian cities. The metropolitan area, with more than 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country and the most populous in Western Canada. With 5,249 people per square kilometre (13,590 per sq mile), the City of Vancouver is the most densely populated Canadian municipality among those with 5,000 residents or more. Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada, with 52% for whom English is not their first language.
The original settlement, named Gastown, grew around the Hastings Mill logging sawmill and a nearby tavern, both established in 1867. Enlarging to become the townsite of Granville, with the announcement that the railhead would reach the site it was renamed "Vancouver" and incorporated as a city in 1886. By 1887, the transcontinental railway was extended to the city to take advantage of its large natural seaport, which soon became a vital link in a trade route between the Orient, Eastern Canada, and London. As of 2009, Port Metro Vancouver is the busiest and largest port in Canada, and the most diversified port in North America. While forestry remains its largest industry, Vancouver is well known as an urban centre surrounded by nature, making tourism its second-largest industry. Major film production studios in Vancouver and Burnaby have turned Metro Vancouver into the third-largest film production centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York City, earning it the film industry nickname, Hollywood North.
wn.com/Vancouver
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Acie Law
Acie Law IV (born January 25, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who plays for Olympiacos in Greece. In his four seasons at Texas A&M University, Law scored 1,653 points and was credited with 540 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late, Law is well known among Aggie basketball fans for "The Shot," his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the arch-rival Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on March 1, 2006, as well as for his play in the Aggies' stunning 69–66 upset win against Kansas on February 3, 2007. Due to his contributions to Texas A&M, the Texas A&M athletic department decided to hang Law's No. 1 jersey on the rafters in Reed Arena. He became the first Aggie in any sport to have the honor.
Acie Law IV was born in Dallas, Texas to Acie and Dolores Law. He was named for his great-grandfather (Acie Law, Sr.), whom he never met; his grandfather (Acie Law, Jr.), who died in 1997 after suffering a heart attack from the excitement of watching a boxing match with young Acie IV; and his father, Acie III, who played point guard at Xavier University. Law has an older brother and two younger sisters. Law is the great-nephew of Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks. Law has a tattoo on his right arm that reads "Lord's Favorite Lawman," and one on his left arm that is from Psalms 91 and 93.
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Adam Emmenecker
Adam Cannata Emmenecker (born December 3, 1985 in Saginaw, Michigan) is an American basketball player who completed his college career as a point guard at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa in 2008. During the 2007-08 basketball season, Emmenecker, who had been a walk-on (non-scholarship player) for his first three years at Drake, emerged from obscurity to lead the Bulldogs to a sweep of the regular-season and tournament titles in the Missouri Valley Conference, and received numerous honors for his performance as both a player and a student. Adam's parents are Michael A. Emmenecker and Jo Ann B. Cannata of Saginaw, Michigan, he has one sister, Sara C. Emmenecker.
While at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Emmenecker was a two-sport star, starting for and captaining the basketball team for three years and earning all-league honors twice in baseball. His high school basketball statistics were those of a pass-first point guard—8.4 assists per game as opposed to only 4.7 points per game. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. In his senior season of 2003-04, he led his team to a 22-2 record and a ranking of #25 in that year's final USA Today national high school basketball poll. Emmenecker was an honorable mention all-state player in Michigan's Class A, and was also named Arthur Hill's outstanding graduate of 2004.
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Adam Haluska
Adam Haluska (born November 16, 1983 in Carroll, Iowa) is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6'5" (1.96 m) tall shooting guard who is a free agent.
Haluska played college basketball with the Iowa Hawkeyes, and scored 1,847 points in his collegiate career. He was named to the 2007 All-Big Ten Conference First Team just weeks after being named the 2007 Academic All-American of the Year.
Haluska originally started his college career at Iowa State University, before transferring to the University of Iowa after his freshman year. He was named to the Big 12 Conference's All-Freshman Team in his lone year in the conference. Due to the intense rivalry amongst the two colleges, the transfer was deemed quite controversial amongst sports fans at the time. Furthering the controversy, Haluska publicly denied the rumor that he was considering a transfer just one week before officially transferring to Iowa City.
Following his senior year at Iowa, Haluska competed in the three-point shooting competition at the 19th Annual State Farm Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships. Also in the competition were All-Americans Acie Law of Texas A&M, Colin Falls of Notre Dame, Jarius Jackson of Texas Tech, Demetris Nichols of Syracuse and Kammron Taylor of Wisconsin.
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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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Adrian Dantley
Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1956 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, including seven as a member of the Utah Jazz. A forward/guard and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, he was appointed acting head coach of the Denver Nuggets in the absence of stricken head coach George Karl.
Dantley attended basketball powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland where he played under legendary basketball coach Morgan Wootten.
Dantley was a forward at Notre Dame from 1973-76. He was a consensus first team All-American in 1974-75 and 1975–76 and was named 1976 National Player of the Year. He ranks second on the Notre Dame career scoring list with 2,223 points and holds the school record for free throws made (615) and free throws attempted (769).
Dantley had a stellar collegiate career for the Fighting Irish. As a freshman, he played an important role in one of the biggest games in college basketball history, Notre Dame's stunning 1974 upset to end UCLA's record 88-game winning streak. That UCLA team, coached by the legendary John Wooden, featured Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes (then known as Keith Wilkes), and Dave Meyer.
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African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States that have ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa.
African Americans make up the single largest racial minority in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States. However, some immigrants from African, Caribbean, Central American or South American nations, or their descendants, may be identified or self-identify with the term.
African-American history starts in the 16th century with African slaves who quickly rose up against the Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón and progresses to the present day, with Barack Obama as the 44th and current President of the United States. Between those landmarks there have been events and issues, both resolved and ongoing, including slavery, racism, Reconstruction, development of the African-American community, participation in the great military conflicts of the United States, racial segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.
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Al Harrington
Albert "Al" Harrington (born February 17, 1980 in Orange, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's Denver Nuggets. The forward stands six feet nine inches (2.06 m), and weighs 250 pounds (113 kg).
Harrington is a cousin of Indiana Pacers guard/forward Dahntay Jones.
Harrington grew up in Orange, New Jersey, but then his family moved to Roselle, New Jersey. He played high school basketball at St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In 1998, he was selected as player of the year by USA Today.
At only 18 years of age, Al was selected by the Pacers with the 25th pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, and spent six seasons with them, primarily coming off the bench. Harrington really began to come into his own in the 2001–02 season, in which he averaged 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, but his season came to an end in a game against the Boston Celtics when he suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss the final 38 games of the season.
He made a comeback in the 2002–03 season, becoming the only Pacer to play in all 82 games that year. He averaged 12.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while starting in 37 games. The following season, he boosted his averages slightly to 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and finished second in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He was an integral part of the Pacers' first run to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.
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Alando Tucker
Alando Forest Tucker (born February 11, 1984) is an American professional basketball player. Tucker played five seasons at The University of Wisconsin–Madison and wore the number 42.
Alando attended Lockport Township High School in Lockport, Illinois.
Tucker averaged 21.6 points and seven rebounds per game as a junior. He was one of only two juniors to be named to the Herald News AA all-area team.
As a senior Tucker earned all-state honors averaging 22.2 points while hauling in 7.7 rebounds and dishing 5.7 assists per game. He scored 35 points against Joliet, the number one ranked team in the state.
After seeing drugs and gang violence throughout his childhood, Tucker and his older brother Antonio made a pact to stay clean. They pledged to stay drug, tobacco, and alcohol free and stay away from tattoos.
Tucker started off his college basketball career in 2002–03 starting 27 of 32 games as a freshman. He averaged 12.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
In 2003–04, Tucker played in just four games because of a right foot injury. He applied for and received a medical redshirt after the season.
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Alec Kessler
Alec Christopher Kessler (January 13, 1967 – October 13, 2007) was an American college basketball player for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and later, as a professional, for the Miami Heat in the NBA and in the Italian league for Olimpia Stefanel Milano. After his basketball career ended, he became an orthopedic surgeon.
Kessler played collegiately for the University of Georgia Bulldogs where he was a three-time academic all-American first-team selection as well as the national academic all-American of the year in 1989 and 1990. Kessler left Georgia as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,788 points (until the record was surpassed by Litterial Green).
The 6' 11" power forward/center was selected 12th in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, but his draft rights were immediately traded to the Miami Heat in exchange for the draft rights to Dave Jamerson and Carl Herrera.
In his NBA career, he was a member of the Miami Heat for 210 games spanning four seasons until being waived on November 2, 1994 (prior to the start of the 1994-95 season). He was played mostly as a backup center and held career averages of 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He was still receiving $300,000 per annum by the Heat organisation ten years after being cut.
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Alex Groza
Alex John Groza (October 7, 1926 – January 21, 1995) was an American professional basketball player from Martins Ferry, Ohio who was banned from the NBA for life in 1951 for point shaving. He had an outstanding college career at the University of Kentucky and was a two-time All-Star for the Indianapolis Olympians before his career came to an abrupt end.
Groza was the captain and center of the "Fabulous Five" that won the 1948 and 1949 NCAA Men's Basketball Championships, as well as the leading scorer on the gold medal-winning 1948 US Olympic basketball team. Groza was three-time All-American and All-SEC, and two-time NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
Groza was drafted in the 1st round of the 1949 NBA Draft by the Indianapolis Olympians. Groza averaged 23.4 points per game in his rookie season and was named NBA Rookie of the Year — a designation not currently sanctioned by the NBA for the 1949-50 season. He averaged 22.5 points per game over two seasons before being implicated along with college teammates Ralph Beard and Dale Barnstable in a point shaving scandal during the 1948-49 season at Kentucky. NBA president Maurice Podoloff banned all of the implicated players from the league for life.
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Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is a former American professional basketball player, who played most of his 15-year NBA career for the Miami Heat.
Nicknamed "Zo", Mourning played at center. His tenacity on defense twice earned him NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and perennially placed him on the NBA All-Defensive Team. He made a comeback after undergoing a kidney transplant and later won his only NBA Championship with the Heat. He has also played for the Charlotte Hornets and New Jersey Nets. On March 30, 2009, Mourning became the first Miami Heat player to have his number retired.
During his time at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, he led the team to 51 straight victories and a state title his junior year (1987). As a senior he averaged 25 points, 15 rebounds and 12 blocked shots a game. He was named Player of the Year by USA Today, Parade, Gatorade, and Naismith. Mourning played college basketball for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He led the nation in blocked shots his freshman year and was an All American his last year there.
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Alton Ford
Alton Ford, Jr. (born May 29, 1981, in Houston, Texas) is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association. He currently plays for the NBA D-League team the Erie BayHawks.
He was selected 50th overall in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. He played with the Suns from 2001 to 2003, and then with the Houston Rockets in the 2003-04 NBA season. He played overseas from 2004-2008.
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Alvin Jones
Alvin Robert Lamar Jones III (born September 9, 1978 in Luxembourg) is a Luxembourgian-American professional basketball player. A 6'11" (2.11 m), 265 lb (120 kg) center, he attended Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Florida, and played collegiately at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he set the all-time record for shots blocked with 425.
Jones was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 56th pick of the 2001 NBA Draft. He played one NBA season (2001-02), averaging 1.1 points in 23 games. In 2006 he played with German team RheinEnergie.
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Anderson Hunt
Anderson Hunt (born in Southwest Detroit, Michigan) is a retired American basketball player.
Hunt is best known as a member of the successful 1989-91 Runnin' Rebels from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) that made back-to-back Final Four appearances including a national championship in 1989-90 where he contributed 29 points in a 103-73 rout of the Blue Devils of Duke University and named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament by the Associated Press. In May 1991, the Las Vegas Review Journal published photos of Hunt with teammates David Butler and Moses Scurry in a hot tub with known sports fixer Richard Perry, igniting a monumental firestorm between coach Jerry Tarkanian, UNLV president Robert Maxon, and the NCAA. This battle would eventually lead to Tarkanian's resignation at the end of the 1991-92 season. Hunt left school as a junior after the 1991 season to enter the NBA Draft, much to the dismay of his coach, who had hoped to convert him to point guard and make him the centerpiece of the team in the 1991-92 season.
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Andre Hutson
Andre Davon Hutson (born January 12, 1979 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American professional player who plays for Lottomatica Roma. He plays as a small forward and power forward and he is 2.02 m in height.
He played high-school basketball at Trotwood-Madison High School. He played college basketball under Tom Izzo at Michigan State University (1997–2001), where he was one of the key players to win the NCAA Championship Title in 2000 against Florida. After his collegiate career, he was a second round draft pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2001 NBA Draft. Hutson then moved to Italy for the 2001-02 season, signed by Basket Napoli. Then moved to Greece for the 2002-03 season, in January 2003, Hutson signed with Peristeri Athens. Signed for the 2003-04 season by Maroussi Athens. Signed for the 2004-05 season by Makedonikos BC. Then moved to Russia for the 2005-06 season, signed by Ural Great Perm. Then back to Greece for the 2006-07 season, signed by Panionios BC. Then moved to Turkey for the 2007-08 season, signed by Efes Pilsen S.K.. Then back to Italy for the 2008-09 season, signed by Virtus Roma.
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Andrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut (born 28 November 1984) is an Australian professional basketball player who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Bogut was selected first overall by the Bucks in the 2005 NBA Draft. The 7-foot (2.13m), 260-pound (118 kg) center was a star at the University of Utah for two years before declaring for the draft. Bogut is the first Australian player to be drafted number one overall. He was also the second Utah player to be drafted number one overall.
Bogut was born to Croatian immigrants Mišo and Ankica (née Jurišić) Bogut in the Melbourne suburb of Endeavour Hills. His father is from Osijek and his mother was a native of Karlovac. Bogut grew up playing Australian rules football and tennis in addition to basketball. In his childhood, he patterned his basketball game after Toni Kukoc. As a 15-year-old, he was cut from the Victoria junior state representative team. That experience apparently drove him to improve; he later went on to attend the Australian Institute of Sport, with whom he would tour the United States in 2001 and 2002. In his last season at AIS, he averaged 29 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while competing in the SEABL. He went on to lead the Australian team that won the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championships, and was named the tournament MVP.
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Andy Phillip
Andrew Michael "Handy Andy" Phillip (March 7, 1922 – April 29, 2001) was a guard/forward who had an 11 year career professional basketball career from 1948 to 1958. Born in Granite City, Illinois, Andy Phillip played for the Chicago Stags of the Basketball Association of America and the Philadelphia Warriors, Fort Wayne Pistons and Boston Celtics, all of the National Basketball Association.
Phillip led his high school, Granite City, to the Illinois state championship in 1940. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned renown for his talents and for the Fighting Illini's success during war-interrupted, non-consecutive seasons, 1941–1943 and 1946–1947, . He was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Phillip served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in World War II at Iwo Jima.
Phillip played in the first five NBA All-Star Games, and was twice named to the All-NBA Second Team. He was the first player to record 500 assists in a season, and led the NBA in assists during the 1950-51 and 1950-52 seasons. Phillip's teams made it to the NBA Finals during his final four seasons — twice with Fort Wayne and twice with Boston. The 1957 Boston team won the NBA Championship.
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Antawn Jamison
Antawn Cortez Jamison (
/ˈæntwɑːn/; born June 12, 1976) is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He currently plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was a member of the USA National Team for the 2006 FIBA World Championships
Jamison was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. His name was accidentally printed as "Antawn" instead of "Antwan" on his birth certificate. However, his family decided to keep the misspelling as they felt it would be more distinctive. His first name is still pronounced as though it were spelled "Antwan" or "Antoine". Jamison played middle school basketball and was a quarterback in football at Quail Hollow Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jamison played high school basketball at Providence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina and was named a McDonald's All-American after his senior season.
Jamison played college basketball at University of North Carolina for three seasons, averaging 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. In his junior year, he was awarded both the Naismith and Wooden Awards as the most outstanding men's college basketball player for the 1997–98 season. Jamison decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility and enter the NBA draft in 1998 thus ending his college career. On March 1, 2000 Jamison's #33 was retired at the Dean E. Smith Center. He became only the seventh North Carolina basketball player to have his number retired.
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Antonis Fotsis
Antonis Fotsis (alternate spelling: Antonios Fotsis, Greek: Αντώνης Φώτσης; born April 1, 1981 in Maroussi, Athens) is a Greek professional basketball player. He is a 2.09 m (6 ft 10 ¼ in) power forward. He currently plays with Olimpia Milan and is the captain of the Greek national basketball team.
Fotsis began his career as one of the biggest European prospects. He is a good shot blocker, a top offensive rebounder, and an excellent 3 point shooter, especially for a power forward. He is very physical on the defensive end due to his elite athleticism. Fotsis is also the captain of the Greek national team. He is considered to be one of the best Greek basketball players of all time in the power forward position.
Fotsis began his professional career in 1996 with the Greek A1 League club Ilissiakos. He quickly earned a reputation as a very talented young player when playing in senior national team. He then transferred to the Greek club Panathinaikos (PAO) in 1997 just at the age of sixteen. It is a fact of significant importance that he started his career as a point guard and later moved to the small forward and then power forward positions. Due to his early guard playing status, he was later always recognized as one of the best power forwards in Europe, regarding basketball technique. While being the most dominant-youth aged talent in Greece at the time, he twice participated in the Nike Hoop Summit All-World Team (1998, 1999). He got little playing time in his first 2 seasons with Panathinaikos, but he managed to become one of the team's key players during the 1999-00 season. With Panathinaikos, he won the Euroleague Championship that same season while being barely nineteen. One year later, he became a starter on the Panathinaikos team that made it to the FIBA SuproLeague finals.
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Arnie Ferrin
C. Arnold Ferrin Jr. (born July 29, 1925 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is a retired American basketball player in college and the BAA and NBA.
Ferrin attended high school in Ogden, Utah. In college with the University of Utah, he won the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player award in 1944 when they won the championship over Dartmouth College. He would also later help them win a NIT in 1947. He became the only four-time All-American at Utah.
He played professionally for three straight years with the Minneapolis Lakers from 1949 through 1951 under coach John Kundla. The team won the BAA (later the NBA) championship in 1949 and won the NBA championship in 1950, both times with the help of Ferrin. He scored 345 points in '49 and 340 in '50, ending his career with 509 points in three years. He made 275-of-401 free throws in his career. He was inducted into the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor during the 2012 Pacific-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, March 10, 2012.
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Art Heyman
Arthur Bruce "Art" Heyman (born June 24, 1941) is an American former professional basketball player.
Heyman, who was Jewish,[2] was born in New York City, New York. A 6' 5" guard/forward, after attending Oceanside High School in New York, Heyman was heavily recruited by many schools, and originally signed a letter of intent to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels. At the last moment, however, Heyman changed his mind and agreed to play for the Tar Heels greatest rivals, the Duke Blue Devils.
Due to NCAA eligibility rules that prohibited freshmen from playing varsity sports, Heyman played his first year at Duke with the Freshman team, which compiled a record of 10–5, including three victories over the Tar Heels. During one of the Duke-North Carolina freshman games, North Carolina freshman Dieter Krause attacked Heyman, leading to a melee where the two coaches had to be restrained from attacking each other. Heyman needed five stitches after the attack.
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Austin Carr
Austin George Carr (born March 10, 1948) is a retired American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association. He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier".
Carr grew up in Washington D.C., and attended Holy Redeemer School, and later Mackin Catholic High School. At Mackin, Carr teamed with All-City guard Tom Little, who made some national All-American teams before starring at the University of Seattle. As a Junior All Met, Carr scored 475 points in 24 games. During Carr's All Met senior season, he scored 600 points and along with Sterling Savoy, led the Paul Furlong coached Trojans to the Catholic League title over DeMatha. Carr was named Parade All-American along with other 1967 seniors such as Artis Gilmore, Howard Porter, Jim McDaniels, and Curtis Rowe, all of whom became major college stars.
The 6-foot 4-inch (1.93 m), 200 lb (91 kg) shooting guard first came to prominence as a highly-recruited player for the University of Notre Dame, arriving after having scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career. Carr lived up to his lofty billing by ending his three-year career at Notre Dame with 2,560 points (an average of 34.5 points per game), ranking him fifth all-time in college basketball history at the time of his departure. During his final two seasons, Carr became only the second college player ever to tally more than 1,000 points in a season, joining Pete Maravich in that select group. Carr holds NCAA tournament records for most points in one game (61 vs. Ohio in 1970), most field goals in one game (25), and most field goals attempted in one game (44). His record scoring average of 50 points per game in seven NCAA playoff games may never be broken. Recently, ESPN named Carr the 22nd greatest college basketball player of all time.
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Austin Rivers
Austin James Rivers (born August 1, 1992, in Santa Monica, California) is an American college basketball player for Duke University. Rivers led Winter Park High School to back-to-back Florida 6A state championships in 2010 and 2011. He also played in the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit for the USA National Team, and in addition, Rivers also participated in the 2011 McDonald's All-American Game. Rivers was one of the top rated high school basketball players in the class of 2011, being rated as high as No. 1 by Rivals.com. On September 30, 2010, Rivers committed to Duke University. His father, Doc Rivers, coaches the Boston Celtics. His older brother, Jeremiah Rivers, plays for KK Mega Vizura in Serbia. His older sister, Callie Rivers, played volleyball for the University of Florida.
Rivers was ranked #1 by Rivals.com, while being rated as the #3 player by ESPN and Scout.com. In 2010, Rivers led Winter Park High School to the school's first state title in a 76-57 win against Dr. Phillips High School in the 6A state championship. Rivers scored 23 points in the game. In June 2010, Rivers was a part of the gold medal winning team at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship. He set a team USA record for an U18 event with 35 points against Canada. On August 5, 2010, Rivers was named to the 5th annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 game, where he was named co-MVP. He had 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. On March 5, 2011, Rivers led Winter Park to back to back Florida 6A state championships with a 52-44 victory over Dr. Phillips High School, in which he had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 steals.
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Barry Parkhill
Barry Parkhill (born May 11, 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1st round (15th overall) of the 1973 NBA Draft but elected to play in the American Basketball Association instead. A 6' 4" (1.93 m) guard-forward from the University of Virginia, Parkhill played in three ABA seasons for 2 different teams. He played for the Virginia Squires and the Spirits of St. Louis.
In his ABA career, Parkhill played in 173 games and scored a total of 970 points. His best year as a professional came during the 1975 season with the Virginia Squires appearing in 78 games and scoring 607 points.
Parkhill was named the ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year and the ACC Athlete of the Year for the 1971-1972 season when he averaged 21.6 points per game and led the Cavaliers to their second postseason appearance in school history. His number 40 was retired at the end of his senior season. In 2002, Parkhill was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.
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Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley (born July 28, 1943) is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.
Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St. Louis and excelled at basketball from an early age. He was a member of the Boy Scouts, did well academically and was an all-county and all-state basketball player in high school. He was offered 75 college scholarships, but declined them all to attend Princeton University. He earned a gold medal as a member of the 1964 Olympic basketball team and was the NCAA Player of the Year in 1965. After graduating in 1965, he attended Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, delaying a decision for two years on whether or not to play in the NBA.
While at Oxford, Bradley played one season of professional basketball in Europe, and eventually decided to join the New York Knicks in the 1967–68 season, after serving six months in the Air Force Reserve. He spent his entire ten-year professional basketball career playing for the Knicks, winning two championship titles. Retiring in 1977, he ran for a seat in the United States Senate the following year, from his adopted home state of New Jersey. He was re-elected in 1984 and 1990, left the Senate in 1997, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the 2000 Democratic presidential nomination.
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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 Spivey
William "Bill" Spivey (March 19, 1929 – May 8, 1995) was an American basketball player. A 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) center, he played college basketball for the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Kentucky Wildcats from 1949 to 1951. After his high school career, Spivey was recruited to the University of Kentucky. During his time with the Wildcats, he led the team to the 1951 NCAA Tournament championship, and was voted Most Outstanding Player of the event. When a point shaving scandal was revealed that year, Spivey was accused of being involved, which he denied. He left the Wildcats in December 1951, and the university banned him from the squad in March 1952.
After he testified before a grand jury in New York, he was indicted on perjury charges. Although Spivey was not convicted when the case went to trial in 1953, he was prevented from competing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) afterward. Spivey instead played professionally for various minor league teams. In 10 Eastern Basketball League (EBL) seasons, his teams won three championships. Spivey retired in 1968 and became a businessman, working in sales and operating restaurants. Upset by the accusations against him in the early 1950s, he was reclusive in his final years.
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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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Billy Cunningham
William John "Billy" Cunningham (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.
Billy Cunningham was born in Brooklyn, New York. His fame began while he was playing at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where he was the MVP in the Brooklyn League in 1961. That year, he was the First-Team All-New York City, and a member of the Parade Magazine All-America Team.
Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. Cunningham also set a single-game North Carolina record with 48 points against Tulane on December 10, 1964. In his UNC career, he scored 1,709 points (24.8 points per game), and grabbed 1,062 rebounds (15.4 rebounds per game). Upon graduation, his 1,062 rebounds were the best in North Carolina history and he held seasonal records for most rebounds (379 in 1964) and rebound average (16.1 in 1963).
In 1965, Cunningham joined the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association as a sixth man and played well enough to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.
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Billy King
Billy King (born January 23, 1966) is the general manager of the New Jersey Nets, and former general manager and team president of the Philadelphia 76ers. King grew up in Sterling, Virginia where he played basketball at Park View High School, and received a scholarship to play at Duke University. He was known primarily for his tough defense. In his senior season, he served as a captain of Duke's 1988 Final Four team. King joined the 76ers on June 2, 1997, as Vice-President of basketball administration. On May 19, 1998, he was promoted to General Manager, and on April 5, 2000, he signed a new year contract to stay with the team for an extended term. On May 26, 2003 he was named President along with General Manager. He married Melanie Lynn Frantz on August 27, 2005.
In 2005, King and other individuals became prominent investors in a Foxwoods slots casino proposed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In September 2008, facing massive opposition at the originally proposed waterfront location, backers for the slots casino decided to seek a new location in the Center City area, next to Philadelphia's Chinatown community. As of January, 2009, the casino still does not have a building permit.
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Blake Griffin
Blake Austin Griffin (born March 16, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Griffin had a renowned high school career at Oklahoma Christian School, winning state titles each of his four years under his father, Tommy Griffin, who was the head coach. He played college basketball for the University of Oklahoma Sooners and was awarded numerous accolades in his second year including the Naismith College Player of the Year, Oscar Robertson Trophy and the John Wooden Award.
Griffin left college after two seasons to enter the 2009 NBA Draft where he was selected first overall by the Clippers. In his first season, he broke his left kneecap, which he injured during the final pre-season game, and underwent surgery missing the entire 2009–10 season. He made his NBA debut as a rookie the following season and was selected as an All-Star, won the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. In 2011, Sports Illustrated ranked him as one of the NBA's 15 Greatest Rookies of All Time.
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Bob Kurland
Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland (born December 23, 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri) was a 7 feet (2.1 m) basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies (now Oklahoma State Cowboys) basketball team. He was an integral part of the team's consecutive NCAA titles in 1945 and 1946.
Because Kurland often leaped above the rim to grab opponents' shots, the NCAA banned defensive goaltending in 1945. Kurland was also the first person to regularly dunk during games. The rivalry between him and De Paul's George Mikan would foreshadow similar matchups, especially those of "Big Men".
Kurland never played professional basketball, passing up the newly formed Basketball Association of America and National Basketball League (which would merge, forming the National Basketball Association), to play for Phillips Petroleum's A.A.U. team, the 66 Oilers. Kurland played for six years with Phillips, winning three championships. Since he never played professionally, he was eligible as an amateur for the 1948 and 1952 Olympics.
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Bob McAdoo
Robert Allen 'Bob' McAdoo (born September 25, 1951) is a retired American professional basketball player who spent a fourteen-year career playing the center and power forward positions in the National Basketball Association. McAdoo is currently an assistant coach for the Miami Heat.
Drafted in the first round of the 1972 NBA Draft by the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) following two seasons at Vincennes Junior College, and one season at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, McAdoo soon became one of the NBA's premier players. McAdoo won the 1973 NBA Rookie of the Year Award in his first season, and earned the first of three consecutive NBA scoring titles in only his second season. His 2nd season (1973–74) remains the last time an NBA player has averaged both 30.0 points per game and 15.0 rebounds per game over the course of a season. McAdoo also led the NBA in field goal percentage in 1973-74, shooting 54.7 percent. That year he enjoyed his first of five All-Star selections. In 1974-75 he was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, averaging 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.12 blocks per game, while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 80.5 percent from the free throw line. He also led the league in fan voting for the 1975 All-Star Game with 98,325 votes.
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Bobby Bryant
Bobby Bryant (born January 24, 1944) was a cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings during the days of the Purple People Eaters (1968–1980). Bryant was a fierce competitor despite his size (his playing weight probably never exceeded 170 pounds) leading to the nickname "Bones". Predictably, he was often injured during his career, but when healthy, he was known as a big-play cornerback, often making a key interception to win a big game or to preserve a win when it appeared the opponent was about to score. Bryant is second on the Vikings all-time list with 51 career interceptions. (Paul Krause leads with 53). He was named to the 1975 and 1976 NFC Pro Bowl squads. He is one of 10 Vikings to have played in all four of their Super Bowls in the 1970s. He also played on special teams returning kicks and punts and was known for blowing kisses to the crowd.
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Bobby Hurley
Robert Matthew 'Bobby' Hurley (born June 28, 1971) is an American former basketball player and currently the associate head coach at the University of Rhode Island along with his brother Dan Hurley, who was named head coach on March 20, 2012.
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Hurley was a basketball star at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, where his father, Bob Hurley Sr., is the longtime coach. While at St. Anthony, from 1985 to 1989, Hurley led the team to four consecutive Parochial B state titles. In his senior year he averaged 20 points, 8 assists and 3 steals, as St. Anthony racked up a 32-0 record, the school's first Tournament of Champions crown, and the No. 1 ranking in the United States. In his high school career the team's overall record with Hurley as point guard was 115-5.
Hurley was a point guard for Duke University's men's basketball team from 1989-1993. He was a first-team All-American in 1993, went to the Final Four three times, and led the Blue Devils to back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992, earning Final Four MVP honors in 1992. Hurley remains the NCAA all-time assists leader with 1076 assists, and Duke's single game assist leader with 16 (against Florida State on February 24, 1993). His Duke jersey number 11 was retired in 1993. In 2002, Hurley was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. At Duke, Hurley was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
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Bobby Simmons
Bobby Simmons (born June 2, 1980) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2007.
Simmons played three years of college basketball for DePaul University. During his three seasons at DePaul, Simmons averaged 13.6 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game.
Simmons was selected in the second round (41st pick overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. Simmons's draft rights were traded to the Washington Wizards for Predrag Drobnjak on June 27, 2001.
Simmons was traded by the Wizards on September 11, 2002, shortly before the start of the 2002–03 NBA season, to the Detroit Pistons with Hubert Davis and Richard Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse, Brian Cardinal, and Ratko Varda. He was released by the Pistons on September 24 and, less than two weeks later, signed with the Wizards again on October 10. Later, Simmons signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on September 26, 2003.
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Brandon Armstrong
Brandon Simone Armstrong (born June 16, 1980 in San Francisco, California) is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA.
He played college basketball at Pepperdine University, and was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 23rd overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, but was traded, along with fellow Rockets draft picks Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for the draft rights to New Jersey's Eddie Griffin.
In three seasons with the Nets, Armstrong averaged 2.2 points per game. In the 2004 preseason he played for Golden State Warriors, but he was waived before the regular season began. From July to November 2005, he played in Italy for BT Roseto. In the 2006-07 season, he played for the NBA Development League's Dakota Wizards,Anaheim Arsenal and Bakersfield Jam. In the 2007-2008 season, Armstrong played for the SKK Kotwica Kolobrzeg in Poland.
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Brandon Jennings
Brandon Jennings (born September 23, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays at point guard.
Jennings was a highly acclaimed high school player, averaging 32.7 points and 7.4 assists as a senior, and won all major player of the year awards in his senior year. After graduating from Oak Hill Academy, he decided to play professional basketball with the Italian club Lottomatica Roma instead of playing collegiately for the University of Arizona Wildcats, leading to controversy and debate on the NBA's "prep-to-pro" policy adopted in 2006. After a year in Italy, Jennings declared for the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected 10th overall by the Bucks.
Brandon Jennings was born to Alice Knox. He has a brother named Terrence Phillips.
Jennings attended Dominguez High School in Compton, California for his freshman and sophomore year. Before his junior year, Jennings transferred to powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. In his last year of high school, Jennings averaged 32.7 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game and set the school record for points in a season. This performance earned him some of high school basketball’s most prestigious awards: the 2008 Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, 2007–08 Gatorade Player of the Year (Virginia), 2008 Parade Magazine Player of the Year and 2008 EA Sports Player of the Year. He led his 2006–2007 team to a 41–1 record and the top ranking in the USA Today Super 25 list of high school teams. He was rated as the nation's #1 high school basketball prospect in the class of 2008 by Scout.com, the #1 prospect in the ESPNU 150, and the #4 prospect by Rivals.com.
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Brendan Haywood
Brendan Todd Haywood (born November 27, 1979, in New York City, United States) is an American professional basketball player. The 7' 0", 263-lb. center currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association.
As a senior at James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, Haywood won the Gatorade North Carolina Basketball Player of the Year. He was named to the 1997 McDonald's All-American Team.
After graduation, Haywood enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the 1997–98 season. Haywood was recruited by legendary Tar Heel basketball coach Dean Smith, but the coach retired shortly after Haywood's arrival on campus and turned the job over to his assistant, Bill Guthridge. Haywood backed up Makhtar N'Diaye at the center position his freshman season, and was the most-used bench player after the six rotating starters (Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota, Ademola Okulaja and N'diaye). That season, the Tar Heels advanced to the National Semifinals of the 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
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Brett Winkelman
Brett Winkelman (born January 30, 1986) is an American basketball player for the Brazilian team Minas Tênis Clube.
From 2005 to 2009 Winkelman played for the North Dakota State Bison men's basketball. He earned all-independent honors in 2007 and in 2008 and 2009 he was selected to the First-team All-Summit League. In 2009 Winkelman helped lead the Bison to a Summit League Tournament victory and an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Brett Winkelman holds the NDSU all-time rebound record and sits second to teammate Ben Woodside on the NDSU all-time scoring record list. In July 2009, he signed with Nuova Pallacanestro Pavia in Italy. In February 2010 he moved to Poland (Anwil Włocławek).
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Brian Piccolo
Louis Brian Piccolo (October 31, 1943 – June 16, 1970) was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears for four years. He died from embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer, first diagnosed after it had spread to his chest cavity. He was the subject of the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, with a remake (of the same title) TV movie filmed in 2001. Piccolo was portrayed in the original film by James Caan and by Sean Maher in the 2001 remake.
Brian Piccolo – the youngest of three sons – was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Joseph and Irene (1909-2011) Piccolo. The family moved south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida when Piccolo was twelve, due to his parents' concerns for his brother Don's health. Piccolo and his brothers were athletes and Brian Piccolo was a star running back on his high school football team, but considered baseball his primary sport.[citation needed] He graduated from the former Central Catholic High School (now St. Thomas Aquinas High School) in Fort Lauderdale in 1961.
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Brian Scalabrine
Brian David Scalabrine (born March 18, 1978) is an American professional basketball forward with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Enumclaw, Washington, Scalabrine attended the University of Southern California after transferring from Highline Community College. As a member of the USC Trojans men's basketball team, Scalabrine was the top average scorer and a leader in field goals and rebounds. He also played at the center position in college.
The New Jersey Nets selected him in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft. The Nets made the 2002 NBA Finals during his rookie season, and Scalabrine played four seasons with the team. In 2005, he signed with the Boston Celtics and won a championship with the team in 2008. The Celtics also appeared in the 2010 NBA Finals, and Scalabrine signed with the Chicago Bulls the following season. Throughout his NBA career, Scalabrine has served as a backup power forward.
Born in Long Beach, California, Scalabrine was one of four children in his family and graduated from Enumclaw High School at Enumclaw, Washington in 1996. He is of Italian ancestry. He enrolled at Highline Community College in 1996, played his first year with its basketball team the Thunderbirds, and redshirted his second year. As a freshman at Highline, Scalabrine averaged averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. In 17 games, he made double-doubles, and he lead the team in rebounds, blocks, and free throw percentage (75%). The Thunderbirds went 31-1 in the 1996–97 season and won the state junior college championship. Scalabrine was a Northern Division All-Star in 1997 as well as part of the All-Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Championship Tournament Team.
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Brian Windhorst
Brian Windhorst, also known as "Windy" or "Scoop", (born January 29, 1978) is an American sportswriter for ESPN.com who covers the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer for the Akron Beacon Journal from 2003 through the summer of 2008, and began to work for Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer in October 2008. He moved to ESPN in 2010 after LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
He picked up the nickname Scoop at the Beacon Journal when he was working as a part-timer. He would bring in news items on local high schools, eventually earning the nickname Scoop.
Windhorst attended high school in Akron, Ohio at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School, the same school that James would later attend, and graduated from Kent State University with a degree in journalism in 2000. Windhorst began covering James during his high school playing career, and began covering the Cavaliers in 2003, the year that James was drafted. While James was the youngest player in the NBA, Windhorst was the youngest traveling NBA beat writer. In 2007 he co-wrote The Franchise: LeBron James and the Remaking of the Cleveland Cavaliers with renowned sports columnist Terry Pluto. His writing at The Plain Dealer was honored by the United States Basketball Writers Association for Best Game Story in 2009, and by the Associated Press.
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Bryan Bracey
Bryan Patrick Bracey (born August 5, 1978) is an American basketball player. He played his college basketball at the University of Oregon that he attended and was a first team All-Pac-10 selection in 2001. He was chosen in the second round (57th pick overall, the last pick) of the 2001 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
Bracey was born in Chicago and graduated from Oak Park High School at Oak Park, Illinois in 1997. Bracey also has Irish citizenship. He attended Malcolm X College, part of the City Colleges of Chicago, before transferring to the University of Oregon in 1999. By 2001, Bracey became the leading scorer in the Pac-10 (20.3 points per game) and led the Oregon Ducks with 7.5 rebounds per game.
In the 2001 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Bracey as the 57th pick, the final overall pick. Bracey debuted professionally with the Fayetteville Patriots of the NBA Development League but played only one game with that team. Bracey signed with Bnei Herzliya of Israeli Basketball Super League at the end of November 2001. He was credited for helping Herzliya rally from an 0-10 start in the season. Bracey left Israel in April 2002, during the Battle of Jenin.
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Butch Lee
Alfred "Butch" Lee (born December 5, 1956) is a retired Puerto Rican-born professional basketball player. He is the first Puerto Rican national to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lee played in the NCAA, NBA, and National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico (BSN). He played for the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Los Angeles Lakers while in the NBA. Lee was a member of the Puerto Rican national basketball team, including the 1976 Puerto Rican squad that came close to defeating the United States. Most notably, Lee was selected as the Most Outstanding Player at the 1977 Final Four where he led the Marquette Warriors to the school's first national championship. Lee earned All-American honors as both a junior and senior while at Marquette University. The university later retired Lee's jersey.
Lee was born in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico to an American couple. Lee's family moved to Harlem, New York, U.S., when he was a young child. There he went on to become a 1st Team, PSAL All City basketball player and honor student at the DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx.
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Calbert Cheaney
Calbert Nathaniel Cheaney (born July 17, 1971 in Evansville, Indiana) is a retired basketball player and currently director of basketball operations for Indiana University. During a thirteen year NBA career, Cheaney played for five different teams, averaging 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds.
Cheaney played high school ball at William Henry Harrison High School in Evansville and was selected to the 1989 Indiana All-Star team. Cheaney was a high school stand-out, but few would have predicted he would capture the Naismith Award.
Cheaney played both shooting guard and small forward at Indiana University for head coach Bob Knight. He was Knight's first left-handed player and began his career with a flash, scoring 20 points in the season opener of his freshman year (the only Indiana freshman to ever do so).
Cheaney was known as a smooth leader all four years at Indiana. During the last three of his years at Indiana, the team spent all but two of the 53 poll weeks in the top 10, and 38 of them in the top 5. The Hoosiers were 87-16 (.845) those years and a 46-8 (.852) mark in the Big Ten Conference. Of the four years Cheaney played the Hoosiers went 105-27 and captured two Big Ten crowns ('91 and '93). The 105 games won during Cheaney's four years is the most of any Hoosier.
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Carlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. (born November 20, 1981) is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association. As a member of the Team USA, Boozer won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Although born at a military base in Aschaffenburg, West Germany, Boozer grew up in Juneau, Alaska, in the US. As a child, Boozer and his father practiced outside at his local middle school, throughout the cold Alaska seasons. He attended Juneau-Douglas High School. Boozer was married to his wife CeCe for six years before he filed for divorce in March 2009. Boozer and CeCe have three children together: Carmani (who had a bone marrow transplant in 2007 to treat sickle-cell disease), and twins, Cameron and Cayden. He also has a younger brother, Charles, who previously played basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones. Boozer was reported as having an affair with actress Michelle Money, which Money later confirmed.
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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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Casey Jacobsen
Casey Gardner Jacobsen (born March 19, 1981 in Glendora, California) is an American professional basketball player for Brose Baskets of the German Bundesliga League.
He has had an extensive European basketball career and he has previously played for the Brose Baskets. There he won the 2007 German Basketball Championship and received the German League Finals MVP Award. Before that, Jacobsen was signed and subsequently waived by the Houston Rockets on October 27, 2006.
Casey played at Glendora High School, and he was a McDonald's All-American. After that, he attended Stanford University, where he scored a career high of 49 points against Arizona State University on January 31, 2002. He was a First Team All-American his sophomore year and a Second Team All-American his junior year. Casey was also a three-time All-Pac 10 selection. In his three years in college with Stanford, he finished #3 in points scored (1,723), #6 in points per game (18.1), #2 in 3-point goals (222), and #4 in 3 point percentage (.427).
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Cazzie Russell
Cazzie Lee Russell (born June 7, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former pro basketball player and coach. In 1962, Russell was named the Chicago Sun Times Boy's Player of the Year.
Russell played college basketball at the University of Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles (1964–66) and to Final Four appearances in 1964 and 1965, losing in the final game 91-80 to defending national champion UCLA and John Wooden. In 1966, Russell averaged 30.8 points per game and was named the College Basketball Player of the Year. Crisler Arena, which opened in 1967, has been dubbed The House that Cazzie Built.
Russell spent twelve seasons in the NBA (1966-1978), and is best remembered for his five seasons with the New York Knicks (1966-71). Russell was the NBA's first draft pick in 1966, and was named to the 1967 All-Rookie Team. He was later part of the famous 1970 Knicks team that won the NBA championship over the Los Angeles Lakers. Russell played in the 1972 NBA All-Star Game while with the Golden State Warriors. When he played for the Lakers, he was the last player to wear #32 prior to Magic Johnson.
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Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is a former American professional basketball player and current analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's (NBA's) most dominating power forwards. He was selected to the All-NBA First Team five times, the All-NBA Second Team five times, and once to the All-NBA Third Team. He earned eleven NBA All-Star Game appearances and was named the All-Star MVP in 1991. In 1993, he was voted the league's Most Valuable Player and during the NBA's 50th anniversary, named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games and won two gold medals as a member of the United States' Dream Team. In 2006, Barkley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Barkley was popular with the fans and media and made the NBA's All-Interview Team for his last 13 seasons in the league. He was frequently involved in on- and off-court fights and sometimes stirred national controversy, as in March 1991 when he mistakenly spat on a young girl, and as in 1993 when he declared that sports figures should not be considered role models. Short for a power forward, Barkley used his strength and aggressiveness to become one of the NBA's most dominant rebounders. He was a versatile player who had the ability to score, create plays, and defend. In 2000, he retired as the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists.
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Charlie Scott
Charles Thomas Scott (born December 15, 1948 in New York City, New York) is an American former professional basketball player. He played two seasons in the now-defunct American Basketball Association (ABA) and eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A 6'5" (1.96 m) guard/forward from the Laurinburg Institute (following one year at New York's Stuyvesant High School) and the University of North Carolina, where he was the first black scholarship athlete. Scott averaged 22.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game at UNC. He was the first person of color to join a fraternity at the University of North Carolina, St. Anthony Hall, in 1967. Scott was a gold medalist at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Scott was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1970 but he had already signed a contract with the Virginia Squires of the ABA. Scott was named ABA Rookie of the Year after averaging 27.1 points per game. During his second season with the Squires, he set the ABA record for highest scoring average in one season (34.6 points per game). However, he became dissatisfied with life in the ABA and joined the NBA's Phoenix Suns in 1972. At that point, he briefly went by the name Shaheed Abdul-Aleem.
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Charlie Ward
Charlie Ward, Jr. (born October 12, 1970) is a retired American professional NBA basketball player, college football Heisman Trophy winner, Davey O'Brien Award winner and a Major League Baseball draftee. Ward is considered one of the best all-around athletes in the last quarter century. He was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame with Emmitt Smith and Bobby Bowden in 2006.
Ward won the 1993 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Davey O'Brien Award as a quarterback for Florida State University, and subsequently led the Seminoles to their first-ever National Championship when FSU defeated Nebraska 18–16 in the 1993 Orange Bowl. The Seminoles had suffered their only defeat of the season to a second-ranked Notre Dame team, but their path to the National Championship was cleared a week later when the Irish were upset at home by Boston College. Ward holds the second-largest margin of victory in the history of Heisman trophy balloting, with a 1,622 point difference, second only to O.J. Simpson's 1,750 point win in 1968. He was also the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA. In 1993, Charlie Ward won the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh (born March 24, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A high school "Mr. Basketball" in Texas, Bosh left college at Georgia Tech after one season with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team to enter the 2003 NBA Draft. He was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors in a very competitive draft class. While at Toronto, Bosh emerged as one of the young stars in the league; he became a five-time NBA All-Star, was named to the All-NBA second team once, appeared for the US national team (with whom he won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics), and took over former fan-favorite Vince Carter as the face and leader of the Raptors franchise. In the 2006–07 season, Bosh led the Raptors to their first NBA Playoffs berth in five years, and their first ever division title. He left Toronto as its all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double doubles, free throws made and attempted, and minutes played.
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Chris Carrawell
Chris Carrawell (born November 25, 1977 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American professional basketball player who was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2nd round (41st overall) of the 2000 NBA Draft.
Born in a rough inner-city neighborhood in north St. Louis and never getting to meet his father, Carrawell attended high school at Cardinal Ritter College Prep in St. Louis. Among his teammates were future NBA players Loren Woods and Jahidi White. In four years on the Cardinal Ritter varsity, he led the team to an overall 80-13 record, including a three-year undefeated streak at home. Carrawell was a USA today Top 40 All American going into his junior season, where he averaged 20.6 points per game as Cardinal Ritter won the state's Class AA championnship. The following season, Cardinal Ritter defended its state title. Carrawell again led the team, averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds per game. Carrawell was named conference Player of the Year twice, earned Central Region honors as Gatorade Player of the Year, and was a fourth-team Parade All-American. He set school career records for points, rebounds, and assists. Cardinal Ritter made USA Today's list of the top 25 high school teams in the country twice during Carrawell's prep career.
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Chris Duhon
Chris Nicholas Duhon (born August 31, 1982, in Mamou, Louisiana) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic. Duhon was a point guard for the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team from 2000 to 2004, the Chicago Bulls from 2004 to 2008, and the New York Knicks from 2008 to 2010, and presently plays for the Orlando Magic. Fellow NBA player Jarrett Jack is his cousin.
In his senior year at Salmen High School in Slidell, Louisiana, Duhon was voted Mr. Basketball for the state of Louisiana, made the McDonald's All-American Team, and won the McDonald's Three Point Shootout.
Duhon arrived at Duke in 2000, where he was an important role player, playing backup to point guard Jason Williams. Following the injury of teammate Carlos Boozer, Duhon was placed into the starting lineup as point guard, with Williams moving to shooting guard, a combination which Duhon played well in. The Duke Blue Devils went on to win the 2001 national championship, defeating Arizona in the finals.
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Chris Mihm
Christopher Steven Mihm (born July 16, 1979) is an American former professional basketball center. After playing college basketball at Texas, he was drafted with the 7th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
Mihm was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Gary and Nina Mihm. At the age of fourteen, he was ranked among Texas' top tennis players in his age group. Mihm attended Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where he became an all-state player by his senior year.
Mihm played his college basketball in University of Texas at Austin and is currently their all-time leader in blocks (264) while ranking second in rebounds, second in double-doubles, and first in every blocked shot category. In his junior season, Mihm was a first-team All-American selection.
Mihm was picked 7th overall by the Chicago Bulls but was then traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jamal Crawford. In his first season, he was injured three times in that season which forced him to miss 26 games. In his second season with the Cavaliers, he started 60 of his 74 games but missed eight games with a right knee contusion. In his third season, he missed his first 27 games due to a strained left hamstring. In fourth and final season with the Cavaliers, he played 22 games for them. He was traded by the Cavaliers with Ricky Davis, Michael Stewart and a second-round draft choice to the Boston Celtics for Tony Battie, Kedrick Brown and Eric Williams.
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Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul Sr. (born May 6, 1985) is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake Forest University. After his sophomore year with the Demon Deacons, he declared for the draft. Since being selected 4th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets, Paul has been a NBA Rookie of the Year (2006), a five-time All-Star, and a multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive team honoree. He led the Hornets to the second round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. He has also won an Olympic Gold Medal with the United States national basketball team.
Off the court, Paul has also achieved success in the sport of bowling and is a sponsored spokesperson for the United States Bowling Congress (USBC). He has participated in numerous celebrity and youth bowling events as the head of the CP3 Foundation to benefit programs in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, and charities in Winston-Salem.
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Chris Rotelli
Chris Rotelli (born December 18, 1979) is a professional lacrosse player who had a standout collegiate career at the University of Virginia before going on to the professional ranks in Major League Lacrosse.
A native of Rumford, Rhode Island, Chris Rotelli played high school lacrosse at Moses Brown School, where he was a three-time high school All-American and four-time All-State selection. He then attended the University of Virginia from 2000 to 2003, where he became one of the most decorated midfielders in Cavaliers history. As a senior in 2003, Rotelli helped lead the team to the 2003 NCAA Division I National Championship. He was the team's leading scorer with 49 points and was among the ACC leaders in scoring, goals, and assists. That year, he won the Tewaaraton Trophy as the nation's top college lacrosse player, the McLaughlin Award as the nation's best midfielder, the ACC Player of the Year, and was selected as a First Team All-American by the USILA. In addition, he became the first lacrosse player in history to win the ACC Male Athlete of the Year award (Anthony J. McKevlin Award) and was the first overall pick in the Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft.
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Chris Webber
Mayce Edward Christopher "Chris" Webber III (born March 1, 1973), nicknamed C-Webb, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a former All-NBA First Teamer, a former NBA Rookie of the Year, and a former #1 overall NBA Draftee. As a collegiate athlete, he was an NCAA Men's Basketball first team All-American and led the University of Michigan Wolverines' 1991 incoming freshman class known as the Fab Five that reached the 1992 & 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games as freshmen and sophomores. However, Webber was indicted by a federal grand jury and stripped of his All-American honors by the NCAA as a result of his direct involvement in the Ed Martin scandal. He is also a former National High School Basketball Player of the Year who led his high school Detroit Country Day to three Michigan State High School Basketball Championships.
Webber attended Detroit Country Day School and at the time was the most recruited Michigan high school basketball player since Magic Johnson. Webber led Country Day to three MHSAA State championships. As a senior in high school Webber averaged 29.4 points and 13 rebounds per game. He was named Michigan's Mr. Basketball and the 1990–1991 National High School player of the year. He was named MVP in both the McDonald's and Dapper Dan All-Star games.
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Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner (born August 17, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, and basketball coach. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He was also a minority holder in the Major League Soccer (MLS) club D.C. United from 2007 until 2009, when William Chang bought out the remaining investors to take full control of the club. He is a current assistant coach of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.
Laettner played college basketball for the Duke University Blue Devils, starring on the 1991 and 1992 NCAA champion teams. He was the only college player selected for the 1992 United States men's Olympic team, nicknamed the "Dream Team." Sometimes considered the greatest team ever assembled in any sport, the Dream Team went on to win the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Laettner was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1992 NBA draft and went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA.
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Clarkston Hines
Clarkston Hines (born March 21, 1967 ) is a retired American football player.
Hines graduated from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. While at Bolles, he was an all-state selection in both football and basketball.
He then attended Duke University, where he was an All-American football player. In 1989. he caught an ACC-record 17 touchdown passes and was named the ACC Football Offensive Player of the Year. He led the conference in receiving for three consecutive years in 1987, 1988 and 1989, and completed his career holding conference marks in pass receptions (189), reception yardage (3,318) and touchdown receptions (38). He was also named the 1990 ACC Male Athlete of the Year.
After graduating from Duke, Hines was a ninth round selection of the Buffalo Bills in the 1990 NFL Draft.
Clarkston is currently the Vice President of DaVita Inc., a large healthcare company. He and his wife Kathy reside in Statesville, North Carolina, with their four children.
He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
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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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Cole Aldrich
Cole David Aldrich (born October 31, 1988) is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended Bloomington Jefferson High School. The New Orleans Hornets selected Aldrich eleventh overall in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft.
Cole went to junior high at Bloomington Lutheran School in Bloomington, Minnesota, where he was coached by former NBA player Randy Breuer.
Aldrich attended Bloomington Jefferson High School in Bloomington, Minnesota. As a senior, he was named state player of the year by the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
During the 2007–08 season at Kansas, Aldrich's freshman season, his playing time was limited due to playing behind future NBA draft picks Darrell Arthur, Sasha Kaun, and Darnell Jackson. He averaged three rebounds and 2.8 points a game on 8.3 minutes a game during the regular season. Statistically, Aldrich's best performance was an 11-point, 11-rebound outing in a win over Texas Tech on March 3, 2008. Probably the most crucial game for Aldrich was during the Final Four game between Kansas and North Carolina on April 5, 2008, when he played only 16 minutes but managed to grab 8 rebounds and score 7 points along with blocking 4 shots while also playing effective defense against National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, helping lead Kansas into the NCAA national championship game. They then defeated the Memphis Tigers to win their first Championship since 1988.
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Corey Brewer
Corey Wayne Brewer (born March 5, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who plays as a small forward and shooting guard for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he starred on the Florida Gators teams that won back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2006 and 2007. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 NCAA tournament.
Brewer attended Portland High School, where he played high school basketball for the Portland Panthers. As a senior in 2003–2004, Brewer averaged 29.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and was named the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Class 2A "Mr.Basketball" and a McDonald's All American.
He was projected by ESPN.com's Chad Ford to be a lottery pick to mid-first round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft if he had entered the draft that year. However, Brewer, along with teammates Joakim Noah and Al Horford announced at the championship pep rally that they would be returning for their junior seasons. On April 5, 2007 Brewer chose to enter the NBA draft. Brewer was selected seventh overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2007 NBA Draft.
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Corliss Williamson
Corliss Mondari Williamson (born December 4, 1973) is the current head basketball coach for the University of Central Arkansas and a retired American professional basketball player, who played for four teams during his 12-year NBA career. His nickname is "Big Nasty", a moniker he received from his cousin when he was 13. Williamson was a dominating power forward in college, but became an undersized power forward in the NBA and mostly played at the small forward position.
Corliss Williamson played basketball at Russellville High School, where he achieved numerous accolades. He was a three-time all-conference and all-state selection, and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992. Prior to his senior year, Williamson held his own against Chris Webber in an AAU championship game, getting 37 points to Webber's 38 points. As a senior Williamson averaged twenty-eight points and nine rebounds per game, and led his team to the King Cotton Classic championship. In that title game, Russellville defeated a team led by Jason Kidd, with Williamson blocking a potential game-winner by Kidd at the buzzer. Williamson was named tournament MVP, but gave his medal to Kidd at the award podium. Williamson closed out his career with a selection to play in the 1992 McDonald's All-American Game. He came in second in scoring to game MVP Othella Harrington, with fourteen points, and also had ten rebounds. His #34 jersey has been retired by Russellville High and hangs on the wall of the school's arena, along with his McDonald's All-American jersey.
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Courtney Alexander
Courtney Jason Alexander (born April 27, 1977 in Bridgeport, Connecticut) is an American former professional basketball player who was a member of three teams in the NBA. He is one of Grant Hill's cousins.
After playing high school basketball at Masuk High School in Monroe, CT he moved to Durham, North Carolina to play for C. E. Jordan High School to finish his high school career, Alexander, a shooting guard, was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 13th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft after he played college basketball at University of Virginia and Fresno State; his rights were traded to the Dallas Mavericks on the same day. He led the nation in scoring in the 1999-2000 season at Fresno State. He played for the Mavericks before being traded during his rookie season to the Washington Wizards where he played until 2002. He was named to the All-Rookie 2nd Team. He was then traded in the offseason to the New Orleans Hornets. A highlight of his career was a 33-point effort for the Wizards against the Toronto Raptors on April 18, 2001 when Richard Hamilton was out with injuries. He later signed with the Sacramento Kings but was released before ever playing a game for them. On October 8, 2006, Alexander was signed by the Denver Nuggets after being out of the league for three seasons, but was waived on October 15.
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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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Dajuan Wagner
Dajuan Marquett Wagner (born on February 4, 1983) is an American former professional basketball player.
Wagner is the son of former University of Louisville and NBA player Milt Wagner. He was forced out of the NBA by debilitating health problems early into his career, but he made a comeback after undergoing major surgery to remove his colon.
Wagner had a phenomenal career at Camden High School and is perhaps better remembered for scoring 100 points in a high school game than his exploits at the collegiate and professional levels. He averaged 42.5 points as a senior, scored 3,462 points in high school (the most in New Jersey high school history, breaking former high school star Lorne Singleton's scoring record of 3,451 points) and scored 25 points in the McDonald's All-American Game.
He played one year of college basketball at the University of Memphis. His coach, John Calipari, revoked Wagner's scholarship after his freshman year to force him to enter the NBA, because Calipari believed that Wagner should not avoid the money he would receive as a first-round draft pick. Wagner was chosen the sixth overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Often compared to Allen Iverson for his scoring ability, he had mixed success in his rookie season; although he averaged 13.4 points per game, he shot only 36.9% from the field. Wagner was hampered by injuries and health problems thereafter. He averaged a career low 4.0 points in only 11 games played during the 2004-05 season, and was hospitalized for ulcerative colitis. The Cavaliers did not exercise their option on his contract for the 2005-06 season and subsequently Wagner was out of the league.
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Dale Hall
Dale Stanley Hall (June 21, 1924 – August 23, 1996) was an American football and basketball player and coach. He played football and basketball at the United States Military Academy, where he was a two-time All-American in backetball and was named the Sporting News Men's College Basketball Player of the Year in 1945. Hall served as the head football coach at West Point from 1959 to 1961, compiling a record of 16–11–2. He was also the head basketball coach at the University of New Hampshire during the 1951–52 season, tallying a mark of 11–9.
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Damon Bailey
Damon Bailey (born October 21, 1971 in Heltonville, Indiana) is a retired American basketball player. Bailey shot to national prominence after being recruited by Indiana coach Bob Knight as an 8th grader, an unusual event at the time. Bailey went on to become Indiana's all-time high school leading scorer and would earn All-America honors playing for the Indiana Hoosiers. He became a cult figure during the late '80′s and early '90′s in Indiana.
In early 1986, when Bailey was a 14-year-old eighth-grader, Indiana coach Bob Knight watched a game featuring Bailey's team. At the time, Knight and his 1985-86 team were being covered by author John Feinstein for his book A Season on the Brink, which would later go on to be a major best-seller. After taking in the game, Knight went back to his team and said, "Damon Bailey is better than any guard we have right now. I don't mean potentially better, I mean better today." According to Feinstein, Knight's remarks about Bailey were largely intended to motivate Indiana's starting guard Steve Alford. However, due to the national and state-wide popularity of Feinstein's book, Bailey's legend took off.
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Damone Brown
Damone Lamar Brown (born June 28, 1979 in Buffalo, New York) is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He is a 6'9" and 212 lb forward. After playing college basketball at Syracuse University, he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft. Throughout his NBA career he has played for the 76ers, the Toronto Raptors, the New Jersey Nets and the Washington Wizards while averaging 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. He played seven games with the Indiana Pacers in the 2005-06 preseason.
In 2007, Brown was a member of the NBA Development League's Sioux Falls Skyforce. In the 2008 D-League Expansion Draft Brown had his rights drafted by the Reno Bighorns.
On February 26, 2009, Brown was arrested in Reno, Nevada and charged with money laundering in connection with a cocaine ring operating in Buffalo, New York.
As of January 2010, Brown was playing for the Buffalo Stampede of the PBL (Premier Basketball League).
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Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge (born March 17, 1959) is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics.
Ainge was a standout high school athlete, the only person to be a high school first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball. He then attended Brigham Young University, where he was named the national collegiate player of the year by the NABC and won the John R. Wooden Award. Following college, he played parts of three seasons in Major League Baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays and then was drafted in the National Basketball Association where he completed 14 seasons. He went on to coach the NBA's Phoenix Suns for three seasons before joining management of the Boston Celtics.
Born in Eugene, Oregon, Ainge starred in high school on his football team and led North Eugene High School to back-to-back state basketball championships in 1976 and 1977, earning all-state honors both years; he was considered one of the top prep football recruits in the state of Oregon. As a junior, he was named to the 1977 Parade magazine High School All-America team. Danny Ainge is the only person to be a high school first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball.
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Danny Ferry
Daniel John Willard "Danny" Ferry (born October 17, 1966) is a retired American professional basketball player and the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Considered one of the best high school basketball athletes in the country from the class of 1985, Danny Ferry was Parade Magazine's prep Player of the Year and one of the most highly recruited high school seniors in the nation before committing to Duke University. Known for his superb outside shooting, strong rebounding abilities and full-court vision while in college, Ferry's talents on the court likened him to that of a younger Larry Bird during his career with the three-time Final Four-bound Duke Blue Devils. The consensus All-American standout left Duke setting many school records while earning several national player of the year awards as one of the country's most celebrated college basketball athlete during his senior year. Drafted into the NBA in 1989 as the second overall pick in the draft, Ferry would go on to spend the majority of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers where he became the team's all-time leader in games played (723 games) until Žydrūnas Ilgauskas surpassed his record on December 2, 2009. Danny Ferry is ranked among the top 50 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) men's basketball players of all-time as well as one of Duke's top basketball players in the school's history.
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Danny Manning
Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning (born May 17, 1966 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi) is an American college basketball coach and retired player in the National Basketball Association. He is the current men's head coach at the University of Tulsa. After retiring from professional basketball Manning became an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas. He won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and again on the coaching staff in 2008.
Considered one of the greatest players in University of Kansas history, he led the 1988 Kansas Jayhawks to the National Championship against the Oklahoma Sooners. Manning left KU as its men's basketball program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder after leading the Jayhawks to the 1986 Final Four and the 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship. The 6-foot-10 forward was the all-time leading scorer in the Big Eight Conference with 2,951 career points. He won the Wooden, Naismith, and Eastman Awards as the college player of the year in 1988. In Kansas's 83-79 victory over the University of Oklahoma in the 1988 NCAA Final, Manning recorded 31 points, 18 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocked shots. For his seemingly single-handed performance in propelling the underdog Jayhawks to the title, as well as the Jayhawks' less-than-impressive record going into the NCAA tournament (21-11, most losses of any NCAA champion), the 1988 Kansas team was nicknamed "Danny and the Miracles" and Manning was honored as Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. A two-time All-American while at KU, Manning was later named the Big Eight Player of the Decade.
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Darrell Griffith
Darrell Steven Griffith (born June 16, 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky), also known by his nickname Dr. Dunkenstein, is a retired American basketball player who spent his entire professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association.
Griffith starred at Louisville Male High School and was heavily recruited by colleges all across the country. He decided to attend his hometown school, the University of Louisville, much to the delight of local fans.
He didn't disappoint, delivering the school's first-ever NCAA men's basketball championship in 1980. He scored 23 points in the Cardinals' 59-54 victory over UCLA in the championship game. Due to his strong performance, he was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Griffith totaled 825 points in his senior season, setting a school record. For his efforts, he was named First Team All-American by the Associated Press and was given the Wooden Award as the best college basketball player in the nation. He left college as Louisville's all-time leading scorer with 2,333 points in his career. His jersey number, 35, was retired during ceremonies after the 1980 season.
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Daryl Morey
Daryl Morey (born 1972) is an American sports executive. He is the current general manager of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He was named Assistant General Manager on April 3, 2006 and succeeded Carroll Dawson as General Manager on May 10, 2007. Morey came to the Rockets after serving three years as Senior Vice President of Operations and Information for the Boston Celtics. While with the Celtics, basketball operations was a key part of his responsibilities, including the development of analytical methods and technology to enhance basketball decisions related to the draft, trades, free agency and advance scouting of opponents for the coaching staff. His hiring follows the recent Moneyball trend of adding more advanced statistical-based analysis to the tradition use of qualitative scouting and basic statistics. Several teams have hired executives with non-traditional basketball backgrounds, but the Rockets are the first NBA team to hire a general manager in this vein. He continues to be the chairperson for the annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.
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Dave Sime
David William "Dave" Sime (born July 25, 1936) is an American former athlete. He never won a major title but he ranked as one of the fastest humans of all time, holding several sprint records during the late 1950s.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Sime grew up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where he attended Fair Lawn High School. Sime came to prominence in 1956 while attending Duke University as a member of the baseball and track and field teams. (He is now "one of the infamous ten") "The 10". He and fellow American Bobby Morrow had some great duels that year but an injury ruined his Olympic hopes. Four years later, in Rome, he was second in the Olympic 100 m before anchoring the U.S. to a victory in the 4x100 m relay. However, the U.S. team was disqualified for passing out of the zone, and Sime lost his chance at an Olympic gold medal. During his career, he held world records at 100 yd, 220 yd, and the 220 yd low hurdles. After college, Sime became an ophthalmologist in Florida.
Sime came to Duke on a baseball scholarship, and had never run track in his life. The Duke track coach happened to see this long lanky figure while attending a baseball game. He asked permission from Duke's baseball coach to let him work out with the track team. His coach agreed provided there was not a baseball game that day. In his first track meet he was entered into the 100 yard event. Never having raced before in his life in his first track event (against the University of Maryland) he ran a 9.6, just .3 off the world record. He still holds the record at Duke for the 100 and 220 with best times of 9.3 and 20.0 which were world records in the 1950s.
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David Fizdale
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DeMarre Carroll
DeMarre LaEdrick Carroll (born July 27, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Carroll was drafted 27th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft. Carroll formerly played for the University of Missouri and Vanderbilt University. He is the nephew of former Missouri men's basketball coach Mike Anderson.
A former standout at John Carroll Catholic High School in Birmingham, he teamed with Alabama point guard Ronald Steele to lead the Cavaliers to back-to-back Alabama Class 6A state titles. He earned first team All-State, All-Area, All-Region, All-District and All-Metro recognition as a junior and senior and helped JCCHS to a combined 67-3 mark his final two seasons, culminating in those consecutive state crowns. He averaged 17.8 points and 9.1 rebounds as a junior for John Carroll's undefeated 36-0 state championship squad, before recording norms of 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds as a senior en route to the team's 31-3 championship season. He capped his prep career by scoring a game-high 27 points in the annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and was named MVP of the 2004 Alabama Class 6A State Tournament.
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Derrick Favors
Derrick Bernard Favors (born July 15, 1991) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is a 6-foot-10-inch (2.08 m) power forward who played for Georgia Tech. On June 24, 2010, he was drafted 3rd overall by the New Jersey Nets.
Favors, from South Atlanta High School, was ranked as one of the best high school basketball players in the class of 2009. Scout.com rated him the #1 player in the country, #2 in the ESPNU100, and #4 by Rivals.com. On March 14, 2009, he led South Atlanta to the Georgia Class AAA state championship. He scored 38 points and had 21 rebounds in the championship game against Westover High School. He was named to the 2009 McDonald's All-American Team. He led the East to a 113–110 victory and was named the MVP of the game. He scored 19 points and had 8 rebounds. Favors was selected to participate in the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon but pulled out due to personal reasons and he was also selected to play in the 2009 Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden where he scored a game-high 21 points and was named MVP for the black team, while Renardo Sidney was named MVP for the white team. He finished his senior season averaging 28.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, 5.0 blocks, 3.0 steals and 2.0 assists per game and holds the career records in points (2,341), rebounds (1,511) and blocked shots (741).
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DeSagana Diop
DeSagana N'gagne Diop (English pronunciation: /səˈɡɑːnə ˈdʒɒp/ sə-GAH-nə JOP, or simply Gana Diop; born January 30, 1982 in Dakar) is a Senegalese professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. Standing seven feet tall (213 cm) and weighing 280 lbs. (127 kg), Diop's natural position is center.
After he began practicing basketball at the age of 15, Diop succeeded in averaging 14.6 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 8.1 blocks during his senior high school season, earning the USA Today Virginia Player of the Year title and leading Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, to a #1 nation ranking (33 wins, 0 losses).
Diop speaks five languages: Arabic, English, French, Wolof and some Spanish.
Diop was drafted directly out of Oak Hill Academy by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 8th overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft. He was the fifth high school player, after Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Ousmane Cisse to declare for the draft. He played 193 games in four seasons with the Cavaliers, as a rarely looked at backup, averaging 1.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 10.8 minutes per contest. Diop signed a three-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent on August 19, 2005. Diop quickly established himself as a defensive stalwart and potent shot blocker and rebounder, providing relief for Erick Dampier as a center. After December 31, 2005, he started most of the games for the Mavericks, assisting in their improvement and strong drive that resulted in the team qualifying to play in the NBA finals as representatives of the Western Conference.
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Dexter Pittman
Dexter Jerome Pittman (born March 2, 1988) is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.
Pittman was a three-year starter at B. F. Terry High School, where he averaged 15 points and 8.5 rebounds per game over his career. In his senior season, he was named the Most Valuable Player for District 24-4A. He verbally committed to the University of Texas in October 2005, over scholarship offers from Texas A&M and Arizona State. He was ranked as the 16th best center prospect out of high school, as well as one of the top 150 high school players in the nation.
Pittman was used sparingly in his first two seasons at Texas, averaging less than 3 points per game with just one start. As a junior, he started 24 games–averaging 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game–and became one of the most dominant centers in the Big 12 conference.
Pittman weighed 388 lbs as a senior at Terry High School. After receiving weight loss tips from Texas' Strength and Conditioning coach Todd Wright, he was able to drop his weight to 366 lbs before enrolling at Texas. His weight still prevented him from doing basic drills in practice, which caused various back and knee aches. Pittman then dedicated himself to a workout program with Wright, which included 5:30 AM workouts and a complete revamp of his diet. Pittman agreed to call Todd Wright before every meal to evaluate his choices. He later characterized the workout regimen as so tough that "I wanted to cry and say, 'Man, I want to give up'". Since losing almost 100 pounds, he has become an icon for admirers, like Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who heard about his weight loss.
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Dick Christy
Dick Christy (November 24, 1935 – August 7, 1966) is an American and former collegiate and professional football player. The 5'11", 191 lb. Christy was a star halfback at North Carolina State University from 1955 to 1957, leading them to the 1957 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in his senior year. With the league title on the line in the season's final game, Dick Christy scored all 29 points in a 29-26 win over the University of South Carolina to clinch the championship for his Wolfpack. Christy scored the dramatic winning points on a field goal on the last play of the game. At the conclusion of the 1957 season, Christy was 1st team All-ACC and was a Consensus 1st team All-American. He was also honored as the 1957 ACC Player of the Year in football and as the 1957-58 ACC Athlete of the Year for all sports. His jersey number ("40") was eventually retired by NC State. He was an American Football League All-Star for the New York Titans in 1962. Christy died in an auto accident in 1966. Christy was named to the ACC Silver Anniversary football team in 1978. The Dick Christy Award was created by NC State to honor the football team's most valuable players in games versus the University of South Carolina.
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Dickie Hemric
Ned Dixon ("Dickie") Hemric (born August 29, 1933 in Jonesville, North Carolina) is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player for Wake Forest University (1952–1955) and the NBA's Boston Celtics (1955–1957).
Hemric played the first two college years at Wake Forest when the school was a member of the Southern Conference. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Male Athlete of the Year was created at the start of the 1954 season, and he played his last two seasons in the ACC, setting conference records for scoring and rebounding that were untouched for the first 50 years of the conference's existence. He was honored as the second recipient of the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1955. In 2002 Hemric was selected to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring the fifty greatest players in ACC history.
On February 25, 2006, Hemric's ACC scoring record of 2,587 points was broken by Duke University's J. J. Redick. Hemric's ACC record of 1,802 career rebounds has never faced a serious challenge—his contemporary Ronnie Shavlik was second on the list with 1,592 rebounds from 1954 to 1956, and the closest person to challenge the record since then was current NBA power forward Tim Duncan, who pulled down 1,570 rebounds in his career at Wake Forest from 1994 to 1997 (although Hemric is still fifth all-time in Division I career rebounds). He is now third all-time in ACC scoring, behind Redick and Tyler Hansbrough of the University of North Carolina.
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Don McCauley
Don McCauley was a tailback for the University of North Carolina from 1968 to 1970 and he attended the Garden City High School.
He was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection and two-time Conference Player of the Year. He garnered the 1971 ACC Athlete of the Year award. He broke many rushing records. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001[citation needed]
The versatile McCauley contributed to the team as a receiver, rusher, kick returner, and punter, leading the team in most categories. In 1970 he led the nation in rushing with 1,720 yards and all-purpose running with 2,021 yards. His 1,720 yards rushing broke the NCAA record and continues to withstand the test of time ranking as the second highest total in ACC history and the highest at North Carolina. A consensus All-America selection and team captain his senior year, McCauley led the conference in scoring with 21 touchdowns for 126 points and continues to hold numerous school records. His career statistics include 5,014 all-purpose yards, 3,172 rushing yards, 786 yards receiving, and 1,056 yards on kick returns. He also led the team in punting with 48 punts for 1,845 yards - a 38.4 yard average.
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Donnell Harvey
Donnell Eugene Harvey (born August 26, 1980) is an American professional basketball player for Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association. He previously played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, and Phoenix Suns. Harvey is 2.03 m tall.
Harvey was born in Shellman, Georgia. He attended Randolph-Clay High School in Cuthbert, Georgia where he was the consensus 1999 national high school player of the year. In 1999, he was in the McDonald's All-America Game, was in the USA Today All-USA 1st Team in 1999, and got the Naismith Award as nation's top high school player in 1999.
Harvey accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Billy Donovan's Florida Gators men's basketball team during the 1999–2000 season. After starting three-fourths of the Gators' first 12 games, he lost his starting spot to Brent Wright after returning home over the New Year's break because of homesickness. Harvey averaged 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game and was voted to the SEC All-Freshman Team in his only season playing college basketball.
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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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Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. (born January 17, 1982), nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league. He had the top selling jersey in the NBA for nearly two years, as he led the NBA in jersey sales from the 2005 NBA Playoffs, until the mid-point of the 2006–07 season.
After entering the league as the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Wade was named to the All-Rookie team and the All-Star team the following eight seasons. In his third season, Wade helped lead the Miami Heat to their first NBA Championship in franchise history. He was named the 2006 NBA Finals MVP as he helped lead the Heat to a 4–2 series win over the Dallas Mavericks. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wade led the United States Men's Basketball team, commonly known as the "Redeem Team", in scoring, as they captured gold medal honors in Beijing, China. In the 2008–09 season, Wade led the league in scoring and earned his first NBA scoring title.
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Earl Watson
Earl Joseph Watson, Jr. (born June 12, 1979) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Watson is a graduate of Washington High School in Kansas City, Kansas. In his senior year of high school he averaged 23.4 points, 8.3 assists and 13.2 rebounds per game.
A 6 ft 1 in, 195 lbpoint guard, Watson was selected in the second round (39th overall) by the SuperSonics in the 2001 NBA Draft. He was a starter in college at UCLA, at one point playing alongside future NBA All-Star Baron Davis. They were the first two freshmen to start at UCLA since the 1979 season. A four-year starter, Watson started the most consecutive games in the history of UCLA basketball. In the 2007–08 NBA season, Watson averaged 10.7 points and 6.8 assists with the Sonics.
On February 6, 2008, Watson recorded his first-ever triple-double in a game against the Sacramento Kings. Watson logged 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 32 minutes. It was Seattle's first triple-double since Ray Allen registered one on January 28, 2004, against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Ed Pinckney
Edward (Ed) Lewis Pinckney (born March 27, 1963 in The Bronx, New York) is a retired NBA basketball player.
A 6'9" forward, Pinckney led Villanova University to the NCAA title over the heavily favored Georgetown Hoyas in 1985. He was the recipient of the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after registering 16 points and 6 rebounds in the 66-64 victory.
Also in 1985 he was selected tenth overall by the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Draft and played for them from 1985 to 1987. He also played with the Sacramento Kings (1987–89), Boston Celtics (1989–94), Milwaukee Bucks (1994–95), Toronto Raptors (1995–96), Philadelphia 76ers (1995–96) and Miami Heat (1996–97). He retired in 1997.
Ed participated in the first tip-off in Toronto Raptors franchise history facing off against Yinka Dare of the New Jersey Nets on November 3, 1995.
Pinckney was a radio and television analyst for the Miami Heat from 1997 through 2003. He was the Heat's Director of Mentoring Programs from 2002 to 2003.
He spent the 2009-10 NBA season as a color analyst for the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry (born December 5, 1982) is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Harvey, Illinois. He is listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) and 295 lb (134 kg), and has a wingspan of 7 ft 6 1⁄2 in (2.299 m).
Prior to becoming considered one of the best high school basketball players in the nation as a senior at Thornwood High School in South Holland, Illinois, Curry aspired to be a gymnast and did not pick up basketball until the seventh grade when he reluctantly went out for the school team. In 2001, Curry led his team to second place in the IHSA State Playoffs. For his efforts, Curry was named 2001 Illinois Mr. Basketball. He was named to the 1998, 1999 and 2000 State Farm Holiday Classic all-tournament teams.
Curry had signed a letter of intent to play at DePaul University but declared himself eligible for the 2001 NBA Draft in which the Chicago Bulls made him the fourth overall pick.
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Eduardo Nájera
Eduardo Alonso Nájera Pérez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈnaxeɾa]) (born July 11, 1976) is a Mexican professional basketball player in the NBA, currently playing for the Charlotte Bobcats.
Eduardo Najera is only the second NBA player who is Mexican-born (Horacio Llamas was the first). He is the son of Servando Najera and Rosa Irene Perez.
After graduating from high school in Mexico in 1994, Najera attended Cornerstone Christian Academy in San Antonio, Texas for two years to learn English and attract college coaches.
Currently, he and Jennifer, his wife, have a daughter and two sons.
Najera played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma, in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, from 1997–2000, becoming a major star there. He helped the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances during his college career, as well as finishing in the school's all-time top ten in nine statistical categories. Before being drafted into the NBA in 2000, Najera received rave reviews from scouts, who boasted on Najera's quick first step and extraordinary rebounding ability. He is only the second Mexican-born player to join the NBA. He was the first Mexican player to be drafted into the NBA (Horacio Llamas being undrafted).
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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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Elton Brand
Elton Tyron Brand (born March 11, 1979 in Cortlandt Manor, New York[citation needed]) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the 1st overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, selected by the Chicago Bulls.
At the age of thirteen, Brand enrolled in Peekskill High School, where he was immediately added to the varsity basketball roster. He averaged 40 points and 20 rebounds per game, played AAU basketball with future NBA players Lamar Odom and Ron Artest, and by his senior year he was consistently ranked among the top high school basketball players in the country and was selected as New York State Mr. Basketball. At the same time, he became something of a cult hero in Peekskill, helping his team win two state championships while demonstrating a humble calm and an articulate intelligence. The former Governor of New York, fellow Peekskill native George Pataki, was once asked about being the town's favorite son, and he answered that Peekskill's favorite son was not the Governor but Elton Brand. Recruited heavily after his successful high school career, Brand decided to enroll at Duke University alongside a cluster of other high school stars, including Shane Battier.
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Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17, 1945 in Rayville, Louisiana) is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball. He is a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, and an inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
A quiet, introverted youth, Hayes first picked up a basketball in eighth grade, by accident. He was wrongly blamed for playing a classroom prank and was sent to the principal's office. But another teacher, Reverend Calvin, saw Hayes and said he was welcome in his class. Although the youngster showed no inclination for any sports, Calvin thought he would benefit by playing basketball and put him on the school team. Hayes was so clumsy, however, that he evoked laughter with his awkward attempts at shooting and dribbling.
But young Hayes was determined to improve, and during the summers he practiced long hours. As a 6'5" ninth grader he was a benchwarmer on the junior varsity squad at Britton High School when he became determined to crack the starting lineup. "I was too weak to shoot the turnaround then," Hayes recalled, "so all summer long I shot with a small rubber ball at a basket in my yard. My development was almost overnight."
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Emeka Okafor
Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi Okafor, abbreviated as Emeka Okafor (born September 28, 1982), is an American basketball power forward and center for the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association. Prior to the NBA, Okafor attended Houston's Bellaire High School, and the University of Connecticut.
Okafor was born in Houston, Texas. Both of his parents are natives of Nigeria, and Emeka was the first member of his family born in the United States. His father, Pius Okafor, is a member of the Igbo ethnic group. Okafor's family moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma when he was young because his father worked for Phillips Petroleum Company, headquartered in Bartlesville. While in Bartlesville, Emeka's father Pius took his son to the Bartlesville YMCA to learn the game of basketball. As a child growing up in the Houston area, Okafor idolized Houston Rockets shooting guard Clyde Drexler. He models his game, however, after fellow Nigerian pivot Hakeem Olajuwon.
Okafor played at Bellaire High School with future Oklahoma State star John Lucas III. Okafor averaged 22 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocks in his senior season. Bellaire was 26–5 in that season, losing 56–42 in the third round of the 2001 UIL state playoffs, to Willowridge High School and future Texas standout T. J. Ford. This game is particularly notable, however, because it featured five players who would go on to play in an NCAA Final Four (Bellaire had Lucas and Okafor, while Willowridge featured Ford, Oklahoma State's Ivan McFarlin and Duke's Daniel Ewing). All five of these players would eventually go on to play at least a season in the NBA.
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Eric Chenowith
Eric Chenowith (born March 9, 1979 in Orange, California) is an American basketball player.
As a high school player, he was selected to the McDonald's All-American Team in 1997. He played collegiately for University of Kansas, and was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 2nd round (42nd overall pick) of the 2001 NBA Draft.
He was under contract with the following NBA teams. The Knicks (June to September 2001), Sacramento Kings (October 2001), Seattle SuperSonics (September to October 2002), Los Angeles Clippers (October 2002), Los Angeles Lakers (August to October 2003), Denver Nuggets (October 2005), Chicago Bulls (October 2006) and New Orleans Hornets 2007.
Chenowith has played professionally for the Greenville Groove and Huntsville Flight (2001/02, NBDL), Pau-Orthez (2002, LNB, France), Huntsville Flight and Roanoke Dazzle (2002/03, NBDL), Orange County Crush (ABA) and Fujian Xunxing (China) (2004/05), Idaho Stampede (CBA) and Cangrejeros de Santurce (Puerto-Rico) (2005/06), Idaho Stampede (NBDL) and Criollos de Caguas (Puerto-Rico) (2006/07).
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Erik Spoelstra
Erik Spoelstra (born November 1, 1970) is an American professional basketball coach and the current head coach of the National Basketball Association's Miami Heat. He is the first Filipino-American head coach in the NBA, as well as the first Filipino-American head coach of any North American professional sports team. From 2001 to 2008, he served as assistant coach/director of scouting for the team. He coached the Heat to 148 wins and three playoff appearances, including a trip to the 2011 NBA Finals, in his first three seasons.
He is the son of Dutch-Irish-American Jon Spoelstra, who was an NBA executive for the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Buffalo Braves and New Jersey Nets, and the grandson of the late Watson Spoelstra, a sportswriter in the Detroit area. His mother, Elisa Celino, is from San Pablo, Laguna in the Philippines.
Spoelstra grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he graduated from Jesuit High School in 1988 and from the University of Portland in 1992.
At the University of Portland, Spoelstra was the Pilots' starting point guard for four years, averaging 9.2 points, 4.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game, and was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. He is a member of Portland's 1,000-point club. Spoelstra was on the court as Hank Gathers collapsed and died during the 1990 WCC Tournament.
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Evan Turner
Evan Marcel Turner (born October 27, 1988), nicknamed The Villain, is an American basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Turner was drafted 2nd overall by the 76ers in the 2010 NBA draft. Turner plays the point guard, shooting guard and small forward positions. Turner was a first-team 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American and the 2010 National Player of the Year. Turner was also a two-time Big Ten Conference scoring champion and the 2010 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He was twice the only player named as a unanimous first-team selection by both the coaches and the media to the All-Big Ten team (2008–09, 2009–10). By finishing first in scoring and second in both rebounds and assists in the conference in the 2009–10 season, he was the first men's basketball player to finish in the top two in each of these categories and in fact, the first to finish in the top five in each category in the same season.
Turner attended St. Joseph High School in Westchester. By his senior season, he was one of the top high school basketball players at his position in the nation. As a true freshman, he helped lead the Buckeyes to the 2008 National Invitation Tournament championship. The following year, he was the Big Ten Conference scoring champion for the 2008–09 season and was a first-team 2009 All-Big Ten selection. That season, he was also an honorable mention All-American and was selected as a member of the 2009 All-Big Ten Conference Tournament team, and he became one of five Big Ten players to have been among the top ten in the conference in average points, rebounds, and assists in the same season.
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Gary Bradds
Gary Lee "Tex" Bradds (July 26, 1942 in Jamestown, Ohio – July 15, 1983) was an American basketball player. He attended Greeneview High School where he once scored 61 points in a game (12/08/1959 versus Mt. Sterling). The school's gym is named in his honor.
Bradds enrolled at University of Kentucky but transferred after two days.
He played collegiately for the Ohio State University. Was National Player of the Year and winner of the Adolph Rupp Trophy in 1964. Teammates included Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek, Bobby Knight, Mel Nowell, and Don DeVoe. Averaged 28.0 points and 13.0 rebounds as a junior, after replacing Jerry Lucas. Averaged 30.6 points and 13.4 rebounds as a senior. Had six consecutive 40 point games his senior year, including a school record 49 against Illinois (2/10/64). During the streak, Bradds averaged 44.3 points and scored 46% of Ohio State's points. Streak ended against Iowa with Bradds scoring 30 points. Member of 2 Big Ten Championship teams, 1963-64. Was member of the 1963 Pan American games, winning a gold medal. Pan Am team included Willis Reed and Lucious Jackson. Was captain of the team in 1964. His #35 has been retired at Ohio State (1/27/2001). Is a member of their Hall of Fame (inducted in 1978). Also, member of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. Scored 15 points in the National Title game in 1962, leading team. Jerry Lucas once claimed that Bradds was the best player he played against all season "in practice". His 735 points in 1964 are second highest season total in schools history. Was Ohio States MVP in 1963 and 1964. Was Big Ten MVP in 1963 and 1964. Was All American in 1963 and 1964. Teams record while at Ohio State was 62-14. Averaged 20.7 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting .535% from the field in 74 games at Ohio State. His 1,530 points and 706 rebounds still rank in the school's top ten of all time.
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George Kaftan
George Kaftan (born February 22, 1928) is a retired American basketball player.
George grew up in New York City and went to Xavier High School in Manhattan before going to Holy Cross for college. Though just 6'3", Kaftan was the starting center for the College of the Holy Cross team that won the 1947 NCAA Basketball Tournament. In 1947 Kaftan also won Most Outstanding Player honors after averaging 21 points per game in three games.
Kaftan was selected in the second round of the 1949 BAA Draft. Kaftan later played professionally for the Boston Celtics (1949–1950), New York Knicks (1950–1952) and Baltimore Bullets (1952–1953). He averaged 7.5 points per game in his professional career.
Kaftan is now a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame.
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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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Gerald Wallace
Gerald Jermaine Wallace (born July 23, 1982) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA.
Wallace attended Childersburg High School in Childersburg, Alabama, where he had a very successful career. For his senior season efforts he was named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, an honor given to the best high school basketball player.
Wallace attended the University of Alabama for one season before declaring himself eligible for the 2001 NBA Draft. At Alabama, he averaged 9.8 points per game.
In three seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Wallace rarely played, but in the brief appearances he made himself known for his versatility and extraordinary athleticism. In the 2002 Slam Dunk Contest, Wallace finished second to two-time winner Jason Richardson.
In 2004, Wallace was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in their expansion draft. Wallace started immediately for the club, and went on to have a season of averaging 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks a game. He continued to improve in 2005–06, before getting injured in January, averaging 14.5 points and 7 rebounds, and ranking in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage (54.142), blocks (2.19), and steals per game (2.44). Since the NBA began counting blocks as a statistic in 1973, only two other players (David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon) in league history have averaged over 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game in a single season.
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Gerry McNamara
Gerry McNamara (born August 28, 1983) is a former American basketball player and current assistant coach of the Syracuse University men's basketball team. He is a former guard for the Orange, from 2002 to 2006, where he helped lead the team to a title in 2003.
After leaving Syracuse, McNamara played professionally for Panionios BC, Olympiacos BC, the Bakersfield Jam,BK Ventspils and the Reno Bighorns. In 2009, McNamara announced his retirement from basketball and returned to Syracuse as a graduate student and assistant coach.
McNamara was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He is the youngest of the four children of Gerard and Joyce McNamara. He has a brother Timothy and two sisters, Bridget and Maureen. He married Katie Marie Stott on July 21, 2007. He enjoys fishing almost as much as he enjoys basketball.
McNamara attended Bishop Hannan High School. In his four seasons at Hannan, the Golden Lancers compiled a record of 109-17. McNamara was named the Lackawanna League Division II Player of the Year for four years in a row, was a three-time Associated Press Pennsylvania Small School All-State First Team selection and was the AP's Pennsylvania State Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. McNamara finished as Pennsylvania's seventh all-time leading scorer with 2,917 points.
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Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Jay Arenas, Jr. (pronounced /əˈriːnɨs/; born January 6, 1982) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays as a point guard and shooting guard.
Arenas attended Grant High School in Valley Glen, California, and accepted a scholarship offer to the University of Arizona late in his junior year. He entered the 2001 NBA Draft and was selected in the second round (30th pick) by the Golden State Warriors.
Arenas is a three-time NBA All-Star, three-time member of the All-NBA Teams, and was voted the NBA Most Improved Player in the 2002–03 season. Arenas was most often nicknamed "Agent Zero," due to his former jersey number, but has increasingly been referred to as "Hibachi," a nod to the small Japanese heating device, which literally translates to "bowl of fire." Both names quickly became fan favorites in the Washington area during his time there.
Arenas was suspended for most of the 2009–10 season because of handgun violations stemming from an episode on December 24, 2009, and for subsequent actions that appeared to make light of this episode.
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Glen Rice
Glen Anthony Rice (born May 28, 1967) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA. The 6'8" tall Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star guard/forward, ranking 11th in NBA history with 1,559 three-point field goals made during his 15-year career. As a player, Rice won an NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship and an NBA Championship. Rice has won both the NBA All-Star Game MVP and the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards. In recent years, Rice has taken up MMA fight promotion as owner and head of G-Force Fights, based out of Miami, Florida.
Rice played college basketball for the University of Michigan Wolverines for four seasons (1985–1989), a starter for three of those seasons. He became the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,442 points. He led Michigan to the 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, scoring an NCAA-record 184 points in tournament play, a record that still stands. Rice was also voted the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and was part of the Associated Press All-America second-team, after averaging 25.6 points for the season, while shooting 58% from the floor and 52% from three-point range. After Rice's junior year, he was invited to try out for the 1988 United States Olympic basketball team, but was cut before reaching the group of 48. On February 20, 2005, Rice's No. 41 jersey was retired during a ceremony at Michigan's Crisler Arena. Rice made the cover of Sports Illustrated on April 10, 1989.
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Glenn Robinson
Glenn A. "Big Dog" Robinson (born January 10, 1973) is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004–05 season.
Robinson was born to Christine Bridgeman in Gary, Indiana. With his mother being an unmarried teenager, Glenn rarely saw his father. In a city known for its crime and drugs, his mother kept him straight. Not receiving the best of grades at school, his mom once pulled him off of the basketball team, and he took a job at an air-conditioning and refrigeration shop.
Robinson attended Gary Roosevelt High School, in Gary, where he started playing organized basketball during the 8th grade. During his senior season, he led his school to an Indiana state basketball championship, winning the final game against Brebeuf Jesuit and their star Alan Henderson. Glenn also won the 1991 Indiana Mr. Basketball award. He was selected as a McDonald's All-American. He was one of the MVPs of the Dapper Dan Roundball classic, along with Chris Webber.
After high school, Glenn Robinson attended Purdue University to play under head coach Gene Keady and his recruiter/assistant coach Frank Kendrick. Due to struggles with NCAA eligibility, resulting from Proposition 48 which requires minimum academic standards, he had to redshirt for his freshman season. He worked as a welder during the summers while at Purdue. Eligible for his sophomore season, Glenn led the Boilermakers with 24.1 points and 9.4 rebounds a game in his first season as a Boilermaker. He led them to an 18–10 record on the season, which included a victory against the Michigan "Fab Five" in the regular season, and an NCAA appearance. He received First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-American honors.
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Grant Hill
Grant Henry Hill (born October 5, 1972) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. As a collegian with Duke University and early in his professional career with the Detroit Pistons, Hill was widely considered to be one of the best all-around players in the game, often leading his team in points, rebounds and assists. His time in the league has been hampered by career-threatening injuries, notably during the prime of his career. At age 39, Hill is the second-oldest player in the NBA, one day younger than the oldest player, Kurt Thomas.
Grant Hill was born in Dallas, Texas. His father, Calvin Hill, graduated from Yale University with a degree in history, later attended Southern Methodist University and was a three-time All-Pro running back for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1969. His mother, Janet, is a Wellesley College graduate. After his father's NFL career ended, the family settled in Reston, Virginia, where Grant became a high-school superstar at South Lakes High School and he was selected for the 1990 McDonald's All-American Team.
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Greg Oden
Gregory Wayne Oden, Jr. (born January 22, 1988) is an American basketball player at the center position who is currently a free agent. Oden played basketball for Ohio State University for one season, during which the team was the Big Ten Champion and the tournament runner-up in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship.
On June 28, 2007, Oden was selected first overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He underwent microfracture surgery of the knee in September 2007, and missed the entire 2007–08 NBA season as a result. He recovered and made his NBA debut on opening night 2008. On March 15, 2012 he was waived from the Trail Blazers after a long history of injuries.
Oden is currently the "Team Oden" spokesperson for Oregon Mentors, promoting mentoring for kids.
Oden was born in Buffalo, New York, and moved with his family to Terre Haute, Indiana at the age of nine. He attended Sarah Scott Middle School in Terre Haute, where he first played interscholastic basketball. He then relocated with his mother and brother and attended Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Indiana which he led to three consecutive Indiana Class 4A basketball championships before graduating in 2006. He was named Parade's High School Co-Player of the Year 2005 (along with Monta Ellis) and 2005 National Boys Basketball Player of the Year, becoming the first junior since LeBron James to be named such. He repeated as Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2006. Oden was named the 2006 Indiana Mr. Basketball. He was also on the McDonald's All-American Team and played in the All-American game.
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Greivis Vásquez
Greivis Vásquez (full name: Greivis Josué Vásquez Rodríguez; born (1987-01-16)January 16, 1987) is a Venezuelan basketball player with the New Orleans Hornets. He was chosen after a stellar U.S. college career with the University of Maryland men's basketball team. Vásquez finished second on the Terrapins' all-time scoring list, with 2,171 career points.
He was born in Caracas and moved to the United States to attend high school at Montrose Christian School in Rockville, Maryland in 2004. During his senior year at Montrose, he committed to the University of Maryland to play under head coach Gary Williams.
In 2007, Vásquez played on the Venezuelan national basketball team in the FIBA America Championships. In his final college season of 2009–10, he was one of three Venezuelans playing in NCAA Division I men's basketball, with the others being David Cubillan of the Marquette Golden Eagles and Gregory Echenique of the Creighton Bluejays.
Vásquez grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, where he lived with his parents, Ivis Rodriguez and Gregorio Vásquez, and brother, Ingerman Sanoya. At Montrose Christian, Vásquez played under head coach Stu Vetter, and helped the Mustangs post a 43–5 record over his junior and senior seasons. While at Montrose Christian he played with future college and NBA star Kevin Durant.
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Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (/ɵˈlaɪdʒəwɒn/; [olaɟuwɔ̃]; born January 21, 1963) is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) (but closer to 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) by his own admission), Olajuwon is considered one of the greatest centers ever to play the game.
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Hal Lear
Harold C. Lear (born January 31, 1935 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a retired American basketball player.
A 6'0" guard, Lear starred at Temple University during the 1950s. He earned the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1956 after leading Temple to the Final Four, where they lost to the University of Iowa.
After college, Lear was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors with the eighth pick of the 1956 NBA Draft. His NBA career was brief, however: he appeared in just three games during the 1956-57 NBA season and scored four points.
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Hasheem Thabeet
Hasheem Thabeet (born Hashim Thabit Manka on February 16, 1987 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) is a Tanzanian professional basketball player. A member of the Portland Trail Blazers, he is the tallest active player in the NBA. He was drafted as the 2nd pick overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft after playing with the Connecticut Huskies. At 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) and 263 lb (119 kg), Thabeet was the tallest player ever to play for the Huskies. He did not begin to play basketball until the age of 15, when he began to watch pickup games in Tanzania.
As a freshman, he averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 blocks per game. On December 3, 2006, Thabeet tied a UConn record with 10 blocks. Thabeet was named to the 2007 All-Big East Rookie Team, along with teammate Jerome Dyson.
As a sophomore he saw increased minutes and he averaged 10.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.5 blocks on the season. On January 5, 2008, he tied his career high in blocks with 10 in the Huskies' 73-67 loss at University of Notre Dame. Thabeet was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year and to the Second Team All Big East.
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Hersey Hawkins
Hersey R. Hawkins, Jr. (born September 29, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois) is a retired American professional basketball player. After starring at Westinghouse High School in Chicago, the 6' 3" (1.90 m) shooting guard attended Bradley University. Hawkins was known for his stealing skills and outside-shooting ability. He wore numbers 3, 32 and 33 in his 12-year basketball career.
Hersey spent four seasons at Bradley University. In the 1987-1988 season, he averaged an NCAA Division I-high 36.3 points per game and was National College Player of the Year. He led NCAA Division 1 in scoring. His basketball career in college was successful. Before being drafted into the NBA, he was a member of the USA men's national basketball team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul with 11 other future NBA stars coached by John Thompson. They disappointingly finished with the bronze medal after losing to the Soviet Union in the semifinals.
He was then drafted 6th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in first round of the 1988 NBA Draft, but his rights were immediately traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for the draft rights to former 1988 Olympic teammate Charles Smith. On the 76ers, "Hawk" was the second scoring option after Charles Barkley. Hawkins earned NBA All-Rookie First Team Honors in 1989. In 1991 he averaged 22.1 points and appeared in the NBA All-Star Game. In a game against the Boston Celtics, he made 9 steals. He also scored a career-high 43 points in a game against the Orlando Magic.
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Horace Grant
Horace Junior Grant (born July 4, 1965) is a retired American basketball player. He attended and played college basketball at Clemson University, before playing professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he became a four-time champion with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. He was easily recognizable by many NBA fans because of his trademark wraparound protective eyeglasses. His twin brother, Harvey Grant, also played in the NBA. His nephew Jerai Grant played for Clemson's basketball team.
Grant was born in Augusta, Georgia and attended Clemson University. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 10th overall pick of the 1987 NBA Draft. The 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) tall power forward/center immediately teamed with fellow draft-day acquisition Scottie Pippen to form the Bulls' forward tandem of the future, although he initially backed up incumbent Charles Oakley, one of the league's premier rebounders and post defenders.
In 1989, Grant moved into the starting lineup when Oakley was traded to the New York Knicks for center Bill Cartwright. He immediately became the Bulls' main rebounder, and established himself as the Bulls' third scoring option after Michael Jordan and Pippen, forming one of the league's best trios. Grant was noted for his defensive play; he was selected four times for the NBA All-Defensive Team. He helped Chicago win three consecutive NBA championships (1990–91, 1991–92, and 1992–93), securing the third with a last-second block.
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Howie Dallmar
Howard Dallmar (May 24, 1922 – December 19, 1991) was an American professional basketball player and coach.
A 6'4" (1.93 m) forward from San Francisco, California, Dallmar played collegiately at Stanford University. He led Stanford to the 1942 NCAA Championship, earning Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. After transferring to Penn, he was an All-American selection in 1945. From 1946 to 1949, he played professionally for the Philadelphia Warriors of the Basketball Association of America (a forerunner to the NBA). Dallmar was the third leading scorer (behind Joe Fulks and Angelo Musi) on the team which won the 1947 BAA Championship.
Dallmar coached the University of Pennsylvania basketball team from 1948 to 1954, before returning to Stanford as head basketball coach in 1954. He remained at Stanford for 21 seasons, compiling a 256-264 record. He died of congestive heart failure in 1991.
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Irwin Dambrot
Irwin Dambrot (May 24, 1928 – January 21, 2010) was a first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks and the Most Outstanding Player of the 1950 NCAA men's basketball tournament.
A 6–foot–4, 175–pound forward, Dambrot attended William Howard Taft High School in the South Bronx, New York City. He played for coach Nat Holman at the City College of New York (CCNY) where as senior captain in 1950 led the Beavers to a 24–5 record and the NCAA men's basketball championship, earning MVP honors in the tournament. After the season, Dambrot was named to the Helms Athletic Foundation Basketball All-America team.
Dambrot's CCNY team also won the 1950 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), the only time that one school has won both the NCAA and NIT tournaments in the same season. Dambrot was the only senior starter on the CCNY roster that season.
A January 19, 2003, article in the New York Daily News described Dambrot as "a sharp-shooting forward known for his relentless enthusiasm."
Dambrot was selected in the first round (seventh overall) by the New York Knicks in the 1950 NBA draft, though he chose a career in dentistry instead.
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Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III ( /aɪˈzeɪ.ə/; born April 30, 1961), nicknamed "Zeke", is a retired American basketball player who played collegiately for the Indiana University Hoosiers. He went on to play professionally as point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 until 1994 and led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA Championship in the 1988–89 and 1989–90 seasons. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. After his playing career, he was an executive with the Toronto Raptors, a television commentator, an executive with the Continental Basketball Association, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, and an executive and head coach for the New York Knicks. He was later the men's basketball coach for the Florida International University (FIU) Golden Panthers for three seasons from 2009 to 2012.
Thomas was born on April 30, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois. The youngest of nine brothers and sisters, he commuted from the North Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago to play high school basketball at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois for Gene Pingatore. He would wake up at 5 am and commute 90 minutes to attend the private school. During his junior year, he led St. Joseph to the State Finals and was considered one of the top college prospects in the country.
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Jack Givens
Jack "Goose" Givens (born September 21, 1956 in Lexington, Kentucky) is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player. Givens led the University of Kentucky to the 1978 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship and was named that year's Final Four Most Outstanding Player due in most part to his 41-point performance in Kentucky's 94-88 victory over Duke University in the championship game. He was a 6'5" (1.96 m), 205 lb (93 kg) forward.
Givens earned Kentucky Mr. Basketball and Parade All-America honors after his senior year at Lexington's Bryan Station High School in 1974. UK finished Givens' freshman season as national runners-up, falling 92-85 to UCLA in the 1975 Final Four championship game. In 1978, Givens and Kentucky returned to the Final Four at the Checkerdome in Saint Louis, Missouri. After leading Kentucky to a semifinal victory over the University of Arkansas, he scored a career-high 41 points and made 18 of 27 field goal attempts against Duke to help Kentucky clinch their fifth NCAA Championship in men's basketball.
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Jacque Vaughn
Jacque Vaughn (born February 11, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He last played for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA and is currently serving as an assistant coach for the team.
A native of Altadena, California, Vaughn attended John Muir High School in nearby Pasadena, becoming the best high school player in that area since former Muir High and NBA standout Stacey Augmon. Vaughn excelled both on and off the court, and by his senior year was ranked as high as the #7 high school recruit in the country and the #2 point guard in the class of 1993 behind arguably the nation's top player that year, Randy Livingston. Over the course of the season, Vaughn averaged over 21 points and 19 assists per game, while also compiling six triple-doubles. Named a First-Team All-American by nearly every publication on the market, Vaughn rounded off his special season with a selection to participate in the prestigious McDonald's All-American Game where he put on a show, scoring only 6 points but amassing 13 assists (still a McDonald's record), while also thoroughly outplaying the higher-ranked Livingston once again—this time on a national stage (they had both matched up against each other in the All-Star Game of the 1992 Nike Camp), and was named co-MVP with the North Carolina's Jerry Stackhouse in the process. After considering Georgetown, Indiana, UNLV, Arizona and UCLA, Vaughn decided to play for coach Roy Williams at Kansas, continuing, along with fellow recruit and college roommate Scot Pollard, the California pipeline of high school hoopsters to Lawrence, Kansas, started by former standouts Adonis Jordan and Rex Walters, and continuing in later years with Paul Pierce, and Eric Chenowith.
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Jamaal Tinsley
Jamaal Lee Tinsley (born February 28, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Tinsley was drafted out of Iowa State University by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 27th pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, and was immediately dealt to the Atlanta Hawks, and then on to the Indiana Pacers on draft night. He has played in the NBA for the Pacers and the Grizzlies.
As a teen, Tinsley developed his game playing streetball at New York City's legendary Rucker Park. Tinsley's streetball nickname is "Mel Mel The Abuser". He played college basketball for two schools in his four year collegiate career, Mt. San Jacinto Community College (MSJC) and Iowa State.
During the two seasons he played at MSJC, Jamaal was the two-time Foothill Conference MVP (1998 & 1999) and the Eagles' career leader in assists and steals.
In Jamaal's senior year, he received Second Team All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year honors. He led Iowa State to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament's West region. But, his team was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by the No. 15-seeded Hampton in the tournament's first round.
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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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Jamison Brewer
Jamison Rudy van Brewer (born November 19, 1980 in East Point, Georgia) is an American professional basketball player in the point guard position. He played four years in the National Basketball Association.
Brewer played two years of college basketball, attending Auburn University; in his last year, he averaged 8 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, being subsequently selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round (40th overall) in the 2001 NBA Draft.
During his three-year spell with the team, he only amassed 36 regular season games combined, spending most of the time in the injured reserve list, and averaging slightly more than two points. On December 20, 2003, he scored a career-high 12 points at the Minnesota Timberwolves, on 5-for-11 shooting (80–102 loss).
Brewer was signed as a restricted free agent by the New York Knicks in the 2004 off-season. After only 18 appearances, he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in February 2005, being waived without any appearances. He was again signed by the Knicks prior to the start of 2005–06, being immediately cut.
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Jared Dudley
Jared Anthony Dudley (born July 10, 1985 in San Diego, California) is an American professional basketball player. He is a forward for the NBA's Phoenix Suns. During his college years he played with the Boston College Eagles. Along with fellow senior Sean Marshall, he was one of the team's two captains, and was the leading scorer and rebounder on the team during his final season. Dudley was a four-year starter for the Eagles, and played in every BC game in his first three years. He had a streak of over 100 consecutive starts snapped when he suffered a stress fracture in December 2006. In his college days he earned the nickname "Junkyard Dog" for his toughness and nose for the ball.
Jared Dudley scored 30 points on November 29, 2006 against Michigan State on national television. His career-high in points is 36, which he scored against Villanova in a January 19, 2005 victory during his sophomore season. He averaged 19 points and 3 assists per game during his senior year.
After his senior season, Dudley was voted the ACC Player of the Year for 2007 and was a second team All-American.
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Jared Sullinger
Jared Sullinger (born March 4, 1992) is an American college basketball player. As a sophomore at Ohio State, Sullinger announced at a press conference on April 4, 2012 that he will be leaving school to enter the 2012 NBA Draft.
He was rated as the number 2 player in the class of 2010 in the ESPNU 100 the number 4 player by Scout.com, and the number 5 player by Rivals.com. In his senior year, Sullinger led Northland High School to a 21-0 season and a #1 national ranking. He averaged 24.5 points and 11.7 rebounds for the season. Sullinger played in the 4th annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic.
Sullinger was selected to play in the 2010 McDonald's All-American Game in Columbus, Ohio, where he was named co-MVP with Harrison Barnes. He was also selected to play in the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon and the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.
On March 10, 2010, Sullinger won the James A. Naismith Award, which goes to the boys basketball player of the year.
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Jarron Collins
Jarron Collins (born December 2, 1978) is an American professional basketball player.
Jarron Collins was born in Northridge, California. He and his twin brother Jason graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, California, where he was teammates with actor Jason Segel. Jarron shot 72 percent from the floor and averaged 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds during his senior year in high school, breaking the 31-year California rebounding record with over 1,500.
Collins attended Stanford University, where he was a two-time All American and finished his Stanford career in the top ten all time in four career categories: rebounds, blocked shots, field-goal percentage and games played.
He was also recruited by UCLA, where he, his brother, and Earl Watson were the guests at the recruiting dinner that led to the firing of Jim Harrick at UCLA.
Collins was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft and played eight seasons with the Jazz until becoming a free agent following the 2009 season.
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Jarvis Varnado
Jarvis Varnado (born March 1, 1988 in Brownsville, Tennessee) is an American basketball player. Varnado was selected by the Miami Heat in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Varnado is known as a defensive specialist and is especially adept at shot blocking aided by his 7'4" wingspan. He led the NCAA in blocks for the 2007–08 season with 157 blocks which tied Shaquille O'Neal for the most blocks in a season in the SEC. In the 2008–09 season, he would break that single season record with 170 blocks. Varnado was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 3 consecutive years (2008, 2009 and 2010) becoming the first person to ever do so. Collegeinsider.com named Varnado their National Defensive Player of the Year for 2008.
On November 21, 2009, Jarvis Varnado became the SEC's all-time career block record holder with 413 total blocks in his career. This passed O'Neal's career block record of 412. On January 23, 2010, Varnado surpassed Adonal Foyle on the NCAA's Division I all-time career blocks list to become the second-leading shot-blocker. Needing 8 blocks for the record, Varnado became the NCAA's Division I all-time shot blocker against Alabama on February 24, 2010 passing Wojciech Myrda's record of 535 career blocks.
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Jason Collins
Jason Paul Collins (born December 2, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Atlanta Hawks. Collins attended Stanford University, where he was an All-American in 2000–01 and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on March 15, 2000. He finished his career ranked #1 in school history for field goal percentage (.608) and #5 in blocked shots (89).
He graduated from Harvard-Westlake School, where his backup was actor Jason Segel. Collins, playing alongside his twin brother, Jarron, won 2 California Interscholastic Federation state titles during his four year career with a combined record of 123-10. Over those 4 years, he broke the 31-year California rebounding record with over 1,500.
As a rookie along with Richard Jefferson, Collins played a significant role in the New Jersey Nets' first ever NBA Finals berth in 2002 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the 2002–03 NBA season Collins took over the starting center role for the Nets and helped the franchise back to the NBA Finals. Prior to the 2004–05 season, he signed a $25 million contract extension with New Jersey for five more years.
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Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft. Then, from 1996 to 2001, Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns and later for the New Jersey Nets from 2001 to 2008. In the middle of the 2007–2008 season, Kidd was traded back to Dallas. Along with his three NBA Finals appearances including a championship win in 2011, Kidd won two Olympic gold medals with the US national team in 2000 and 2008.
He led his former team, the New Jersey Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2002 and 2003) before winning in 2011 with Dallas. His on-court versatility also makes him a regular triple-double threat, and he is in third place all-time for regular season triple-doubles in the NBA with a career total of 107 and second in playoffs triple-doubles with a career total of 11.
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Jason Richardson
Jason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson (born January 20, 1981) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.
A 6'6", 225 lb. shooting guard/small forward, Richardson was taken by the Golden State Warriors as the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft from Michigan State, earning the NBA Rookie Challenge MVP and All-Rookie Team First Team honors his debut season in the league.
He is regarded as one of the NBA's most demonstrative dunkers, winning the NBA Slam Dunk crown in 2002 and 2003, joining Michael Jordan and Nate Robinson as the competition's only back-to-back champions.
Born in Saginaw, Michigan, Richardson graduated from Arthur Hill High School in 1999. Having led the Arthur Hill basketball team to the Class A championship game, Richardson was Mr. Basketball of Michigan and a McDonald's High School All-American in his senior year. In his freshman season with the Spartans basketball team at Michigan State University, Richardson averaged 5.1 points per game in 37 games (including three starts) and made 50.3% of attempted field goals. In his sophomore season, he averaged 14.7 points per game en route to a Final Four appearance which ended in a loss to Arizona. He was named Big Ten First Team that year.
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Jeff Sheppard
Jeffrey Kyle Sheppard (born September 29, 1974 in Marietta, Georgia) is a retired American professional and collegiate basketball player.
Sheppard was Player of the Year in Georgia in 1993 at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City.
The 6' 3" (1.90 m) University of Kentucky guard (1993–1998), was named Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament in San Antonio in 1998. He played on two national championship teams at the University of Kentucky under Rick Pitino in 1996 and under Tubby Smith in 1998.
The success of his college basketball career did not carry over into the professional leagues in which he entered. He played briefly in the National Basketball Association with the Atlanta Hawks during the 1998-99 season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.2 rebounds in only 18 games. He has since played professionally in Italy with Benetton Treviso (1999-00) (won the Italian Cup), Cordivari Roseto (2000–01) and Würth Roma (2001). He played in the preseason games (but not in any regular season games) for the Toronto Raptors in 2000. He cited the September 11 terrorist attacks as being a factor in his decision to retire from basketball.
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Jeff Trepagnier
Jeffery (Jeff) Trepagnier (born July 11, 1979 in Los Angeles, California) is an American professional basketball player.
Trepagnier is of French Creole descent.
He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and was a second round draft pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2001 NBA Draft. At 6'4", Trepagnier was considered by some scouts to be undersized for the NBA shooting guard position, his natural spot. In three seasons for the Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets, Trepagnier averaged 2.8 points per game.
He spent the 2004-05 season for Italian club Eldo Napoli. He signed with the Knights on June 25, 2006.
Trepagnier signed a contract with French club Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez in December 2007.
In 2009, Trepagnier was playing for the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League.
In 2010, he joined Scaligera Verona of the Italian second league.
In 2011, he signed to play in Brazil.
Trepagnier played college basketball for the USC Trojans. He also took second place at the 2000 Pac-10 Championships for the second year in a row with a high jump of 7-foot-1, tying for the fifth-best jump in USC school history.
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Jerod Ward
Jerod Davanta Ward (born May 5, 1976) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for Adepal in Spain Leb Oro.
Ward was the #1 recruit in the nation coming out of Clinton, Mississippi in 1994.[citation needed] He signed with the University of Michigan and comprised part of its highly-touted Fab Five II that included Robert Traylor, Maceo Baston, Willie Mitchell, and Maurice Taylor.[citation needed] Though plagued by injuries at Michigan, Ward ranked 5th in career three-point field goals.[citation needed]
The 6'9", 234 lbs forward has played for Grand Rapids of the CBA, CB Granada in Spain, and Cibona Zagreb (Croatia). He also was part of the Toronto Raptors training camp in 2002.[citation needed]
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Jerry Chambers
Jerome Purcell "Jerry" Chambers (born July 18, 1943 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired American professional basketball player. At 6'5" and 185 pounds, he played as a forward.
Chambers attended the University of Utah during the mid-1960s, winning the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player award in 1966 after his team reached the Final Four. He played four professional seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, and Buffalo Braves. In 1968, he was involved in one of the most significant transactions in NBA history when the Lakers traded him, Archie Clark and Darrall Imhoff to the Philadelphia 76ers for Hall-of-Famer Wilt Chamberlain. Chambers never played for the 76ers, who traded him to Phoenix in 1969.
From 1972 to 1974, Chambers played in the rival American Basketball Association as a member of the San Diego Conquistadors and the San Antonio Spurs. He retired with 2,667 combined NBA/ABA career points.
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Jerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas (born March 30, 1940) is a former basketball player who played from the 1950s to the 1970s. He is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history. He was named to Sports Illustrated's five-man College All-Century Team in 1999.
Lucas was born in Middletown, Ohio, then a community of 30,000+ halfway between Dayton and Cincinnati, that in the 1940s and 1950s boasted one of the most respected high school basketball programs in the United States. Greatly encouraged, Lucas began pouring hours each day into the town's game during his early teens.
Lucas had become a local playground legend by age 15, in Sunset Park. Sunset Park was then a regional summer hotbed for high school, college and even some pro players. Future Cincinnati Royals teammates Wayne Embry and Oscar Robertson were visitors there. Lucas was already at almost his full-grown height of 6 ft 8 in (2.06 m) by age 15, out-playing college players with his advanced game.
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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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Jeryl Sasser
Jeryl Henry Braxton Sasser (born February 13, 1979 in Dallas, Texas) is an American former professional basketball player whose last team was Al Arabi in Kuwait.
After graduating from Dallas's Justin F. Kimball High School, Sasser played college basketball at Southern Methodist University and was selected by the Orlando Magic as the 22nd pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. In two seasons for the Magic (his only in the NBA) he averaged 2.5 points per game.
He also played with the Yakama Sun Kings of the Continental Basketball Association, and with French Pro A team Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez. In November 2005, Sasser signed for Bnei HaSharon in Israel replacing injured Cookie Belcher, but he was released after two games. From 2007 to 2009, he played for Al Arabi in Kuwait, and was a Kuwait League Champion in 2008.
Jeryl Sasser is the younger brother of former NBA player Jason Sasser.
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Jim McIlvaine
James Michael McIlvaine (born July 30, 1972 in Racine, Wisconsin) is a retired American professional basketball player who spent seven seasons in the National Basketball Association with the Washington Bullets, Seattle SuperSonics and New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-1 shot-blocking specialist never made a major impact in the NBA, and is perhaps best remembered for the fall-out that occurred after he signed with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1996.
McIlvaine is married to Gwendolyn, a 6'7" center of the North Carolina's 1994 championship women's basketball team. He currently works as a radio color analyst for Marquette men's basketball and also as part of the online support staffer for Optima Batteries in Milwaukee.
After he dominated at St. Catherine's High School in Racine (averaging 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 8.1 blocked shots as a senior) and blocked a school-record 399 shots at Marquette University, McIlvaine was named NABC Defensive Player of the Year and was drafted with the fifth pick in the second round of the 1994 draft by the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards). He spent two years for the team, primarily in a backup role to Gheorghe Muresan. In limited playing time, McIlvaine exhibited tremendous defensive potential, although he was never given enough playing time to really prove himself in a full-time capacity (he averaged fewer than 15 minutes a game during his "breakout" second year). The young and inexperienced Bullets team displayed tremendous up-side in the 1995-96 NBA season, McIlvaine and young star Juwan Howard's second year in the league. However, the team's roster was already crowded with potential, and in 1996, Jim McIlvaine entered free agency.
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Jimmer Fredette
James Taft "Jimmer" Fredette (born February 25, 1989) is an American professional basketball player with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. He gained national fame during his collegiate career at Brigham Young University, where he was the leading scorer in all of NCAA Division I basketball during his senior season and earned every major National Player of the Year honor, including the Wooden Award, the Naismith Award, the Adolph Rupp Trophy, and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. Fredette is a native of Glens Falls, New York.
James Taft Fredette was born in Glens Falls, New York to parents Al and Kay Fredette, as the youngest of three children. His mother wanted to call him something unique and nicknamed him "Jimmer".
From his early childhood, Jimmer showed unusual dedication to athletics. His older brother TJ recalled, "He was the most determined, competitive four-year-old I had ever seen." TJ helped Jimmer train for his basketball career since before kindergarten. He regularly played with TJ, seven years older, and TJ's friends on the family's backyard court. Fredette was able to hit three-pointers at age 5, and developed moves to get around his larger opponents. TJ also remembered that his brother "willed himself to find ways to win, even if he was physically outmatched. From the time he was 10, I was telling everybody he was going to make the NBA."
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Jimmy Hull
James R. "Jimmy" Hull (c. 1917 – November 2, 1991) was an American basketball forward who led the Ohio State Buckeyes to the championship game in the first-ever NCAA Basketball Tournament. The Buckeyes finished the season with a 16–7 record, and lost to the Oregon Ducks in the finals. Hull was named the Most Outstanding Player of that first tournament.
Hull was a two-year starter for the Buckeyes. As a senior and captain of the 1938–1939 team he was the leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference and was a consensus All-America selection.
In 1977 Hull was inducted as a charter member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the Rocky Mountain Orthodontics Dentist Athletic Hall of Fame.
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Joakim Noah
Joakim Simon Noah ( /ˈdʒoʊ.ə.kɪm/ JOH-ə-kim; born February 25, 1985) is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in New York City to a Swedish mother and French father, he holds American, Swedish and French citizenship. He played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was a key member of the Florida Gators' starting five that won two consecutive NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournaments in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, the Chicago Bulls selected Noah in the first round (ninth pick overall) in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Noah was born in New York City in 1985 to French singer and former professional tennis player Yannick Noah, and Cécilia Rodhe, Miss Sweden 1978. His paternal grandfather Zacharie Noah was a Cameroonian professional soccer player, winner of the Coupe de France in 1961. Noah lived in Paris, France from 1988 to 1998 and returned to New York City at age 13.
He competed on basketball teams at several high schools: the United Nations International School, Poly Prep, and The Lawrenceville School.
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Joel Anthony
Joel Vincent Anthony (born August 9, 1982, in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.
After attending Selwyn House School and Dawson College in Westmount, Montreal, Anthony was recruited by Pensacola Junior College in Pensacola, Florida, U.S.. After two years, he transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He led the team in blocks in his junior season in 2004–05; fourth overall in the Mountain West Conference, but redshirted the next season and did not play. Returning to help lead the Runnin' Rebels to a 30–7 season his senior year (2006–07), he was named MWC defensive player of the year after finishing second in the NCAA's Division I in blocks-per-40-minutes (6.77). (The D–I leader, Mickell Gladness, later became Anthony's Miami Heat teammate.) The highlight in Anthony's senior year was his only double-double of the season, a season-high 13-block, 11-rebound effort versus Texas Christian on February 7, 2007.
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Joel Shankle
Joel Shankle (born March 2, 1933) was an American athlete who competed mainly in the 110 meter hurdles.
He competed for the United States in the 1956 Summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia in the 110 meter hurdles where he won the bronze medal.
Shankle attended Duke University and was honored as the first ACC Male Athlete of the Year in 1954
Sports Reference
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Johannes Herber
Johannes Herber (born January 17, 1983, in Darmstadt, (West) Germany) is a basketball player who plays for Skyliners Frankfurt in the German Basketball Bundesliga. In 2006, he completed a U.S. college career at West Virginia University. In America, he was generally known as Joe Herber.
After being developed by the Langen club in Germany, he received several professional offers in Europe, but turned them down in favor of a U.S. college career. The 6'6", 200 lb (1.98 m, 91 kg) all-around guard became the second recruit of new West Virginia coach John Beilein in 2002. Herber went on to start every game of his four-year WVU career, setting school records for most games started and minutes played. He also finished his college career as WVU's fifth-leading assist man. Herber, alongside with Kevin Pittsnogle and Mike Gansey, was a key player on the Mountaineers' NCAA regional finalists in 2005 and highly-ranked 2006 team. Herber also had an outstanding academic record at WVU, graduating with a 4.0 GPA in political science and gaining entry to the Order of Augusta, WVU's highest undergraduate honor. He was named three times by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) as an Academic All-American.
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John Amaechi
John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi OBE ( /əˈmeɪtʃi/; born November 26, 1970) is an English retired basketball player who currently works as a psychologist, educator and political activist in Europe and the United States.
In February 2007, after his retirement from the NBA, Amaechi became the first former NBA player to come out publicly after doing so in his memoir Man in the Middle. Since then he has been regarded as "one of the world's most high-profile gay athletes".
The son of a Nigerian, Igbo father, Amaechi was born in Boston in the USA. He was raised in Heaton Moor, Stockport, England, with his two younger sisters by his English mother, attending Stockport Grammar School. Amaechi moved to the United States to play high school basketball at St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo, Ohio.
He began playing college basketball at Vanderbilt but transferred to Penn State, where he was a two-time First Team Academic All-American selection. While at Penn State, Amaechi became a motivational public speaker and a mentor for area youth.
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John Kotz
John Kotz (March 27, 1919—May 8, 1999) was an American collegiate basketball player and early professional, best known as the Most Outstanding Player of the 1941 NCAA Tournament as a member of the Wisconsin Badgers.
Kotz, a 6'3 forward from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1940 to 1943. As a sophomore, Kotz led the Badgers to the 1941 NCAA Championship and was named tournament Most Outstanding Player. He was an All-American in 1942 and 1943. Kotz left Wisconsin as the school's leading scorer.
He was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.
After his standout career, he played professionally for the Sheboygan Red Skins of the National Basketball League in the 1945-46 season.
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John Lucas II
John Harding Lucas II (born October 31, 1953 in Durham, North Carolina) is a retired American professional basketball player.
Lucas attended the University of Maryland where he was an all-American in basketball, and also in tennis. Lucas was a Second-team All-American for the excellent Terrapins team in 1973 - 74, along with his teammates Len Elmore and Tom McMillen. The Terrapins has a record of 23 - 5 in the regular season, and 9 - 3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). However, they lost during the ACC Tournament, and they could not go to the NCAA Tournament. Elmore and McMillan graduated in 1974, but in the following 1974 - 75 season, Lucas was a First-team All-American. The Terrapins recorded a 24 - 5 regular season record, 10 - 2 in the ACC, and they won the ACC regular season crown. However, they lost to NC State in the semifinals of the ACC tournament. The NCAA tournament, however, had been expanded to include 32 teams. Also, for the first time, more than one team per conference was allowed into the tournament. Maryland gained entry and advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to Louisville.
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Johnny Dawkins
Johnny Earl Dawkins, Jr. (born September 28, 1963) is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the Stanford Cardinal men's basketball team, a position he assumed in 2008. He was a two-time All-American and national player of the year as a senior in 1986 at Duke. Dawkins subsequently played nine seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the San Antonio Spurs (1986–1989), Philadelphia 76ers (1989–1994), and Detroit Pistons (1994–1995). From 1998 to 2008, he served at an assistant basketball coach as his alma mater, Duke.
Dawkins was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He played basketball at Mackin High School in Washington, D.C. before enrolling at Duke University. At Duke, he became the team's all-time leading scorer with 2,556 points, which stood until 2006 when J. J. Redick surpassed it. In Dawkins' senior year at Duke, the 1985–86 season, the Duke Blue Devils attained a win-loss record of 37–3, which was an NCAA record for both games played and games won in a single season. They reached the 1986 NCAA championship game, where they lost to Louisville, 72–69. In his senior season, Dawkins averaged 20.2 points per game and won the Naismith College Player of the Year Award, presented to the nation's top Collegiate Basketball Player. He also served as alternate on the 1984 United States Olympic basketball team. He graduated with a degree in political science.
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Jon Brockman
Jonathan (Jon) Rodney Brockman (born March 20, 1987 in Snohomish, Washington) is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. He was the starting power forward and team captain for the University of Washington men's basketball team. He is the all-time leading rebounder and 2nd all-time scorer in University of Washington history. He grabbed the 1,000th rebound of his career on December 30, 2008 in a win over Morgan State, and became Washington's all-time leading rebounder on January 15, 2009 in a win over Oregon, breaking Doug Smart's school record of 1,051.
Games: 33
Games Started: 32
Team Record: 26-7
Field Goal Pct: 51.8%
Point Avg: 8.4
Rebound Avg: 6.5
F-Throw Pct: 66.7%
Steals: 35
Avg Minutes: 22.1
Played with future NBA players Brandon Roy and Bobby Jones. Was named to the PAC-10 all Freshman team. Played in the NCAA Tournament, lost to UConn in the Sweet 16. Led Huskies in rebounds and was 7th in the Pac-10. He ended the season with 4 double-doubles. Second highest total rebounds by a freshman in Husky history. Was ranked 2nd in the Pac-10 with his 51.8 field goal percentage.
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Jon Scheyer
Jonathan James "Jon" Scheyer (born August 24, 1987) is an American-Israeli 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Super League in that competition, the Adriatic League, and the Euroleague. Scheyer led his high school team to an Illinois state basketball championship as a high school All American, and the 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils to the 2010 NCAA Basketball Championship as a college All American. He was a prolific high school scorer, and later an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) leader in numerous statistical categories, ranging from free throw percentage and three point shots/game to assists/turnover ratio.
A high school All American, he once scored 21 points in a game's final 75 seconds of play in an attempt to spark a comeback. The 4th-leading scorer in Illinois high school history, he led his team to a state championship in 2005, and was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2006. He chose to attend Duke for college, for whom he moved from shooting guard to point guard towards the end of the 2008–09 season, and was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2009 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament.
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Joseph Forte
Joseph Xavier "Joe" Forte (born March 23, 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for Petrochimi Bandar Imam BC in the Iranian Basketball Super League.
Forte got his start at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. There, Forte played under the instruction of legendary high school prep coach Morgan Wootten. Forte's teammate at DeMatha, Keith Bogans, has played for several teams in the NBA. Forte was named Washington Post All Met Basketball Player of the Year in his senior year in 1999.
After a 2-year college career at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (highlights of which included winning the 2000 ACC Rookie of the Year as well as 2001 ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year) that was marked by flashes of brilliant play, he was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 21st pick in the 2001 NBA Draft (at a time when later star players Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas were still available on the guard position).
Unfortunately, his most memorable moment with the Celtics came when he wore a Scooby-Doo shirt on the sidelines during the playoffs. In two seasons with the Celtics and the Seattle SuperSonics, Forte averaged 1.2 points and 0.7 assists per game, struggling to convert from his natural shooting guard position to point guard. He was eventually waived by the Sonics due mostly to attitude and legal problems. While with the Sonics, he was arrested on gun and drug charges in Maryland, as well as an assault charge in which he allegedly punched a man in the face during a pickup game.
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Josh Howard
Joshua Jay Howard (born April 28, 1980) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st), he plays as a small forward.
Howard attended Glenn High School in Kernersville, North Carolina, where he was a First-Team All-State selection in his senior year and averaged six blocks per game while shooting 70%. He also averaged a double-double during his junior and senior years, during which time he also received the Frank Spencer Award (for the top player in Northwest North Carolina) twice. During his senior year Howard was handcuffed outside of a BP gas station the night before his SAT examination. Howard had been loitering on the premises with some of his friends, and undercover cops, believing the teenagers had been selling drugs, detained them.
In order to get into Wake Forest University Howard needed an SAT score of at least 950. He did not get a 950, saying his score was "somewhere in the 500s". In lieu, he spent a year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, where he averaged a double-double, with 19.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Howard led Hargrave to a 27–3 record, shooting well on the floor with 56%. He also averaged 44% from behind the three-point line and 85% from the free throw line. Howard participated in the ACC-SEC game between new signings from the two conferences. Howard scored 14 points in 15 minutes to help lift the ACC team to a 145–115 win over the SEC.
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Juan Dixon
Juan Dixon (born October 9, 1978) is an American professional basketball player. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Dixon played high school basketball at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore and scored 1,590 career points under the tutelage of head coach Mark Amatucci. Both his mother, Juanita, and father, Phil, were heroin addicts, and died of AIDS-related illnesses before Dixon was 17 years old. He was then raised by his grandparents Roberta and Warnick Graves in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Julius Hodge
Julius Melvin Hodge (born November 18, 1983) is an American professional basketball player. Hodge was selected 20th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played four years at North Carolina State University. ACC Player of the Year during the 2003-2004 season, Hodge finished his college career by leading State to the Sweet 16.
As a senior at St. Raymond High School for Boys, operated by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, in the Bronx, New York, Hodge was part of the 2001 McDonald's All-American Team and the First-team Parade All-American, New York State Mr. Basketball, New York Daily News Player of the Year, New York All-Metro Squad, and Sports Illustrated's Old Spice Athlete of the Month. He scored a total of 684 points his senior season, setting the school record at St. Raymond High School, and left rated as the No. 1 shooting guard by ESPN and No. 5 nationally.
As a freshman with the Pack, he was the leading freshman scorer in the ACC, averaging 10.7 points per game. He was named to second-team All-ACC Tournament team, after averaging 12.3 points. He earned the Lorenzo Charles Offensive Rebounding Award for 2002, Dick Vitale's "Diaper Dandy" and ranked 20th in the ACC in rebounding. He scored a double-double in his first collegiate game and his first ACC game. He was the only Pack player with multiple double-doubles for the 2001-2002 season.
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Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard (born February 7, 1973) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Heat is Howard's eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. A former All-Star and All-NBA power forward, he also starred as an All-American on the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team as part of the Fab Five recruiting class of 1991 (along with Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson) and, earlier, at Chicago Vocational Career Academy where he was an All-American center as well as an honors student. At age 39, Howard is the third oldest active player in the league.
The Fab Five reached the finals of the 1992 and 1993 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's Division I Basketball Championship while starting a combined 304 of a possible 350 games during their collective freshman and sophomore years. Howard is the last member of the Fab Five who remains active as a professional basketball player. Despite the sanctions and forfeited accomplishments from 1992 to 1998 by the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball due to the University of Michigan basketball scandal, Howard's 1993–94 All-American season continues to be recognized.
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Kedrick Brown
Albert Kedrick Brown (born March 18, 1981 in Zachary, Louisiana) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for Antalya BŞB, a Turkish professional basketball team.
Brown played college basketball at Okaloosa-Walton Community College (now Northwest Florida State College) where he was a First Team Junior College All-America as a sophomore, and was drafted 11th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2001 NBA Draft. In four seasons, with the Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Philadelphia 76ers, Brown averaged 3.6 points per game.
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Keith Askins
Keith Bernard Askins (born December 15, 1967, in Athens, Alabama) is a retired American professional basketball player. After playing at the University of Alabama, the 6'7" Askins signed with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Miami Heat in 1990. A versatile athlete who could play at multiple positions, Askins spent his entire career as a reserve and defensive specialist for the Heat, retiring after being waived by the Heat in 1999 with career totals of 1,852 points and 1,428 rebounds. He now works as an assistant coach for the Heat.
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Keith Smart
Jonathan Keith Smart (born September 21, 1964) is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. He is best remembered for hitting the game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA championship game. The shot gave the Indiana Hoosiers a 74–73 victory over the Syracuse Orangemen. He transferred to Indiana from Garden City Community College in Kansas where he was a two-year standout and Jayhawk Conference Player of the Year.
After two seasons at Indiana, Smart was signed by the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he played two games in the 1988–89 season. Smart later played in the Philippines, with the San Miguel Beermen of the PBA, in the 1989 Reinforced Conference, where he played through an injury and was eventually replaced by Ennis Whatley after only five games. After the PBA, he played in the World Basketball League: first with the Worcester Counts in 1989–90. He then played for the Youngstown Pride and was traded to the Halifax Windjammers in March 1991. Smart later played in the Continental Basketball Association with the Florida Beachdogs (1995-96) and Fort Wayne Fury (1996-97). He also played two seasons in France, and one in Venezuela.
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Kemba Walker
Kemba Hudley Walker (born May 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats. Walker grew up in The Bronx, New York and graduated from Rice High School in 2008. With the Huskies basketball team at the University of Connecticut, Walker was the 2nd leading college basketball scorer in the United States and helped his team win the 2011 NCAA tournament. In the 2011 NBA Draft, Walker was drafted ninth overall by the Bobcats.
In his junior year, Walker played against Simeon Career Academy and senior guard Derrick Rose in Madison Square Garden in a 53–51 win. During Walker's senior year he averaged 18.2 points per game and 5.3 assists per game, earning him a spot on the prestigious McDonald's All-American Team. Walker played for the New York Gauchos AAU basketball program with fellow Big East players Jordan Theodore, Darryl "Truck" Bryant, Devin Hill, and Danny Jennings. The team went on to finish #1 in the nation. Following high school he agreed to play for the University of Connecticut.
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Ken Sailors
Kenneth L. Sailors (born January 14, 1921 in Bushnell, Nebraska) is an American former professional basketball player. A 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) guard, he is notable for popularizing the jump shot as an alternative to the two-handed, flat-footed set shot.
Sailors grew up on a farm south of Hillsdale, Wyoming, where he developed his effective jump shot while playing against his 6'4" older brother Bud. He eventually brought his skills to the University of Wyoming, and in 1943 he led the Cowboys to the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Sailors was named the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player for his efforts. He was the unanimous selection as College Basketball Player of the Year in 1943. He would earn the honor again in 1946. Sailors was the only player in the history of Wyoming Cowboys basketball to be selected as an All-American three times. He earned the honors in 1942, 1943 and 1946.
From 1946 to 1951, Sailors played professionally in the BAA and NBA as a member of the Cleveland Rebels, Chicago Stags, Philadelphia Warriors, Providence Steamrollers, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and Baltimore Bullets. He scored 3,480 points in his professional career. Sailors was inducted into the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame on October 29, 1993. In 2012, Sailors was named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Kenneth Faried
Kenneth Bernard Faried Lewis (born November 19, 1989), nicknamed the "Manimal", is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He was a power forward at Morehead State University, where he was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and an All-American in 2010.
Faried attended Technology High School in Newark, New Jersey. He received recruiting interest from Marist and Iona colleges in New York, but chose to attend Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky.
Faried, a 6'8 (2.03 m) post player, came to Morehead State in 2007 and became one of the best players in school and conference history. Faried led the Ohio Valley Conference in rebounding as both a sophomore and a junior (13.0 rebounds per game in each season) – ranking him third in the NCAA in 2008–09 and second in 2009–10. Faried also chipped in double-digit scoring in each of his three varsity seasons.
Faried also led the Eagles to team success, as Morehead claimed a berth in the 2009 NCAA tournament by winning the Ohio Valley conference tournament. Faried led the way, scoring 15 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in the final against Austin Peay, and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. In his junior year, Faried again led the Eagles to the post-season as they advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational. At the end of the season, Faried was named OVC player and defensive player of the year and an AP honorable mention All-American. He also passed 1000 rebounds for his career.
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Kenny Satterfield
Kenneth "Kenny" Satterfield (born April 10, 1981 in New York, New York) is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He played for the Cincinnati Bearcats beginning in 1999. In 2001, after a successful sophomore season, he bolted for the NBA, being drafted 53rd overall (2nd round) by the Dallas Mavericks of the 2001 NBA Draft. He played for the Denver Nuggets (2001–2002 and 2002–2003) and the Philadelphia 76ers (December 2002-2003). Satterfield posted NBA career averages of 4.3 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Satterfield a.k.a. "Serious Satellite" is also a well known streetball player on the basketball courts of the New York City summer leagues.
After his NBA venture, Satterfield had a stint with the now defunct NBDL's Fayetteville Patriots, also playing abroad in France, Greece, Venezuela and Lebanon, with Al Hikmeh Sagesse (in 2005-06), which he left in early 2006 without notice, and Riyadi Beirut (since December 2007).
In 2010, he played for the Albany Legends of the IBL [1]. On April 30, 2010, he had achieved a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists in a 100-106 loss to the Tacoma Tide. [2] On May 22, 2010, he put up 31 points and 18 assists in a 142-124 win over the Holland Blast. [3] He finished the season leading the team in points and assists [4]. The Legends went on to win the 2010 IBL Championship [5].
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Kent Benson
Michael Kent Benson (born December 27, 1954 in New Castle, Indiana) is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player.
Kent Benson attended New Castle Chrysler High School, located in New Castle, Indiana, home of the New Castle Trojans. He was named Indiana's "Mr. Basketball" in 1973.
Kent attended Indiana University, located in Bloomington, Indiana, where he played college basketball for coach Bobby Knight. As a freshman, Benson averaged 9.3 points per game, while shooting 50.4 percent. He helped lead Indiana to the CCAT Championship, and onto a 23-5 record and a Big Ten title.
In his sophomore season, Kent Benson helped lead the Hoosiers to an undefeated conference record (18-0) and onto an Elite Eight appearance, where they lost their only game on the season to Kentucky. Helping lead the team to a 31-1 record on the season, he averaged 15 points and 8.9 rebounds a game.
With seniors Quinn Buckner and Scott May, he led Indiana to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship in the 1975-76 season. That season, they were undefeated throughout the entire regular and post season. That team was the last Division I Men's Basketball team to accomplish that feat. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds a game on the season with his college season high of 57.8 percent from the field. He scored his career high of 38 points against Michigan State.
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Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Lee Martin (born December 30, 1977) is an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "K-Mart", he plays for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for the New Jersey Nets and the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, and the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of China. He is 6'9" and 240 lbs, and was the first overall pick of the 2000 NBA Draft.
Martin played for the Cincinnati Bearcats under the direction of Bob Huggins. As a senior, he averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. He was the consensus National Player of the Year, earning numerous awards from various organizations, but suffered a broken leg in the Conference USA Tournament, keeping him out of the NCAA Tournament that year. Cincinnati retired his #4 jersey on April 25, 2000. Later that year, he was selected first overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Martin is currently the last American-born college senior to have been the top overall pick; the top picks since him consist of three high school players (Kwame Brown, LeBron James and Dwight Howard), one international player with two years of U.S. college experience (Andrew Bogut), two international players with no American college experience (Yao Ming and Andrea Bargnani), four college freshmen (John Wall, Greg Oden, Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving) and a college sophomore (Blake Griffin).
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Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988) is an American professional basketball forward with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6'9" small forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the 2006–2007 Big 12 Player of the Year, amongst other awards. After a standout freshman season at the University of Texas, Durant opted to enter the NBA Draft, where he was selected second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. There he went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after his debut season. In 2007, Durant signed an endorsement contract with Nike. In the 2009–10 season Durant led the NBA in scoring and became the youngest player ever to win the NBA scoring title. He would later be named to the 2010 All NBA First Team.
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Kevin Love
Kevin Wesley Love (born September 7, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The two-time All-Star is one of the top rebounders in the NBA, and he holds the longest streak for consecutive games recording double figures in points and rebounds since the merger between the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the NBA. The Associated Press called Love the new face of the Timberwolves franchise. He is also known for his outlet passing, which led to comparisons to Wes Unseld.
A top ranked prospect out of Lake Oswego High School in Oregon, Love played one season of college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and led the team to a Final Four appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Love was named the Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and consensus First Team All-American following the season. Love chose not to complete his three remaining years of college eligibility and entered the 2008 NBA Draft. He was taken fifth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, and was traded to the Timberwolves on draft night for the third overall selection, O. J. Mayo, in an eight-player deal. Love was a member of the gold medal-winning United States men's national basketball team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
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Kirk Haston
Kirk Haston (born March 10, 1979 in Lobelville, Tennessee) is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Perry County High School in Linden, Tennessee, where, as a senior, he was a part of the 37-0 Class A state championship team, being named Class A "Mr. Basketball". His college career took place under head coach Bob Knight and Mike Davis at Indiana University where, in the 2000-01 season he led the Big Ten in scoring and was a 3rd Team All-American selection. Haston's most memorable moment came during the 2000-01 season when his buzzer-beating three-pointer beat defending champion and top-ranked Michigan State 59-58 at the Assembly Hall. During his sophomore year, he lost his mother, Patti Kirk Haston, 48, in a tornado that hit the county seat, Linden, Tennessee on May 5, 1999.
Haston was selected 16th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2001 NBA Draft; many analysts, who had pegged Haston in the late first round-early second round area, thought that the Hornets took Haston to be a 'zone breaker', working against the change in rules that allowed some forms of the zone defense in games. Haston was known for his sky hook shot and shooting range for a forward/center.
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Kirk Hinrich
Kirk James Hinrich (born January 2, 1981) is an American professional basketball player, currently a guard for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He has also been a member of the USA National Team. Growing up in Sioux City, Iowa, Hinrich was exposed to basketball at an early age. His father, Jim, coached him from the third grade through high school.
As a high school senior, Hinrich was named the 1999 Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball, along with future college teammate and roommate Nick Collison. Hinrich originally committed to play basketball at Iowa State but when the coach at the time, Tim Floyd, took the head coaching position for the NBA's Chicago Bulls, Hinrich changed his mind and decided to attend the University of Kansas. While playing college basketball for Kansas, Hinrich helped his team reach the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament in 2002 and the championship game against the Carmelo Anthony-led Syracuse University in 2003. Hinrich played all four years at Kansas before being drafted into the NBA. He is often referred to as "Captain Kirk" because he was voted as team captain for the Bulls for four consecutive years. Hinrich is the Bulls' all-time leader in three point field goals. After seven seasons with the Bulls, he was traded to the Washington Wizards on June 8, 2010. He then was traded to the Atlanta Hawks on February 23, 2011.
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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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Kris Benson
Kristin James Benson (born November 7, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Benson pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1999 to 2004, New York Mets from 2004 to 2005, Baltimore Orioles in 2006 to 2007, Texas Rangers in 2009, and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010.
Benson was born in Superior, Wisconsin. The future All-American pitcher was born to baseball fan parents who chose names for each of their children that began names with "K," a nod to the letter used as the scorecard designation for a strikeout. Benson attended Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia with future MLB All-Star Marlon Byrd. Benson was not drafted out of high school.
Benson attended Clemson University from 1993 to 1996. His teammates included fellow future major-leaguers Billy Koch and Matthew LeCroy both of whom played with him in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. (Koch reported teammates referred to Benson as "The Messiah".) Benson went undefeated during the regular season of his junior year (14–0 with a 1.40 ERA) with 178 strikeouts in 142 innings pitched.
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Kwame Brown
Kwame James Brown (born March 10, 1982) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), 270 lb (120 kg; 19 st) center was the 1st overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, and was the first number one draft pick to be selected straight out of high school. He has also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats, and Golden State Warriors.
Brown was consistently rated as the "best high school player" in his class, which also included high school standouts Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. He was the high school player of the year as a senior in Georgia. Brown finished his high school career at the historic Glynn Academy (in Brunswick, Georgia) as the school's all-time leading rebounder (1,235) and shot-blocker (605), and also finished second all-time as a scorer and he was named to the 2001 McDonald's All-American Team.
Originally signing a letter of intent to play for the University of Florida, he later declared for the 2001 NBA Draft. The Washington Wizards, under team president Michael Jordan, decided to use their first overall pick on him. Additionally, the expectations upon Brown were increased by the fact that Jordan, acclaimed as the greatest basketball player ever, had chosen him. Following a pre-draft workout with the Wizards, it has been reported that Brown told then-Wizards coach Doug Collins, "If you draft me, you'll never regret it."
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Kyle Hill
Kyle Eric Hill (born April 7, 1979) is an American professional basketball player who was picked by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2001 NBA Draft with the 44th overall draft pick. Hill's NBA rights were then traded by the Mavericks shortly after the draft to the Houston Rockets.
Hill attended and played basketball at Argo Community High School in Summit, Illinois. He played college basketball at Eastern Illinois University.
After being selected in the 2001 NBA Draft, Hill immediately went to Europe and signed with the French team ASVEL, where he played in the Euroleague with Nikola Vujčić, where he averaged 13.4 points per game and won the French Cup.
Hill next moved to another French club Pau-Orthez, where he recorded 9.5 points per game in 25 minutes per game. He then played briefly with AEK Athens in Greece, and then with Lauretana Biella in Italy during the 2003–04 season. He followed that with an excellent season with the Croatian club KK Zadar.
After Zadar, he moved to the Italian club Snaidero Udine, where he played well and averaged more than 15 points per game during the 2005–06 season. Soon after that he moved to the Spanish team Girona, but an injury that he suffered to his achilles tendon prevented him from playing much. During the 2007–08 season, Hill played five games with KK Bosna from Sarajevo and he then returned to Udine. He finished the season playing with Snaidero Udine, where he formed one half of the same dynamic duo along with Jerome Allen for the team, and was once again coached by Cesare Pancotto, just like in the 2005–06 season.
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Kyle Singler
Kyle Edward Singler (born May 4, 1988) is a professional basketball player for Real Madrid in Spain. He was a four-year starter for the Duke men's basketball team and was instrumental in their 2010 NCAA Championship run, earning MVP of the Final Four. In the 2011 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Singler in the second round with the overall 33rd pick.
Singler attended South Medford High School and was ranked as the fourth best college recruit in the nation from the class of 2007. In high school, he averaged 29.3 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game as a senior.
In 2007, Singler led South Medford to its first-ever state basketball championship, winning 58–54 over defending champion Lake Oswego and national standout Kevin Love. A year earlier, Love and Lake Oswego had defeated Singler and South Medford for the state championship.
Singler was a member of the Legends AAU team, along with former UCLA player Kevin Love, and participated in many prestigious all-American camps, including the Nike All-American Camp (Indianapolis), the Nike Peach Jam (Augusta), and the Main Event (Las Vegas). In 2006 Singler played against Brandon Jennings in the championship game of The Les Schwab Invitational. Singler was also named to the 2006 U18 USA Junior National team, alongside fellow top prospects Michael Beasley, Jerryd Bayless, and 2006 star recruit Spencer Hawes. Singler is also one of eight players featured in Gunnin' for That #1 Spot, a 2008 documentary directed by Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys which was filmed in 2006.
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Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale. Due to chronic back problems, he retired as a player in 1992. Bird was voted to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996 and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. He served as head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000. In 2003, he assumed the role of president of basketball operations for the Pacers, which he currently holds. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year.
Larry Bird was born in West Baden, Indiana, the son of Georgia (née Kerns) and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird. He grew up in both West Baden and the adjacent town French Lick, which earned him the nickname "the Hick from French Lick" in his professional basketball career. Bird recalled how his mother would make do on the family's meager earnings: "If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she'd get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at the bank. I don't mean she wouldn't pay the bank, but the children always came first." According to Bird, his being poor as a child "motivates me to this day". He sometimes was sent to live with his grandmother due to the family's struggles. The Bird family's struggle with poverty was compounded by the alcoholism and personal difficulties of Joe Bird, who likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in the Korean War. Joe Bird committed suicide on February 3, 1975, when Larry was 18 years old.
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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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Lee Shaffer
Lee Philip Shafer II (born February 23, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former professional basketball player.
A 6'7" forward, Shaffer starred at the University of North Carolina, where he was the ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 1960. He then played three seasons (1961–1964) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. An NBA All-Star in 1963, Shaffer held career averages of 16.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.
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Len Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias (November 18, 1963 – June 19, 1986) was a first team All-American college basketball forward at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose. He is considered by some sportswriters to be one of the greatest players not to play at the professional level.
Bias was known to friends and family by his childhood nickname "Frosty". He was given the nickname by his good friend and pastor Rev. Gregory Edmond because he was "tall and cool and quiet and unassuming".
From Landover, Maryland, Bias graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, and subsequently attended the University of Maryland, where he became an All-American player.
Bias impressed basketball fans with his amazing leaping ability, his physical stature and his ability to create plays, and was considered one of the most dynamic players in the nation. By his senior year, scouts from various National Basketball Association teams viewed Bias as the most complete forward in the Class of 1986. According to Celtics scout Ed Badger, "He's maybe the closest thing to (Chicago guard) Michael Jordan to come out in a long time. I'm not saying he's as good as Michael Jordan, but he's an explosive and exciting kind of player like that." Jordan was then in his second professional season with the Chicago Bulls.
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Len Chappell
Leonard R. "Len" Chappell (born January 31, 1941 in Portage, Pennsylvania) is a retired American basketball player.
A 6'8" power forward/center, Chappell was a star at Wake Forest University, where he was named ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 1961 and 1962. He was the ACC tournament's all-time leading scorer until Duke University's J. J. Redick surpassed him in 2006. Chappell was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team in 2002, honoring him as one of the 50 greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.
After his college career, he spent nine years (1962–1971) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Cincinnati Royals, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Atlanta Hawks. Chappell played in the 1964 NBA All-Star Game, and he scored 5,621 NBA career points. He also played one season (1971–1972) with the Dallas Chaparrals of the now defunct American Basketball Association.
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Lennie Rosenbluth
Leonard Robert "Lennie" Rosenbluth (born January 22, 1933, in New York City, United States) is an American former basketball player.
Rosenbluth attended Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Virginia. In 1957 he led the University of North Carolina Tar Heels to a 32–0 record. At 6’ 5” Rosenbluth averaged 27.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game during the regular season. The Helms Hall of Fame named him “Collegiate Player of the Year,” over Kansas's Wilt Chamberlain. This was North Carolina's first NCAA national championship, and it brought credibility to the Atlantic Coast Conference. He was named the ACC Male Athlete of the Year in 1957.
His first year of varsity basketball in 1955, he was the leading scorer of the Tar Heels. He was named third team All-America, averaging 25.5 ppg and 11.7 rebounds. In 1956 he also achieved All-America honors, but this time they were split between various first and second team selections. He again led the Tar Heels in scoring with a 26.7 average.
In Rosenbluth’s senior season his Tar Heels defeated Chamberlain’s Kansas Jayhawks 54–53 in triple overtime for the NCAA championship. The UNC forward scored 20 points in the championship final, was the tournament’s overall top scorer, 28.0 ppg, and was named to the All-Tournament Team. North Carolina had defeated Michigan State 74-70 the previous night also in a triple overtime game.
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Lionel Simmons
Lionel James "L-Train" Simmons (born November 14, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a retired American professional basketball player.
Simmons led South Philadelphia High School to a Philadelphia Public League boys’ championship in 1986. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
A 6'7" small forward from La Salle University, where he won the Naismith College Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award as a senior. Simmons is third in all-time NCAA career points with 3,217 and trails only Pete Maravich and Freeman Williams. Simmons became the only player in NCAA history to score more than 3,000 points and pull down more than 1,100 rebounds. He holds the NCAA Basketball record for most consecutive games scoring in double figures with 115. He led the Explorers to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1988–90). Simmons was Player of the Year in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for three years. He was a four-time First Team All Big 5 selection and won the Robert V. Geasey Trophy as Big 5 MVP three times. During his career, the Explorers had a 100-31 record. Simmons was inducted into the La Salle University Hall of Athletes in 1995. Simmons was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1996.
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Loren Woods
Loren Woods (born 21 June 1978, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing with Zob Ahan Isfahan in the Iranian Basketball Super League. He is also a former NBA player.
He attended high school at Cardinal Ritter College Prep, where he teamed with ex-NBA player Jahidi White and Duke University standout Chris Carrawell. He started his college career at Wake Forest University, where was supposed to take over the center position once Tim Duncan left. However he transferred to the University of Arizona.
Woods was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft. After leaving the Timberwolves, Woods played for the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors, where he appeared in 45 games during the 2004–05 season and posted a career best 3.9 points per game. On August 15, 2006, he signed with the Sacramento Kings as a backup center, but he was waived before the season began.
Woods joined the Lithuanian giants Žalgiris Kaunas in 2007. In June 2007, he joined the Turkish side Efes Pilsen. He signed two 10-day contracts with the Houston Rockets on March 21 and April 1, 2008. After being waived by the Rockets on July 14, 2008, he signed again with Žalgiris Kaunas on July 16. He joined CAI Zaragoza in 2009.
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Lou Pucillo
Lou Pucillo (born 1936 in Philadelphia is best known for being an outstanding college basketball player for North Carolina State University Wolfpack from 1956-1959. Being only 5 foot 9 inches and 155 lbs., he was the smallest player to ever be recruited by Everett Case. As a guard for the Wolfpack he scored 944 points in 74 games. He was named on the first-team for the ACC in 1958 and 1959, the first team for the ACC Tournament in 1958 and 1959, and in 1959 he was named ACC Player of the Year.
After graduating from N.C. State, Pucillo played for the Wichita Vickers in National Industrial League and later played for Sunbury in the Eastern Professional League. After quitting his professional basketball career, he later coached freshman basketball at N.C. State for three seasons before leaving to enter private business.
In 1991 he was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
NC State Hall of Hame bio
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Louis Williams
Louis "Lou" Tyrone Williams (born October 27, 1986) is an American professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association's Philadelphia 76ers, who selected him with the 45th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. Williams was born in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in Snellville, Georgia.
Williams played at Snellville's South Gwinnett High School under Roger Fleetwood, where he was a four-time All-State selection, was named Georgia's "Mr. Basketball" during his junior and senior year and was voted as the "Most Athletic" Senior Superlative by his peers. As a junior, Williams led South Gwinnett to win the 5A Georgia State Championship. As a senior, Williams averaged 27.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game while leading South Gwinnett to a 28–3 record and fourth place finish in the state. Williams also won the 2005 Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award which identifies the nation's top high school player, and was named to the 2005 McDonald's All-American East Team. Both Williams and Mike Mercer, high school teammates at South Gwinnett High School, committed to play at the University of Georgia, but Williams declared for the 2005 NBA Draft. Williams is the second all-time leading scorer in Georgia high school basketball history.
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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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Manu Ginóbili
Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili (born 28 July 1977) is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Ginóbili spent the early part of his basketball career in Argentina and Italy, where he won several individual and team honors. His stint with Italian side Kinder Bologna was particularly productive, earning two Italian League MVP awards, the Euroleague Finals MVP and the 2001 Euroleague and Triple Crown championships. The shooting guard was selected as the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft and is considered one of the biggest draft steals of all time. Ginóbili returned to Italy and only joined the Spurs in 2002. He did not take long to establish himself as a key player for the Spurs, and has since earned three NBA championship rings as well as being named an All-Star in 2005 and 2011. In the 2007–08 season, he was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
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Marcus Camby
Marcus D. Camby (born March 22, 1974 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American professional basketball center with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game. Camby is also a four-time member of the NBA all-defensive team.
Camby, a native of Connecticut, began his high school career at Conard High School in West Hartford. He transferred to Hartford Public High School where he finished his high school education. In his senior season, Camby averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks and 8 assists, en route to a 27-0 record and state title. He was named Gatorade's Connecticut Player of the Year.
Camby played three seasons for the UMass Minutemen. He is second all-time in total blocked shots (336) at UMass and the fourth-ever college player to have at least 300 total career blocked shots. He had an NCAA freshman record 105 total rejections during his first year at UMass, and was named the Atlantic 10's Freshman of the Year. Camby was named to the A-10's First Team during his sophomore season in 1994-95, as the Minutemen reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
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Marcus Fizer
Darnell Marcus Lamar Fizer (born August 10, 1978 in Inkster, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player.
Fizer played high school basketball at Arcadia High School in Arcadia, Louisiana. As a senior, Fizer was selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game.
Cyclone head coach Tim Floyd became aware of Fizer's potential while coaching in Louisiana and interested Fizer in playing collegiate basketball at Iowa State University. Fizer became the first McDonald's All-American to play for the Cyclones.
Tim Floyd left Iowa State to coach the Chicago Bulls of the NBA after Fizer's freshman year and was replaced by Larry Eustachy. While playing for both Floyd and Eustachy, Fizer accumulated many Big 12 Conference and national accolades including All-Big 12 honorable mention (freshman), National first-team All-Freshman, first team All-Big 12 (sophomore and junior), Big 12 Player of the Year (junior), Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player (junior), and consensus first-team All-America (junior). He led the Big 12 in scoring his sophomore and junior seasons. Following a Big 12 regular season title Big 12 tournament title, and Elite Eight NCAA Tournament finish his junior year, Fizer elected to declare for the NBA Draft.
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Mario Chalmers
Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers (born May 19, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Chalmers played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–08 national championship team, hitting a dramatic three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation to send the game against the Memphis Tigers into overtime, with Kansas eventually winning the game.
In the 2006–2007 Big 12 Coaches Awards, Chalmers was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year with Marcus Dove of Oklahoma State. Chalmers was also voted on the All Big 12 Third Team, and the All Big 12 Defensive Team.
In the 2007–2008 season, Chalmers was named Big 12 All-Defensive First Team and All Big 12 Second Team. He was also named Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Championship.
Chalmers attended Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Alaska. Chalmers was named 4A State Player of the Year three times in a row, joining Trajan Langdon as the only other player to do so. Chalmers also led his school to two state championships in 2002 and 2003, and a runner up finish in 2004.
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Mark Aguirre
Mark Anthony Aguirre (born December 10, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois) is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association. Aguirre played from 1981–1994 and won two championships with the Detroit Pistons after being sent to Detroit from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Adrian Dantley. Aguirre was a three-time All-Star for Dallas.
While playing at DePaul University, he averaged 24.5 points over three seasons with the Blue Demons, and in 1981 was The Sporting News College Player of the Year. He also was the USBWA College Player of the Year and James Naismith Award winner in 1980, and a 2 time member of The Sporting News' All-America first team. As a freshman in 1978–1979, he led the Demons to the Final Four, where they lost to Indiana State, led by future NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird.
The Chicago native played on the same DePaul team as future NBA star Terry Cummings and found himself in the national spotlight during his three years at the university. He averaged 24.0 points as a freshman in 1978–79 and led the Blue Demons to the NCAA Final Four. Over the next two seasons he scored 26.8 and 23.0 points per game, respectively, and he was named College Player of the Year in 1980–81. A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic basketball team, Aguirre left school after his junior year. The Dallas Mavericks took him with the first overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft.
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Marques Johnson
Marques Kevin Johnson (born February 8, 1956) is an American retired professional basketball player. The small forward played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1977–1989, where was a five-time All-Star. He spent a majority of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Johnson was a Los Angeles City Section player of the year in high school before attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and won a national championship in 1975. In his senior year, he won multiple national player of the year awards. Johnson was the third overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He played seven seasons with Milwaukee before finishing his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors. He is currently a basketball analyst for Fox Sports Net.
Johnson was born in Nachitoches, Louisiana and raised in south Los Angeles, where he played high school basketball at Crenshaw High School, winning the Los Angeles City Section 4-A Division Player of the Year in 1973. He later attended UCLA, and became a star player on its basketball teams, under the guidance of legendary coach John Wooden. In his sophomore season in 1974–75, Johnson helped to lead the Bruins to Coach John Wooden's 10th and final NCAA Men's Division I basketball championship. Wooden retired from coaching after the season, and Gene Bartow became the head coach. Johnson continued to excel, averaging 21.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in his senior season and won the inaugural John R. Wooden Award in addition to the USBWA College Player of the Year as the nation's top collegiate basketball player. Johnson also majored in Theater Arts at UCLA. In 1996, UCLA retired his number.
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Marvin Huffman
Marvin "Marv" Huffman (1917–1983) was an American basketball player.
A 6'2" forward, Huffman starred at New Castle High School in Indiana, where he started every game for four years. He then played collegiately at Indiana University, leading the Hoosiers to the 1940 NCAA Championship. After scoring a team-high 12 points in the deciding game over the University of Kansas, Huffman received the second-ever NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player award and earned Converse First Team All-American honors.
Huffman later had a brief professional career with the Akron Wingfoots of the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. During the 1940-41 NBL season, he averaged 5.1 points in 22 games.
Huffman was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.
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Mateen Cleaves
Mateen Ahmad Cleaves (born September 7, 1977 in Flint, Michigan) is an American former professional basketball player who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager and an analyst on the television program Inside College Basketball on CBS Sports Network.
Cleaves is best remembered for his career with the Michigan State University Spartans (MSU).
He was a heavily recruited high school athlete. His recruiting trip with the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team touched off a major scandal after he was a passenger in a rollover accident. Cleaves eventually agreed to attend Michigan State University, the University of Michigan's in-state rival.
Cleaves, a three-time Michigan State University captain, led the Spartans to the 2000 national championship, and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
The school's only three-time All-American, Cleaves was named Big Ten Player of the Year twice. He led MSU and the conference in career assists with 816, and is Michigan State's all-time steals leader (193). In his final home game on senior night in East Lansing, Cleaves dished out 20 assists, breaking the Big Ten single-game and career assist marks.
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Matt Bonner
Matthew Robert Bonner (born April 5, 1980) is an American professional basketball player with the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bonner played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft. In addition to the San Antonio Spurs, he has also previously played for the Toronto Raptors.
Matt Bonner was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1980. He attended Concord High School, where he played for the Concord Crimson Tide high school basketball team, helping the Crimson Tide win three state championships. Due to the strong support by his father, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, and his mother, an elementary school teacher in Concord, Matt graduated at the top of his class in academics.
Matt has two younger siblings, Luke and Becky. Matt's brother, Luke Bonner, attended the University of Massachusetts and played basketball there. He then played for the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League, and has also played for Klaipėda Neptunas in Lithuania.
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Maurice Jeffers
Maurice Cardale Jeffers (born April 3, 1979 in Morrilton, Arkansas) is an American professional basketball player. He is 6'5" in height and weighs 210 pounds. Plays the shooting guard and small forward positions. He was selected in the 2nd Round (55th) pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, but he has never signed a contract with an NBA team.
Jeffers, one of the best players to come from Morrilton High School. Attended Westark Junior College located in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. His second season (1998–1999) he averaged 20 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He moved on to college ball at St. Louis University. In his senior season (2000–2001) he averaged 16.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1 steal per game. His season high was 27 points in a (71-61) win over Louisville Cardinals on January 6, 2001.
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Mehmet Okur
Mehmet Murat Okur (born May 26, 1979 in Yalova, Turkey) is a Turkish professional basketball player who last played for the New Jersey Nets of the NBA. He is a 211 cm (6' 11")power forward/center.
Okur notes Toni Kukoč was his favorite player while he was growing up. He helped the Turkish 22-and-under national team to 6th place at the 1997 world championship. Mehmet was transferred to Efes Pilsen in 2000 and won a championship in the 2001–2002 Turkish Basketball League season. He averaged 13.5 points per game during his last season in Turkey.
Okur was selected 37th overall in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He played two seasons for the Pistons from 2002/03 to 2003/04, helping Detroit win the NBA championship in June 2004. He became the first Turkish player to win an NBA championship. Due to salary cap limitations, the Pistons were unable to pay a top-level salary for Okur, but he was able to parlay his success into a six-year, US$50 million contract with the Utah Jazz.
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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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Mike Gminski
Michael Thomas Gminski (born August 3, 1959 in Monroe, Connecticut) is a retired American college and professional basketball player. Gminski played his high school ball for Masuk High School in Monroe, CT. From there he played four seasons with the Duke Blue Devils, from 1977 to 1980. He led the team in scoring during his junior and senior years. Gminski was named the ACC Rookie of the Year (tied) in 1977, first team All-ACC three years, 1978, 1979, and 1980, and ACC Player of the Year in 1979. He was also named an AP Second Team All-American in 1979 and 1980, and a UPI First Team All-American in 1979 and Second Team All-American in 1980.
At the time of graduation, he was the Duke career leader in points (2,323), rebounds (1,242), and blocked shots (345). As of early 2006, he is seventh all time in the ACC in points and rebounds. He is sixth in blocked shots all-time in the ACC and second in Duke history, respectively. He is also second in Duke career rebounds behind Shelden Williams and fourth in points behind J. J. Redick, Johnny Dawkins, and Christian Laettner. His jersey number '43' is retired by the Duke men's basketball team. In 2002, Gminski was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the 50 greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history.
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Mike Iuzzolino
Michael Alan Iuzzolino (born January 22, 1968, in Altoona, Pennsylvania) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2nd round (35th overall) of the 1991 NBA Draft. Iuzzolino, a 5 foot 10 inch point guard, played two years in the NBA, both with the Mavericks averaging 9.0 ppg in his career. He played collegiately at Pennsylvania State University and at Saint Francis University. He played high school basketball at Altoona High School in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was a high school teammate of Doug West, who went on to have a successful NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Vancouver Grizzlies.
After his NBA career, Iuzzolino played professionally in Italy and Spain.
Iuzzolino was also featured in the 1993 Arcade Edition of the popular video game NBA Jam.
He is an Italian-American, and holds an Italian passport. Iuzzolino was inducted into the Blair County Sports Hall of Fame along side Coach John Swogger.
Iuzzolino is now an assistant coach at Saint Vincent College. He previously was an assistant for the Duquesne women's basketball team, and George Mason women's basketball team.
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Mike Krzyzewski
Michael William "Mike" Krzyzewski ( /ʃəˈʃɛvski/ shə-SHEV-ski; Polish: Krzyżewski [kʂɨˈʐɛ(f)ski]; nicknamed "Coach K"; born February 13, 1947) is an American basketball coach and former player. Since 1980, he has served as the head men's basketball coach at Duke University. At Duke, Krzyzewski has led the Blue Devils to four NCAA Championships, 11 Final Fours, 12 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season titles, and 13 ACC Tournament championships. Krzyzewski is also the coach of the United States men's national basketball team, whom he led to a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championship. He was an assistant coach on the 1992 "Dream Team".
From 1975 to 1980, Krzyzewski was the head basketball coach at the United States Military Academy, where he played from 1966 to 1969 under Bob Knight. Krzyzewski has amassed a record 79 NCAA tournament victories, while averaging 25 wins per season. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame following the 2001 season. On November 15, 2011, Krzyzewski led Duke to a 74–69 victory over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden to become the winningest coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball history. Krzyzewski's 903rd victory surpassed the previous record of 902, held by his former coach, Bob Knight.
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Miles Simon
Miles Julian Simon (born November 21, 1975 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a retired American professional basketball player.
Simon was born in Stockholm to an American father and a Norwegian mother. He played guard for the University of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team, where he formed a formidable backcourt duo with future NBA point guard Mike Bibby. He won the Most Outstanding Player award in the 1997 NCAA Tournament in which Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky in overtime to win the national championship.
After college, Simon played briefly with the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played for two seasons for the Dakota Wizards of the CBA, whom he led to a CBA championship in 2002. Simon earned enough awards and honors in 2001–2002 to make him the most decorated player in CBA history. He received honors as Player of the Week four times. He was named the CBA Newcomer of the Year, the CBA MVP, and the Playoff MVP. He also holds the CBA record for most free throws made in a row at 60.
In 2005, Simon was announced as an assistant coach under his collegiate head coach Lute Olson at his alma mater and served until May 2008, when it was announced by the Arizona athletics department that his coaching contract would not be renewed.
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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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Morris Peterson
Morris Peterson, Jr. (born August 26, 1977 in Flint, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.
Peterson played collegiate basketball at Michigan State University, and helped lead them to the 2000 NCAA title.
In his senior year at MSU, Peterson led the team in scoring, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage. He had a team-high 30 double-digit scoring efforts. He was voted Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten, and he placed as first or second team All-American on five different polls.
He was selected 21st overall by the Raptors in the 2000 NBA Draft, and was a starter in the majority of their games during his first three seasons. On January 17, 2009, MSU retired his number 42 with MSU's other all time greats before their game against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Drafted in the first round by the Raptors in 2000, Peterson was a fan favorite from the moment he stepped on the floor. While enjoying some early success in his professional career, Peterson's production faced a steady decline, before stepping up in the wake of the new era of Raptor youngsters being ushered in, taking on a more expansive leadership role and transforming himself into an elite perimeter defender, a clutch performer and consistent scorer. He is known for his three-point shooting, acrobatic shots, defense, and fearless driving to the basket.
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Ned Crotty
Ned Crotty (born September 26, 1986) of New Vernon, New Jersey is a MLL professional lacrosse player, formerly of the NCAA Division I college lacrosse team in Duke University. He also plays indoor lacrosse for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.
Ned attended and played lacrosse at the Delbarton School in New Jersey. Crotty plays attack at 6'2 and 190 pounds. Crotty entered the 2010 season ranked seventh in career assists (84) and 17th in career points (153) at Duke. Crotty was an All American and won the Tewaaraton Trophy for most outstanding college lacrosse player in 2010. On May 31, 2010, Ned and the Duke Lacrosse team won their first ever Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship. He and teammate Max Quinzani were a scoring duo at Duke for two years following the departure of Matt Danowski and Zack Greer. Crotty played with the MLL team Chicago Machine after being chosen first overall in the 2010 MLL Draft for the 2010 season. He also played for the United States lacrosse team at the 2010 World Lacrosse Championship. Crotty is considered to be the best passer in Duke lacrosse history, posting 63 assists in a single season, a Duke University record. He is expected[by whom?] to rival All-Star Boston Cannons Midfielder Paul Rabil for the title of being considered the best field lacrosse player in the world.
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Ngonidzashe Makusha
Ngonidzashe Makusha (born 11 March 1987) is a Zimbabwean sprinter and long jumper. He is the national record holder over 100m and Long Jump for Zimbabwe with 9.89s (+1.3 m/s) and 8.40m (0.0 m/s) respectively. Both performances achieved during the 2011 NCAA Division I Championships in Des Moines, Iowa where he completed the 100m long jump double. Following the 2 gold medals victory, Makusha has becomes one of the only four athletes to win the double (100m & Long Jump) at the NCAA championships. The three others are DeHart Hubbard (1925), Jesse Owens (1935 & 1936), and Carl Lewis (1981).
In 2011, Makusha was named the men's winner of The Bowerman which is awarded to the top collegiate track & field athlete of the year.
In July 2006 in Windhoek, Makusha achieved decent results in several events. In addition to 7.87 metres in the long jump, he jumped 14.90 metres in the triple jump, ran the 100 metres in 10.64 seconds and the 200 metres in 21.57 seconds. The next month he entered in both long jump and the 100 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships. In the 100 metres he reached the semi-final, where he was knocked out with a time of 10.84 seconds. He reached the final in the long jump event, but finished twelfth and last. The next year he competed at the 2007 All-Africa Games, where he won a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay, together with his teammates Gabriel Mvumvure, Brian Dzingai and Lewis Banda. He also competed in long jump and 100 metres, achieving 7.69 metres and 10.52 seconds in the two events.
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Nick Horvath
Nick Horvath (born February 18, 1981 in Shoreview, Minnesota) is a naturalised New Zealand professional basketball player, originally from the United States, currently playing for the NZL NBL team Manawatu Jets.
Horvath attended Mounds View High School (Arden Hills, Minnesota) where he led the Mustangs to state tournament appearances in 1998 and 1999 where they captured the 1999 AA State Championship. Horvath was also named the 1999 Minnesota Mr. Basketball.
Horvath played college basketball at Duke University from 2000 to 2004, where he was a part of the 2000-2001 NCAA championship team. He was team captain in 2003 and 2004. Horvath double majored in Physics and English.
Following college, Horvath began playing professionally in Australia. He averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds a game for the West Sydney Razorbacks in 2005 and 19 points and 8 rebounds a game for the Adelaide 36ers in 2006. Horvath signed with the South Dragons for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons where he won an ANBL Championship in 2009.
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Nolan Smith
Nolan Derek Smith (born July 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, having been selected with the 21st pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after four years at Duke University. As a senior, he was named a first team AP All-American and the ACC Player of the Year. As a junior, he started at shooting guard for Duke's national champion 2010 team.
Smith is the son of the late Derek Smith, a former swingman of nine-year NBA and University of Louisville fame. The elder Smith was a starting forward on Louisville's 1980 NCAA championship team. He also played for the Cardinals in the 1982 Final Four. He was a second-round draft choice of the Golden State Warriors in 1982 and went on to play for the San Diego and Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics before retiring in 1991. His career ended prematurely due to knee problems.
Derek battled Michael Jordan in a famous 1984 game at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, outscoring Jordan 66-20, and throwing down a huge dunk over him that is still famous on YouTube. Derek suffered a serious knee injury in the 11th game of the 1985-86 season. At the time he was the third-leading scorer in the NBA at 27.3 points per game.
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Omar Cook
Omar Cook (born January 28, 1982 in Brooklyn, New York) is a naturalized Montenegrin professional basketball player and member of the Montenegro national basketball team who grew up in the United States. He is often referred to as a prime example of college basketball players who declared for the NBA Draft too early. He is 1.86 m (6 ft 1 ¼ in) tall. He plays at point guard position with the pro club Olimpia Milano.
Cook played high school basketball at Christ The King Regional High School, and then played college basketball at St. John's University. Cook ranked second in the nation and first in the Big East in assists during the one year he spent at St. John's. He also broke Mark Jackson's record for the most assists in a game for a St. John's player with 17, against Stony Brook University.
Cook was drafted by the Orlando Magic of the NBA as the third pick in the second round (31st overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft. He was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets, but failed to make the team, allegedly because of his inability to shoot the ball effectively. From 2001–2004, Cook made some pre-season appearances for teams in the league, also managing 22 regular season games played (17 with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2003–04 season and five with the Toronto Raptors in the 2004–05 season). In July 2005, he was drafted by the AAPBL, but the league folded less than two weeks after the draft.
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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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Ousmane Cisse
Ousmane Cisse (born October 20, 1982 in Bamako, Mali) is a Malian professional basketball player who currently plays for APOEL in Cyprus. He is a 6'9" 235 lb forward. (He is not the player of the same name who played for Eastern Illinois University from 2006–2010.)
Ousmane Cisse studied at Montgomery Catholic High School in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S., where he and his teammates won the 2A State Championship. In his first appearance as a Catholic Knight, he broke the Alabama High School Athletic Association's record for block shots in the first half against Horseshoe Bend. He later attended St. Jude Catholic High School in Montgomery, and after graduating he signed up to the 2001 NBA Draft and was selected as a 46th pick overall by the Denver Nuggets.
After he was signed by the Denver Nuggets in 2001. He was injured and released, and then he moved to the Harlem Globetrotters. After a year he returned to play in the NBA after signing with the Orlando Magic. Ousmane was released just after one game and moved to play in the USBL. In 2003, he signed with the Toronto Raptors and was released after a couple of days, without ever playing with the team.
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Pat Garrity
Patrick (Pat) Joseph Garrity (born August 23, 1976 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a retired American NBA basketball player who played for ten years in the NBA, nine for the Orlando Magic. He was a member of the National Basketball Players Association Executive Committee from 2000-2008 where he served as Secretary and Treasurer.
At Lewis-Palmer High School in Monument, Colorado, Garrity was a three time All-State selection and part of the 1994 Class 4A State of Colorado High School Basketball Championship team. He was a three time All-State selection and the Class 4A player of the year for the 1993-94 season as well as valedictorian of his high school class. His jersey, number 53, is retired at Lewis-Palmer High School.
At the University of Notre Dame, Garrity spent four years with the Fighting Irish, averaging double-digits in scoring in all four seasons, including a 23.2 point-per-game average in his senior season of 1997-98. He was the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 1997. In 1998, he was a Consensus Second Team All-America selection. He was a two-time Academic All-America selection as well as Academic All-American of the Year for Men's Division I basketball in 1998.
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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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Paul Arizin
Paul Joseph Arizin (April 9, 1928 – December 12, 2006), nicknamed "Pitchin' Paul," was an American basketball player who spent his entire National Basketball Association career with the Philadelphia Warriors from 1950 to 1962. He retired with the third highest career point total (16,266) in NBA history, and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History upon its 50th anniversary in 1996. He was a high-scoring forward at Villanova University before being drafted by the Warriors of the fledgling NBA.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Arizin did not play basketball at La Salle College High School, failing to make the team in his only tryout as a senior. Arizin graduated just a year before another NBA hall of famer, Tom Gola, entered La Salle College High School as a freshman.
During his freshmen year at Villanova, Arizin played CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) basketball in Philadelphia. Late in that season, Al Severance, the then Villanova varsity basketball coach, attended one of Arizin's CYO games. Afterwards, Severance approached Arizin and asked, "How would you like to go to Villanova?" His answer: "I go to Villanova."
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Paul Hogue
Paul H. "Duke" Hogue (April 28, 1940 – August 17, 2009) was an American basketball player.
A 6'9" center from Knoxville, Tennessee, Hogue starred at the University of Cincinnati, with whom he won the NCAA Tournament in 1961 and 1962. Hogue was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1962 tournament, and was also named the 1962 Helms Foundation Player of the Year. He was the second overall selection of the New York Knickerbockers in the 1962 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft. He had a brief career (1962–64) in the NBA as a member of the Knicks and Baltimore Bullets, averaging 6.3 points per game. After Hogue retired, he became a member of the Princeton Schools board of education in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio.
According to his wife of 43 years, Patti, Hogue died of heart and kidney failure on August 17, 2009.
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Pervis Ellison
Pervis Ellison (born April 3, 1967 in Savannah, Georgia) is a former college and professional NBA basketball player.
Ellison was nicknamed "Never Nervous Pervis" for his play with the University of Louisville. At 6 ft 9 in and 242 lb, he started all four years as the center under coach Denny Crum. In his freshman year he led Louisville to its second national championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player—the second time a freshman had ever been awarded that honor, after Arnie Ferrin in 1944 for Utah.
Ellison was made the first overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. An injury kept him on the sidelines for 48 of 82 games of his rookie year, after which he was traded to the Washington Bullets. (A Sacramento teammate, Danny Ainge, had nicknamed him "Out of Service Pervis.") Although he was assigned as a backup in 1990-1991, the following year he became a starter and earned Most Improved Player honors after averaging 20.0 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.68 blocks per game.
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Pete Brennan
Peter Joseph "Pete" Brennan (born September 23, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York) is a retired American basketball player.
He played collegiately for the University of North Carolina, where he was chosen ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year in the 1957-58 season.
He was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1st round (4th pick overall) of the 1958 NBA Draft.
He played for the Knicks (1958–59) in the NBA for 16 games.
He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich (June 22, 1947 – January 5, 1988) was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University (LSU) and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980. He is still the all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer with 3,667 points scored and an average of 44.2 points per game. (All of his accomplishments were achieved before the three-point line was introduced to NCAA basketball, and despite being unable to play varsity as a freshman under then-NCAA rules.) Maravich died suddenly at age 40 during a pick-up game as a consequence of a previously undetected congenital heart defect. One of the youngest players ever inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Maravich was cited by the Hall as "perhaps the greatest creative offensive talent in history". In an April 2010 interview, Hall of Fame player John Havlicek said "the best ball-handler of all time was (Pete) Maravich."
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Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college football at North Carolina State University. Rivers' career passer rating of 95.9 is third-best all-time among NFL quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempts, behind Aaron Rodgers and Steve Young.
After starting Chargers quarterback Drew Brees went to the New Orleans Saints following the 2005 season, Rivers came off the bench to lead the Chargers to a 14-2 record in his first season as a starter. In 2007, he helped the Chargers win their first playoff game since 1994 after beating the Tennessee Titans in the wildcard round of the 2007 playoffs and eventually leading them to the AFC Championship game. He has a career total of 13 fourth quarter comebacks, his most recent being on September 11, 2011, when he led the Chargers to a 24-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
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Ralph Sampson
Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr. (born July 7, 1960) is a retired American college and professional basketball player.
A 7-foot-4 phenom, three-time College Player of the Year, and No. 1 pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, Sampson brought heavy expectations with him to the NBA.
The NBA Rookie of the Year, Sampson averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds for his first three seasons with the Houston Rockets before injuries began to take their toll. Three knee surgeries later he retired a four-time All-Star whose career highlight ended up being a buzzer-beating shot to dethrone the Los Angeles Lakers as Western Conference champions, derailing their hopes for coveted back-to-back NBA titles and sending the Rockets to their second NBA Finals in the team's history to that point.
Sampson was already 6-foot-7 inches tall by the ninth grade, reaching 7-foot-3 in high school in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He averaged nearly 30 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 blocked shots as a senior (after averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds as a sophomore, and 19 points and 17 rebounds as a junior), at Harrisonburg High, leading the team to state AA basketball championships in 1978 and 1979. His senior year he lost the high school player of the year award to another talented center, Sam Bowie. However, he did get a form of revenge against Bowie, outplaying him in the Capital Classic, getting 23 points and 21 rebounds with 4 blocks in a game styled "Battle of the Giants".
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Randolph Childress
Randolph Childress (born September 21, 1972, in Washington, D.C.) is an American former professional basketball player who last played in Italy for Cestistica San Severo. He currently works as an assistant to the athletic director for the Wake Forest University athletic department.
Childress played collegiately at Wake Forest University, where he averaged 18.4 points per game for his four-year career. His collegiate highlight came in 1995, when he delivered one of the most outstanding ACC Tournament performances of all time. Named tournament MVP, Childress along with sophomore Tim Duncan, carried the Demon Deacons to the title, Childress averaged 35.7 points and 7 assists per game. In the finals, against a UNC team featuring Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace, Childress scored 37 with 7 assists and hit a game-winning jumper with 4 seconds left in overtime. He was honored as the ACC Male Athlete of the Year in 1995. In 2002, Childress was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team, honoring the fifty greatest players in ACC history.
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Randy Livingston
Randy Livingston (born April 2, 1975 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former American professional basketball player who last played point guard for the NBA Development League's Idaho Stampede. He stands 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and weighs 209 lb (95 kg). Since 2010 he has been the head coach for the Idaho Stampede.
Livingston attended New Orleans' Isidore Newman School along with standout quarterback Peyton Manning, where he was named the High School co-player of the year in 1992 (with Jason Kidd) and 1993 (with Rasheed Wallace). Livingston also played in the McDonald's All-American Game and Magic's Roundball Classic.
After high school, Livingston attended Louisiana State University but only appeared in 32 games over two seasons because of knee problems. He was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the second round (42nd overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft, being signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Hawks in his second year. He played for the Phoenix Suns during the 1999 season and, miraculously (as this situation never occurred again for Livingston in the NBA), he repeated with them next season, playing his most consistent season so far (79 games, 14 mpg, 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game).
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Raymond Felton
Raymond Bernard Felton, Jr. (born June 26, 1984 in Marion, South Carolina) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A point guard, Felton is listed at 6'1 and 205 lbs. Felton played college basketball for the North Carolina under head coach Roy Williams. At North Carolina, Felton led the Tar Heels to a national championship before declaring for the NBA Draft. Felton was drafted 5th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft. Over his career, Felton has been a member of the Charlotte Bobcats, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Felton began his basketball career at Latta High School in Latta, South Carolina. There he led his high school to two state championships and a career record of 104–9. In the process, he set state scoring records with 2,992 points and 117 3 pointers.
Felton won the South Carolina Mr. Basketball award as both a junior and senior, and was named Naismith Prep Player of the Year in 2002. He was MVP of the 2002 Roundball Classic at the United Center in Chicago, and was named to the 2002 McDonald's All-American Team. Felton played in the McDonald's All-American game with two future Tar Heel teammates, Sean May and Rashad McCants.
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Raül López
Raül López i Molist (born April 15, 1980 in Vic, Barcelona) is a Spanish professional basketball player. He has previously played for the NBA's Utah Jazz. López is a native of Vic, Barcelona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. At 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall, he plays the point guard position. López is featured on the Spanish version of the NBA Live 2004 video game.
Although López has been said to be the Spanish version of John Stockton, his game has often been described as more similar to that of Steve Nash and Tony Parker. He is known for his quickness, court vision, unselfishness, and passing ability. Also, he has the ability to create his own shot, a key skill in the modern NBA and Euroleague.
In 1998, at 18 years old, López began his professional career with Joventut Badalona in the Spanish ACB League. In 2000, he was signed by Real Madrid where he played for two seasons. Later, during the summer of 2005, he signed with the Spanish local team Akasvayu Girona, which finished 7th at the end of the 2005-2006 ACB season.
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Reggie Love
Reginald L. Love (born April 29, 1982) served as the special assistant and personal aide, commonly referred to as body man for "taking care of the president's needs", to United States President Barack Obama. Love left this position at the end of 2011, to complete his Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
He attended high school at Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated with a degree in political science and public policy from Duke University. He was a forward for the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, played on the 2001 team that won the NCAA national championship, and was a captain of the 2005 team. He also played wide receiver for the Duke football team on a football scholarship,. While his high school team won two state titles, his college team lost the first 22 games of his career. He tried out unsuccessfully with several National Football League teams during the two years after he graduated from college.
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Renaldo Nehemiah
Renaldo ("Skeets") Nehemiah (born March 24, 1959 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American athlete who dominated the 110 m hurdle event from 1978 until 1981. He was the world record holder and the first man to run the high hurdles in under 13 seconds. He was ranked number one in the world for four straight years.
Nehemiah was the national junior champion in 1977, the same year he graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in his hometown of Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Nehemiah's high school personal bests were 12.9 in the 110 meter hurdles and 35.8 in the 300 meter hurdles, so much faster than his competitors that his coach had him compete over 42 inch hurdles (collegiate height) and occasionally train over 45 inch hurdles. After graduating from Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Nehemiah attended the University of Maryland, where he won three NCAA titles (two indoor).
Nehemiah's sophomore year at UMD proved to be his breakout year. He broke the world record in the 110 meter hurdles twice in two weeks, running 13.16 and then 13.00. At the 1979 Penn Relays, Nehemiah anchored UMD's shuttle hurdle relay, 4x400 meter relay, and 4x200 meter relay, and was named meet MVP. During the relays he recorded an unofficial split of 19.4 seconds in the 4-by-200 meter relay and a 44.3 second split in the 4x400 meter relay. Nehemiah described his 400-meter leg as follows:
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Riccardo Ingram
Riccardo Benay Ingram (born September 10, 1966 in Douglas, Georgia) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins. He is currently a roving instructor for the Minnesota Twins.
His career is profiled in the book, "Journeymen: 24 Bittersweet Tales of Short Major League Sports Careers."
Ingram played baseball and football at Georgia Tech where he stood out in both sports winning the McKelvin Award as the ACC athlete of the year, the first Yellow Jacket to win that award.
Upon leaving Georgia Tech, Ingram was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 4th Round (105th overall) of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his debut with the Tigers in 1994 getting 5 hits in 23 at bats in only 12 games played. After the 1994 season he was granted free agency. On January 26, 1995 he signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Twins. He played in 4 games in 1995 gathering 1 hit in 8 at bats. After the season he signed another free agent contract with the San Diego Padres but did not play in any regular season games for them.
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Richard Jefferson
Richard Allen Jefferson (born June 21, 1980 in Los Angeles, California) is a 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. He was also a member of the USA men's national basketball team at the 2003 Tournament of the Americas and the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics.
Jefferson was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Phoenix, Arizona. His parents were both Christian missionaries, and he moved around frequently growing up.
Jefferson attended Moon Valley High School in west Phoenix, Arizona, where he was an integral part of the varsity basketball team that won the 4A State Championship in 1998.
He played college basketball at the University of Arizona, under Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson from 1998-2001. During his 84-game career (77 starts), Jefferson averaged 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He capped his career by leading Arizona to the 2001 national championship game. Along the way, Jefferson was an all-Midwest Regional and all-Final Four selection. He was inducted into the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor during the 2012 Pacific-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, March 10, 2012.
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Richard Washington
Richard Lee Washington (born July 15, 1955 in Portland, Oregon) is a retired American professional basketball player.
A 6'11" center, Washington played high school ball at Benson Tech in Portland, Oregon before starring at UCLA in the 1970s, where he was named NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player following UCLA's 1975 championship. He played six professional seasons in the NBA as a member of the Kansas City Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers. In his NBA career, he scored 3,456 points and grabbed 2,204 rebounds.
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Rick Adelman
Richard Leonard "Rick" Adelman (born June 16, 1946) is an American former basketball professional player and current basketball coach. He is the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. Previously he served as head coach of the Golden State Warriors, the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and the Houston Rockets.
Born in Lynwood, California, Adelman began his basketball career as a collegiate star at Loyola University of Los Angeles, now known as Loyola Marymount University. In the 1968 NBA Draft, he was selected by the San Diego Rockets (now the Houston Rockets) in the 7th round. He played two seasons in San Diego before being taken by the expansion Trail Blazers in the 1970 expansion draft; he then played three seasons in Portland. He also played for the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans (now Utah) Jazz, and the Kansas City/Omaha (now Sacramento) Kings. He ended his playing career in 1975.
From 1977 through to 1983, Adelman coached at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, after which he was hired by the Portland Trail Blazers (then coached by Jack Ramsay) as an assistant. When Ramsay was fired and replaced with Mike Schuler in 1986, Adelman was retained; when Schuler was in turn fired during the 1988-89 season (when poor team chemistry resulted in the team having a losing record), Adelman was promoted to interim coach. After leading the team into the playoffs that year (despite a 39–43 record), Adelman was given the coaching position on a full-time basis in the 1989 off-season.
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Robbie Hummel
Robert John Hummel (born March 8, 1989 in Valparaiso, Indiana) is a former American college basketball player at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Robbie Hummel attended Valparaiso High School in Valparaiso, Indiana. Playing under coach Bob Punter, he played alongside his future college freshman teammate, Scott Martin (who transferred to University of Notre Dame after one season at Purdue). Hummel averaged 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as a Viking his Senior season.
Hummel attended Purdue University to play under head coach, Matt Painter, and associate head coach, Cuonzo Martin. He averaged 11.4 points (2nd on team), 6.1 rebounds (1st) and 2.5 assists a game in his freshman year. Hummel led the baby boilers, along with Chris Kramer, JaJuan Johnson, Keaton Grant, and E'Twaun Moore to a second place finish in conference play and onto a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance, where they lost to a senior-led Xavier team. He broke the school freshman record with a 44.7 three-point field goal percentage, while leading the Big Ten Conference. He also recorded the highest free throw percentage for a freshman in school history with 86.5 accuracy, which led the team, and broke Kyle Macy's 33 year old .859 mark. He was named First Team All-Big Ten, becoming the first true Boilermaker freshman to earn the honor. He wrapped up his Freshmen season as 1 of 24 John R. Wooden Award finalists and of 10 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy. He helped lead the Boilers to a 25–9 overall season record.
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Robertas Javtokas
Robertas Javtokas (born March 20, 1980, in Šiauliai) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player. Javtokas is 2.11 m (6'11") in height and weighs 122 kg (270 lbs). He plays the center position. He has been a member of the Lithuanian national team since 2000. In the 2001 NBA Draft he was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 55th overall pick.
Javtokas has very good athletic ability, long arms and good coordination. He is a good jumper who has a 40-inch vertical leap and can easily dunk in traffic. He still has to work on his technique and to improve his free-throw shooting. He can run the floor and make plays on the perimeter with his good athletic ability, nice size, and good hops. He is a good rebounder and a good defender as well. He once set a world record by dunking on a 12 foot high basketball goal.
On May 1, 2002, while driving his Honda CBR1100XX motorcycle at a speed of around 140 kilometers per hour (87 miles per hour) towards Vilnius, he had a serious accident. Approaching a side road, Javtokas started to pass a van, but the van driver did not see the motorcycle and turned left. There was no chance for Javtokas to stop and he hit the van, losing control but not the bike, which crashed into a car in the opposite lane. Javtokas flew dozens of meters and landed in bushes off the road, crushing his thighbone, breaking his shoulder, and injuring his knee and kidneys. He returned to basketball for the 2003-04 season.
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Rodney Monroe
Rodney Monroe (born April 16, 1968 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2nd round (30th overall) of the 1991 NBA Draft. A 6'3" (1.90 m) shooting guard, Monroe played only one year in the NBA with the Hawks during the 1991–92 season, appearing in 38 games and scoring a total of 131 points. Monroe also played professionally in Australia, Greece, Israel, Italy (for Carne Montana Forli (1998–1999), Fabriano Basket a.k.a. Banca Marche Fabriano (1999–2002) and Euro Roseto (2002–2003)), Spain, and the Philippines. Currently, Monroe is the director of basketball operations and men's basketball coach at SouthLake Christian Academy in Huntersville, North Carolina.
Monroe played collegiately at North Carolina State and was ACC's Player of the Year in 1991 after averaging 27.0 points per game. He broke David Thompson's school scoring record at NC State and is 4th on the ACC's all-time scoring list with 2,551 career points. In 2002, Monroe was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team as one of the fifty greatest players in Atlantic Coast Conference history. "Fire and Ice" was the popular nickname given to Monroe and backcourt teammate Chris Corchiani during their years with the Wolfpack.
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Rodney Rogers
Rodney Ray Rogers (born June 20, 1971, in Durham, North Carolina) is a retired American basketball player who last played power forward for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.
Rogers was the fourth and youngest child born to Willie Wadsworth and Estella Rogers. He spent most of his childhood growing up in the McDougald Terrace housing project in Durham. His father, who left the family and moved to Texas when Rogers was a toddler, died when Rogers was eight.
Estella Rogers sustained severe head injuries and required two operations when she was nearly killed in an automobile wreck in 1988. She was in a coma for more than two weeks and remained hospitalized for three more months. Even after she returned home she still had memory loss and needed extra care. While his mother recovered, Rogers moved in with Nathaniel Brooks, who was once his youth league coach, spending his last two seasons at Hillside High School with the Brooks family.
His stepfather James Spencer, who was the only man Rogers called "Dad", died of lung cancer in February 1990. Renita, the oldest of the Rogers children, became a nurse at N.C. Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill. His oldest brother Stacy, who attended the Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf in Wilson and the N.C. School for the Deaf in Morganton, won a gold medal in basketball at the 1981 XIV Deaflympics (aka "World Games for the Deaf" and "World Deaf Olympics") in Cologne, Germany. After that he worked for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Durham. Stanley, his other brother, served over 10 years (1981–1991) of a 20-year sentence for armed robbery at Central Prison in Raleigh.
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Rodney White
Rodney Charles White (born June 28, 1980, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American professional basketball player who most recently played in the Philippines for the Barako Bull Energy. He played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was named the national freshman of the Year by ESPN, and he was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 9th overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft.
Despite his lofty 9th overall selection, White quickly fell out favor with new Pistons coach Rick Carlisle and played in only 16 games during the 2001-2002 season, averaging 3.5 points in 8.1 minutes.
Sensing untapped potential in White, then Denver Nuggets General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe took a gamble, sending a bounty of two players and a future first round pick to Detroit in exchange for White.
White had an inconsistent and tumultuous tenure in Denver. Flashes of brilliance on the offensive end were overshadowed by lack of defensive commitment, drawing the same ire from coach Jeff Bzdelik he had received from Carlisle in Detroit.
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Roman Gabriel
Roman Ildonzo Gabriel, Jr. (born August 5, 1940 in Wilmington, North Carolina) is a former American football player. The son of a Filipino immigrant, he was the first Asian-American to start as an NFL quarterback and is considered by many to have been one of the best players at that position during the late 1960s and early 70s.
Gabriel attended and played high school football at New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. He went on to star for the North Carolina State football team, and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.
A two-time All-American and two-time ACC Player of the Year (1960–61), Gabriel starred at quarterback for North Carolina State University in the early 1960s and finished his career holding virtually every Wolfpack passing record. An academic All-American, Gabriel saw his jersey retired and presented to him by North Carolina governor Terry Sanford on Jan. 20, 1962, at half-time of an NC State-Maryland basketball game in Reynolds Coliseum. As captain of his team, Gabriel set 22 school and nine conference football records. He threw for 2,961 yards and 19 touchdowns.
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Ron Mercer
Ronald (Ron) Eugene Mercer (born May 18, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. After his career at the University of Kentucky, Mercer played for several teams in the National Basketball Association; he ended his career with the New Jersey Nets in 2005.
Ron Mercer was twice named "Mr. Basketball" of Tennessee while at Goodpasture Christian School in Madison, Tennessee. He then transferred to Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, and was rated by Bob Gibbons to be the best prep player of the class of 1995, over Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Antwan Jamison and Stephon Marbury.
Mercer had a very successful collegiate career, having been an All-American and all-Southeastern Conference player at Kentucky, and part of a national championship team in his freshman year. He was selected with the 6th overall pick of the 1997 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics and was reunited with fellow Kentucky teammate Antoine Walker, and Rick Pitino, his coach at Kentucky who had just become the coach of the Celtics. Prior to Mercer's drafting, Pitino was recorded as saying that he did not envisage Mercer as having the necessary talent to be selected very high. Some felt this was just a ploy to scare the other teams away from him so as to increase the likelihood of Mercer being available by the time the Celtics got an opportunity to make their draft selection.
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Ron Rothstein
Ronald "Ron" Rothstein (born December 27, 1942 in Bronxville, New York) is an American professional basketball coach and former college basketball player, who has led many different NBA teams. He served as the first head coach for the Miami Heat, and later coached the Detroit Pistons. He has also coached in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 2007-08, he also filled in for Pat Riley as an interim coach for the Heat.
Rothstein played college ball at the University of Rhode Island where he was captain of the 1964 season. After that, he was a teacher and coach at Upsala College in New Jersey (1974–75) and Eastchester High School in New York. During the summer of 1967, he was the athletic director at Camp Ma-Ho-Ge in Bethel, New York. Rothstein also attended Hunter College.
In 1979, Rothstein signed as a scout for the Atlanta Hawks, eventually becoming an assistant coach there in 1983. He was signed as an assistant for the Detroit Pistons in 1986 before becoming the first coach in Heat history (1988).
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Ronnie Shavlik
Ronald Dean "Ronnie" Shavlik (December 4, 1933 – June 27, 1983) was an All-American center for the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the 1950s. He later played briefly for the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks. His grandson, Ronald Shavlik Randolph, played college basketball for Duke University and played professionally in the NBA.
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Ronny Turiaf
Ronny Turiaf (born January 13, 1983) is a French professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. Turiaf has been a member of the French national basketball team.
Turiaf grew up in Martinique then attended high school in Paris and Gonzaga University in the United States. At Gonzaga, Turiaf played for the Bulldogs basketball team and was the leading West Coast Conference scorer in his senior year. After graduating from Gonzaga, Turiaf entered the 2005 NBA Draft and was picked by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would play until 2008. He has since played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, the Washington Wizards and now the Miami Heat.
Turiaf spent most of his childhood in Martinique, a French overseas department in the Caribbean Sea. Following the advice from his father, Turiaf moved to Paris in 1998, at the age of 15, to attend the National Institute of Physical Education (Insep), a school that combines rigorous secondary education with elite-level athletic training.
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Rudy Gay
Rudy Carlton Gay, Jr. (born August 17, 1986) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played collegiately at the University of Connecticut before turning pro.
Gay was one of five siblings and began playing competitive recreational basketball at 12 years old in the Turner Station community of Baltimore County, Maryland in one of the toughest youth basketball leagues in the area. Early exposure to Baltimore AAU basketball and summer league games in the Tom Jones Youth Summer League in Washington, D.C., showcased his abilities against top competition.[citation needed]
At the age of 14, Gay began playing for the nationally-known Cecil-Kirk AAU program under Coach Anthony Lewis with other blue-chip players such as Josh Boone (UConn), Paris Carter (New Mexico State), and Chester Frazier (Illinois). During the spring of his 8th grade year, Gay and teammate Scott Dozier were highly sought after by several private schools. Gay attended Eastern Technical High School in Baltimore County, while Dozier enrolled at the St. Paul's School.[citation needed] Gay transferred to Archbishop Spalding High School of the Baltimore Catholic League after his sophomore year at Eastern Tech.[citation needed]
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Samuel Dalembert
Samuel Davis Dalembert (born May 10, 1981) is a Haitian Canadian professional basketball player who plays center for the NBA's Houston Rockets. Dalembert began playing in Montreal, Quebec and played college basketball at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, United States. Dalembert is known for his excellent shot blocking ability; he averages around two blocks per game, placing him among the league's elite in this category. He was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and lived there for fourteen years before moving to Montreal. After playing 8 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings for Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes during the 2010 offseason. On December 21, 2011, Dalembert agreed to a two year deal with the Houston Rockets.
After much anticipation Dalembert became a Canadian citizen on August 7, 2007 and joined the Canadian national team in hopes of qualifying for the Olympics. He was a part of Canada's pre-tournament training camp, taking part in games in both Toronto and Hamilton during the 2008 Jack Donohue International Classic, with wins over both Lebanon and New Zealand. However, two weeks later on July 16, Dalembert was dismissed from the team during the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament due to a rift between him and Coach Leo Rautins.
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Scoonie Penn
James "Scoonie" Donell Penn (born January 9, 1977 in Brooklyn, New York City) is an American professional basketball player. He plays at the point guard position. His height is 5 ft 11 in and he weighs 180 pounds.
Penn played high school basketball at Salem High School in Salem, Massachusetts. He then played college basketball at Boston College before transferring to Ohio State University, where he teamed up to form a dominant back court with the future Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Michael Redd.
Penn left the United States to play in Europe. He made his big splash with the Adriatic League club Red Star Belgrade. He had a great season with Red Star Belgrade. The fans loved him. He was the leader of the team and that was the best season in his career.
Penn left the club the following season and played in the 2005-06 season for Cibona Zagreb and in the 2006-07 season he was a member of the Greek League club Olympiacos. He then moved to the Turkish League club Efes Pilsen for the 2007-08 season, followed by the Ukrainian League club Kyiv in the 2008-09 season. At the beginning of the 2009-10 season, Penn made the move to the Italian League to play with Virtus Bologna. On New Years Day, 2010, it was announced by Greek powerhouse Olympiacos that Penn would return to the club to replace Von Wafer, who had been released due to his inability to adapt to the European game. In October 2010 he signed with Prima Veroli which plays in Italian second division LegADue.
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Scott May
Scott Glenn May (born March 19, 1954 in Sandusky, Ohio) is a retired American professional basketball player.
Scott May played as a 6'7" forward for Bob Knight and the Indiana University Hoosiers from 1972-1976. He began with a rocky start after being declared academically ineligible his freshman year. As a sophomore he began to feel more confident in his studies, and the future championship nucleus of May, Kent Benson, Quinn Buckner and Bob Wilkerson started to gel. "Our group knew what we wanted. We were going to do whatever it took to win it all."
In his last two seasons with the school, 1974-75 and 1975-76, the Hoosiers were undefeated in the regular season and won 37-consecutive Big Ten games. The 1974-75 Hoosiers swept the entire Big Ten by an average of 22.8 points per game. However, in a 83-82 win against Purdue, May broke his left arm. With May's injury keeping him to 7 minutes of play, the No. 1 Hoosiers lost to Kentucky 92-90 in the Mideast Regional. The Hoosiers were so dominant that four starters - May, Steve Green, Kent Benson and Quinn Buckner - would make the five-man All-Big Ten team. The following season, 1975–76, the Hoosiers went the entire season and 1976 NCAA tournament without a single loss, beating Michigan 86–68 in the title game. Indiana remains the last school to accomplish this feat.
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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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Sean Lampley
Sean Lampley (born September 3, 1979, in Harvey, Illinois) is an American professional basketball player.
Lampley played at the University of California, leading the Golden Bears to victory over Clemson in the 1999 National Invitational Tournament and earning MVP honors. In 2001 he led the team to the NCAA Tournament, but the Bears lost in the first round to Fresno State. Lampley ended his career as the only player in school history to rank in the top 10 in points (1,776, 1st), rebounds (889, 4th) and assists (295, 10th). He was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-America his senior year by the AP.
Lampley's career scoring record stood until he was surpassed by point guard Jerome Randle on March 13, 2010 with 1,790 career points.
Lampley was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 2nd round (44th pick) of the 2001 NBA Draft. Although he never wore a Bulls uniform, Lampley played 35 games for the Miami Heat during the 2002-03 season and 10 games for the Golden State Warriors during the 2003-04 season. He competed with the Sacramento Kings in 2006 summer league play.
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Sean May
Sean Gregory May (born April 4, 1984) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Sutor Basket Montegranaro in Italy. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Bloomington, Indiana. He was a three-time all-state selection at Bloomington High School North, and was at one time a teammate of current NBA player Jared Jeffries. May was named to the 2002 McDonald's High School All-American team. He played in the 2002 McDonald's game with Raymond Felton and Rashad McCants, who would later team with May to win an NCAA Championship.
When the heavily-recruited May chose to attend North Carolina, it was a major surprise to most basketball recruiting observers; it had been thought that he would stay in his hometown and play for the Indiana University Hoosiers. He had strong family connections to IU; his father Scott was a forward on the school's undefeated 1975–76 NCAA championship team and won the Naismith Award the same year, and his brother Scott Jr. played for the Indiana basketball team that made the NCAA title game in 2002.
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Shabazz Muhammad
Shabazz Muhammad (born November 13, 1993) is an American basketball player. He is a senior at Bishop Gorman High School and is one of the top rated basketball players in the class of 2012.
He is rated as the number 2 player in the class of 2012 in the ESPNU 100 the number 2 player by Scout.com, and the number 1 player by Rivals.com.
In his junior year, Muhammad led the Bishop Gorman High School averaging 25.1 points and 7.7 rebounds for the season. Muhammad was also named the 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Nevada.
Muhammad is the 2011-12 high school diary keeper for SLAM Magazine.
Muhammad played in the 2012 McDonald's All-American game, where he led the West team to a 106-102 victory over the East team, and was named the MVP of the game with 21 points and 6 rebounds. Muhammad also participated and won the 2012 Powerade Jam Fest Dunk Contest.
Boasting scholarship offers from scores of basketball programs, Muhammad's final list of schools consisted of: Duke, Kentucky, and UCLA. On April 11, 2012, Muhammad announced he will attend UCLA.
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Shan Foster
Shan Donte Foster is an American professional basketball player. Foster played shooting guard for the Commodores college basketball team at Vanderbilt University. He is the school's all-time leader in both points and three-point baskets made, and is also among the Southeastern Conference's all-time leaders with consecutive games with a made three-pointer. Foster was selected as an Associated Press second team All-American for the 2007-2008 college basketball season. He was announced as the winner of the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award at the 2008 Final Four.
Foster graduated from Vanderbilt on May 9, 2008 with a degree in human and organizational development. On June 26, 2008, Foster was drafted into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks with the 51st overall pick.
Shan Foster was born in Kenner, Louisiana, where he attended Bonnabel High School and served as the basketball team's captain his sophomore through senior years. While playing at Bonnabel his senior year, Foster garnered First Team All-State, All-Metro Most Valuable Player, All-City and All-District honors while averaging a double-double (23.4 points and 10 rebounds). Under Foster's leadership the Bonnabel Bruins finished an impressive 21-9 and claimed their district's title. Foster's success was not limited to the basketball court, as he also made his school's academic honor roll.
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Shane Battier
Shane Courtney Battier (born September 9, 1978) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He has also been a member of the U.S. national team.
Battier was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, and attended Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he won many awards including 1997 "Mr. Basketball of Michigan." He went on to play four years of college basketball at Duke, where he captured the 2001 National Championship and swept the major National Player of the Year awards. Battier was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies and was traded five years later to the Houston Rockets. He was then traded back to the Memphis Grizzles during the 2010-2011 NBA season. His number has been retired by both Detroit Country Day School and Duke University. He is widely known for his aggressive defense and being able to guard the league's best players.
Battier was an outlier from his childhood; by the time he entered Country Day as a seventh-grader, he was already 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m), and was 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) a year later. He was also the only child in the school with a black father and a white mother. As Michael Lewis put it in a 2009 article, the young Battier "was shuttling between a black world that treated him as white and a white world that treated him as black." More specifically in the context of basketball, Lewis noted that "the inner-city kids with whom he played on the A.A.U. circuit treated Battier like a suburban kid with a white game, and the suburban kids he played with during the regular season treated him like a visitor from the planet where they kept the black people." Battier also noted that his cerebral approach to the game was forged from that time:
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Shawn Respert
Shawn Christopher Respert (born February 6, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan) is a retired American professional basketball player who currently works as a player development coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves. A 6'1", 195 lb. shooting guard, he attended Bishop Borgess High School, and he came to prominence while playing college basketball at Michigan State University where his jersey is now retired. He played professionally in the NBA for four seasons from 1995 to 1999.
Respert was a standout at Michigan State. He and point guard Eric Snow combined to form one of the nation's most prolific backcourt tandems for head coach Jud Heathcote's Spartans. He was a unanimous first team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year with a 25.6 scoring average during his senior season.
Respert was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1st round, with the 8th overall pick, of the 1995 NBA Draft. The Blazers traded his NBA rights to the Milwaukee Bucks for the rights to Gary Trent and a first-round pick. Respert was traded to Toronto in his second year, where he scored 5.6 points a game. He next played briefly in Dallas the next season and then had a second stint with the Raptors. Respert finished his career in Phoenix during the 1998-99 season. He was under contract with Los Angeles Lakers for a brief period in October 2000 but was waived before playing in any NBA games for them. In his NBA career, Respert played in 172 games and scored a total of 851 points on averages of 4.9 points in 13.7 minutes per game.
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Shelden Williams
Shelden DeMar Williams (born October 21, 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Brooklyn Nets. He played college basketball at Duke University, where his #23 jersey was retired on January 28, 2007.
His size (6'9", 250 lbs), aggressive style of play, and shot-blocking ability earned him the nickname "The Landlord." During high school, Williams was a member of the National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He earned the 2005 and 2006 NABC Defensive Player of the Year Awards while at Duke, becoming only the fifth player in history to earn the award two consecutive years. He holds Duke's career blocks record, single-season blocks record, and career rebounding record, while he is 17th in career blocks on the NCAA charts. He is the third player in ACC history to have 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds and 350 blocks (joining Tim Duncan and Ralph Sampson). His 1,217 rebounds and 1,859 career points rank him seventh in ACC history and sixteenth in Duke history, respectively. Williams became only the third Duke basketball player to record a triple-double when Duke defeated Maryland on January 11, 2006, recording 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks.
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Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks (born September 19, 1949) is a retired American basketball player. A native of California, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1971 to 1981. In the NBA he played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, and San Diego Clippers, earning NBA Rookie of the Year in 1972 as well as four all-star selections.
Sidney Wicks was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 19, 1949. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, but because of non-qualifying grades in high school, he had to attend Santa Monica College for a year until he could go to his preferred university, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Wicks later earned Academic All-America honors at UCLA in 1971.[citation needed] He earned a degree in sociology from the school.
A 6'8" power forward/center, Wicks was a phenom at UCLA, playing on three straight NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships from 1969 to 1971, the Bruins' star player on the latter two, being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in 1970, Helms National Co-Player of the Year (1970) USBWA and Sporting News Player of the Year (1971) and two-time consensus All-American in 1970 and 1971. On Feb 1, 1996, his jersey #35 was retired in a halftime ceremony at UCLA's home court, Pauley Pavilion. Wicks was an 1985 inductee into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2010, was selected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Stacey Augmon
Stacey Orlando Augmon (born August 1, 1968 in Pasadena, California) is a retired American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He gained the nickname "Plastic Man" due to his athletic ability to "stretch". He is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater UNLV under Dave Rice.
Augmon played college basketball for four years at UNLV and won the 1990 NCAA Championship with them. Augmon was the first three-time winner of the NABC Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award in 1989, 1990, and 1991. He is a class of 2002 member of the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame along with teammates Greg Anthony and Larry Johnson.
Augmon was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the ninth pick of the 1991 NBA Draft. Upon Augmon being chosen, Bill Walton famously said "Russell begat Kareem, Kareem begat Magic, and so Magic has begat the Plastic Man." He was the first player in the top ten draft picks to work out a deal, a 5-year contract worth between 6.5 and 7 million dollars. Augmon has played for the Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, and the Magic. He holds a scoring average of 8.0 points per game throughout his career.
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Stacey King
Ronald Stacey King (born January 29, 1967 in Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.) is an American former NBA center who won three consecutive championships with the Chicago Bulls from 1991 to 1993.
After a stand-out career at the University of Oklahoma, King was selected by the Bulls in the 1989 NBA Draft with the sixth pick. He was one of three first round picks by the Bulls in that draft (the other two were B. J. Armstrong and Jeff Sanders). He played four and a half seasons in Chicago before being traded during the 1993-94 campaign to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for 7'2" Australian-born center Luc Longley. He was last active during the 1996-97 season while playing a handful of games for both the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics.
King was named the head coach of the CBA's Rockford Lightning in 2001. The team reached the CBA championship game in 2002 with King as coach.
King began his career with CSN Chicago as a studio analyst for pre and post game shows for the Chicago Bulls. He filled in as a third commentator during the 2006 playoffs joining Johnny "Red" Kerr, and Tom Dore. He was permanently added during the 2007 season.
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Steve Vacendak
Steve Vacendak (born August 15, 1944) is a former basketball player and coach of college basketball. He originally came from Scranton, Pennsylvania and was recruited by Vic Bubas to play as a guard for the Duke University men's basketball team. As a guard for the team he led Duke to a 72–14 record and two Final Four appearances during his three-year varsity career. In 1966 he was captain of his basketball team, ACC Player of the Year, and on the All-ACC Tournament team. Oddly enough, Vacendak was named player of the year but was not named to the All-ACC team in 1966.
After graduating from Duke University, he played professional basketball for the American Basketball Association and later joined the sales staff at Converse Rubber Company. In 1980, he went back to work at Duke as an associate athletic director for five years. After working at Duke, he became the director of athletics and head basketball coach at Winthrop College in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Following his stint at Winthrop, Vacendak spent three years working at Homeowners Clubs of America, a franchising company in Charlotte, North Carolina. He later became a partner in Damon's Restaurant in Raleigh, N.C., a position which ultimately (through a customer at Damon's) connected him with the organization with which he has been involved ever since: N.C. Beautiful.
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Steve Wojciechowski
Steve "Wojo" Wojciechowski (born August 11, 1976) is an American basketball coach and former player of Polish origin. He played at Duke University from 1994 until 1998 where he was the team's point guard. He currently is an associate head coach at Duke under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Wojciechowski is a 1994 graduate of the Cardinal Gibbons School in Baltimore, MD, where he played under legendary Baltimore Catholic League Head Coach Ray Mullis and was named to the East squad of the 1994 McDonald's All-American Team, playing alongside 1994 High School Player of the Year Felipe López, and against future Duke teammates Trajan Langdon and Ricky Price.
During Wojciechowski's career, the Duke Blue Devils achieved an 87-44 record, won the ACC regular season championship in the 1996-97 season, and played in the NCAA South Regional final in the 1997-98 season. During his senior year, Wojciechowski earned NABC Defensive Player of the Year honors, and was an honorable mention All-American.
He is ranked eighth at Duke for career steals (203) and eighth for career assists (505). He also achieved the second highest number of steals in a single season with 82 in 1997.
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Steven Hunter
Steven D. Hunter (born October 31, 1981) is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He is listed as a center-forward. He currently plays for Dinamo Sassari.
Hunter played basketball at Proviso East High School, which has a rich history in Illinois high school basketball, producing such NBA players as Sherell Ford, Michael Finley, Jim Brewer, Doc Rivers, Dee Brown, and Shannon Brown. Hunter then played two years at DePaul University in Chicago, before declaring himself eligible for the 2001 NBA Draft.
He has played for the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers.
In the 2005 offseason, he signed with the 76ers as a free agent. They traded him to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets on February 1, 2006 in exchange for two second-round draft picks in 2006 and 2007. On February 10, Philadelphia president Billy King announced that the Hornets rescinded the deal.
On September 10, 2007, Hunter was traded with Bobby Jones by the 76ers to the Denver Nuggets for Reggie Evans and the draft rights to Ricky Sanchez.
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Stromile Swift
Stromile Swift (born November 21, 1979) is a former American professional basketball player. At 6'10" and 220 lbs, he played the power forward and center positions.
Swift spent his college career at Louisiana State University, where he led the Tigers to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament his sophomore year, during the time when the LSU men's basketball program was under probation and had limited scholarships available. Swift was selected second overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies.
He competed in the 2001 Slam Dunk Competition against Baron Davis, DeShawn Stevenson, Corey Maggette, Desmond Mason, and Jonathan Bender. Swift placed 4th and Desmond Mason of the Seattle Supersonics won the competition.
After the 2004–05 season, he left the Grizzlies as a free agent and signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Houston Rockets. Before his departure to Houston for the 2005–06 season, Swift was the last remaining player on the Grizzlies roster to have moved with the team from Vancouver.
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Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Durell Prince (born February 28, 1980) is an American basketball player who plays for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association. Prince is a small forward, listed at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) and 215 lb (98 kg; 15.4 st). A graduate of Dominguez High School and the University of Kentucky, Prince was drafted in the first round (23rd overall) by the Pistons in the 2002 NBA Draft. Prince wears the jersey #22 as a result of his draft position, signifying the 22 teams that passed on drafting him. His college #21 was previously retired by the Pistons in honor of guard Dave Bing.
Prince played four seasons (1998 to 2002) for the University of Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 13.2 points and 5.7 rebounds as the Wildcats posted a 97–39 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament each year. The furthest the Wildcats made in the tournament was the regional finals, losing to the Michigan State Spartans. Prince won SEC Player of the Year in his junior season (2000–2001) – also leading the SEC in free throw percentage (84.3%) – and was named to the Associated Press All-SEC Teams in both his junior and senior years. Kentucky won the SEC Tournament in 1999 and 2001, and Prince was awarded the 2001 tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
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Terence Morris
Terence Darea Morris (born January 11, 1979, in Frederick, Maryland, USA) is an American former professional basketball player.
Terence Morris played his high school basketball for Governor Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, Maryland, leading the TJ Patriots to the Maryland Class 3A state title as a senior in 1997. He played under former TJ Patriots coach Tom Dickman, who until recently was the record holder for wins by a public school coach in Maryland with 592 wins in 29 seasons.
A 6 ft 9 1⁄2 in (2.07 m)forward from the University of Maryland, College Park, Morris was hailed as one of the best prospects in all of college basketball after his sophomore season in 1998-99. But while the consensus of opinion was that he would have been a Top-5 pick in the 1999 NBA Draft had he left school after that year along with teammate Steve Francis, Morris instead opted to return to Maryland for his junior and senior seasons, and his draft stock dropped after two less individually successful campaigns. Morris helped play Maryland to the first Final Four in school history during the 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament to cap his senior season.
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Terrel Harris
Terrel Harris (born August 10, 1987) is an American professional basketball guard who currently plays for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.
Harris attended South Garland High School in Garland, Texas, where he was unanimously voted District 11-5A MVP and also voted 1st team All State as a senior. He played college basketball at Oklahoma State University from 2005–09 and majored in education. He appeared in 134 career games and averaged 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.29 steals and 26.4 minutes while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range and 81.5 percent from the foul line. He averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds in 32 minutes per game during his senior year while starting all 35 games. He also received an All–Big 12 Honorable Mention and was named to the Big 12 All–Defensive Team.
Undrafted in 2009, Harris began his professional career in France with Strasbourg IG, signing with the team on August 23, 2009. In nine games, Harris averaged 6.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.11 steals and made 37.5% of field goal attempts. On January 7, 2010, Harris signed with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League; the Red Claws waived Harris in March 2010. By the end of March 2010, Harris signed with the D-League team Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In September and October 2011, Harris played with EnBW Ludwigsburg of Basketball Bundesliga in Germany.
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Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan (born April 25, 1976) is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 6-foot 11-inch (2.11 m), 255-pound (116 kg)power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year. The Spurs' team captain, he is a 13 time NBA All-Star and the only player in NBA history to be selected to both All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams during each of his first 13 seasons.
Duncan started out as a swimmer and only began playing basketball in ninth grade after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the only Olympic-sized pool on his home of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He soon became a standout for St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School, and had an illustrious college career with the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons, winning the Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA College Player of the Year and John Wooden awards in his final year. Duncan graduated from college before entering the 1997 NBA Draft as the number one pick. His list of accomplishments, remarkable consistency, and leadership in the Spurs' NBA championship runs in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007 have led basketball experts to consider him to be one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.
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Todd Fuller
Todd Douglas Fuller (born July 25, 1974) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. He played in five NBA seasons from 1996-2001 for the Warriors, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat averaging 3.7 ppg. This has led many sports sources to include Fuller on NBA draft lottery "bust" lists. He also played six seasons overseas, on pro teams in: Spain,PolandGreece and Australia.
Fuller graduated from Charlotte Christian School in 1992 and played collegiately at North Carolina State University (NC State). While with NC State, he led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in scoring during his senior year with 20.9 ppg and 9.9 rpg. He was an Academic All-American, and declined to accept a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford in order to play professional basketball. He was also inducted in to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from NC State. Fuller is also a frequent public speaker.
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Tom Gola
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Gola (born January 13, 1933, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a retired American basketball player.
Gola was praised as a great all-around player as a high school student at La Salle College High School, where he led the Explorers to a Philadelphia Catholic League Championship. He entered La Salle a year after another Philadelphia basketball Hall of Famer, Paul Arizin, graduated from Villanova.
Gola was one of the most talented collegiate athletes in Philadelphia sports history. He came to national attention while playing for the hometown La Salle University Explorers men's basketball team in 1954 as an All-American forward. Gola paced the Explorers to the NCAA basketball championship in 1954 and was named Tournament MVP. That same season he was selected as National Player of the Year. As a senior, Gola helped La Salle finish as the runner-up in the 1955 NCAA Tournament. He averaged 20.9 points and 19.0 rebounds during 115 games and holds the NCAA record with 2,201 career rebounds. At 6'6" (198 cm), Gola was clearly a forward who could shoot/score, rebound and defend, but he also had the ballhandling (dribbling, passing) skills of a guard, and with his shooting range and All-Pro defensive skills, could play just as well in the backcourt. He was inducted into the La Salle Hall of Athletes in 1961 and the Big 5 Hall of Fame in 1986. Gola was listed on "ESPN's Countdown to the Greatest" College basketball players as #17.
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Tommy Amaker
Harold Tommy Amaker (born June 6, 1965) is the current head coach of the Harvard University men's basketball team. He has also served as head basketball coach for the University of Michigan men's basketball team and at Seton Hall University. He played point guard and later served as an assistant coach at Duke University under Mike Krzyzewski. As an All-American player, he set numerous records and earned many recognitions. As an NCAA Division I college basketball coach, he took Seton Hall to the post season in each of his four seasons as their coach, helped Michigan win the National Invitation Tournament the year after a probationary ban from postseason play, and had the winningest seasons in school history in the third, fourth, and fifth season with Harvard.
As a player, he set most of the assists records and many steals records for Duke Blue Devils men's basketball. He also set the Atlantic Coast Conference single-season games played and games started records. His 40 games played and started for the 1985–86 team remained as tied but not broken conference records through the 2010–11 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball season. His assists records were broken by subsequent Duke point guards Bobby Hurley and Steve Wojciechowski. He also held the Duke career steals record for fourteen years. In addition to single-season games records, he holds the record for career consecutive starts. Among his numerous accolades, he was the first winner of the NABC Defensive Player of the Year for his defense, and he was a third team All-American.
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Tony Delk
Tony Lorenzo Delk (born January 28, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball team. He was team leader of the 1996 University of Kentucky Wildcats team that won the 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. After college, he played for seven NBA teams over ten seasons.
Delk attended Haywood Junior High School and Haywood High School in Brownsville, Tennessee. During his 1992 senior year of high school, Delk was named "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Tennessee (TSSAA Class 3A Mr.Basketball 1992) and also to the Parade and McDonald's All-American Teams.
As a sophomore at Kentucky, Delk was voted All-SEC 2nd Team by the coaches and All-SEC 3rd Team by the Associated Press, while also making the All-SEC Tournament Team for his outstanding play. Delk was named to the All-SEC 1st and All-NCAA Regional teams during the 1994-95 season. In the 1995-96 season, Delk was named to the All-American and All-SEC first teams and was named NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He also received SEC Player of the Year honors during the season. Delk joined Omega Psi Phi Fraternity while at Kentucky.
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Tony Parker
William Anthony "Tony" Parker Jr. (born 17 May 1982) is a French professional basketball player with the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The son of a professional basketball player, Parker played for two years in the French basketball league before entering the 2001 NBA Draft. He was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th overall pick in the draft and quickly became their starting point guard, helping the Spurs win three NBA Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Employing his pace and high field goal percentage to great effect, Parker has been named to four NBA All-Star games, an All-NBA Second Team, and an All-NBA Third Team. He was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP.
Parker is also a music artist with his own music album TP. He married actress Eva Longoria, best known for her role in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, on 7 July 2007. In November 2010, both parties filed for divorce.
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Tony Waldrop
Tony Waldrop (born December 29, 1951) is an American professor, academic administrator and athlete, currently serving as the provost and executive vice president of the University of Central Florida. Waldrop is best known for setting the world indoor record (3:55.0) in the mile. He also won a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games in the men's 1500 meters and ran the mile in 3:53.2 in the Penn relays in 1974.
Waldrop ran track for the University of North Carolina and graduated in 1974 with a degree in political science. After retiring from running he entered graduate school at UNC-Chapel Hill and earned a Ph.D. in physiology. From 2001 until becoming provost at UCF in 2010, he served as vice chancellor for research and economic development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to that he was vice chancellor for research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Trenton Hassell
Trenton Lavar Hassell (born March 4, 1979) is an American professional basketball forward for the Nashville Soul of the ABA. He earned a reputation for being one of the NBA's best perimeter defenders. A 6'5", 210 lbs guard-forward, Hassell was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the first pick in the second round (29th overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft.
Hassell graduated from Clarksville High School in Clarksville, Tennessee in 1997 and from Austin Peay State University in 2001 with a degree in health and human performance. Among his high school teammates was future NBA player Shawn Marion. He played three seasons of college basketball with the Austin Peay Governors after redshirting his first year. In January 2002, Austin Peay retired his college jersey number 44.
During his rookie season with Bulls in 2001–02, he appeared in 78 games, making 47 starts and averaging 8.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 2.2 apg. In Hassell's sophomore season in Chicago, he appeared in all 82 games, making 53 starts and averaging 4.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 1.8 apg in 24.4 mpg.
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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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Troy Bell
Troy Delvon Bell (born November 10, 1980 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American professional basketball player formerly of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He played at Boston College and finished as one of the greatest players in the program's history.
Troy played high school ball at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. He was a 4 year letter winner, and Mr. Basketball finalist in Minnesota. In his senior season, he averaged 35.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists and led the state of Minnesota in scoring. He captured Missota Conference Player of the Year honors as a senior. In his senior season, his season high was 47 points, his season low was 24. He scored 45 points in a win over Minnehaha Academy (Dec. 1998). Bell served as team captain as a junior and senior. He finished his school career as Holy Angels as the career scoring leader with 2,491 points (in 97 games). In the state of Minnesota, he ranks fourth on the state's career scoring list.
Bell was an All-American at Boston College, winning a conference player of the year award, and sharing another with Troy Murphy. He ended his career breaking the record for most points scored in Boston College history with 2,632, breaking the record previously set by Dana Barros. He was named Big East Conference player of the year after both his sophomore (shared) and senior seasons, joining Troy Murphy, Richard Hamilton, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin as the only players to win the award multiple times. He won the award over sensational Syracuse freshman Carmelo Anthony.
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Troy Murphy
Troy Brandon Murphy (born May 2, 1980) is an American professional basketball power forward with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Murphy was born in Morristown, New Jersey but grew up in Sparta Township located in northwest New Jersey. He attended the Delbarton School for four years before moving on to the University of Notre Dame, where he was a two-time consensus All-American before declaring himself for the 2001 NBA Draft.
Murphy was a three-time all-county and two-time All-State performer for the Delbarton School in Morristown and coach Dan Whalen. His breakout year was as a sophomore when he averaged 20.5 points per game and 11.8 rebounds, earning first team all-county honors. He followed up his sophomore year with a successful junior campaign, averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds and All-State honors. His senior year would be his most successful season as he led Delbarton to a 20–6 record and the state quarterfinals. For the season he averaged 33.0 points per game (on 56.8 percent shooting), to lead the state in scoring along with 14.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. At the end of the season he was named Morris County Player of the Year by the Newark Star-Ledger and the most valuable player for his team at the prestigious Capital Classic in Washington, D.C..
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Ty Lawson
Tywon "Ty" Ronell Lawson (born November 3, 1987 in Clinton, Maryland) is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. Lawson was drafted as the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, and was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets for a future 1st round pick. Lawson played college basketball for the University of North Carolina from 2006 to 2009.
Lawson was named the ACC Player of the Year, the first time a point guard had won the ACC's highest honor since fellow Tar Heel Phil Ford won the award in 1978.
Lawson attended sixth and seventh grade at Gwynn Park Middle School in Prince George's County, Maryland. In the eighth grade, he was recruited to the Newport School in Kensington, MD.
Lawson attended Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland from 2003–2004. He later transferred to and graduated from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where he was a first team USA Today All-American. He participated in the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit. During Ty Lawson's senior year at Oak Hill Academy he averaged 23.8 points, 9.1 assists and five steals. His highest scoring game in high school was 55 points.
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Tyler Hansbrough
Andrew Tyler Hansbrough (born November 3, 1985) is an American basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. Hansbrough completed a college basketball career with the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team in 2009, and was drafted into the NBA by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th pick of the 1st round of the 2009 NBA Draft. Hansbrough was a unanimous selection for the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference All Conference Team, 2006 ACC Freshman of the Year, and 2008 ACC Player of the Year. He is the ACC's all-time leading scorer. In 2008, he won the Wooden Award and was the National Player of the Year. His jersey (number 50) was retired on February 10, 2010 during a Duke-North Carolina rivalry game.
Hansbrough attended Poplar Bluff High School in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and led the Mules to consecutive Missouri state championships. (Missouri State High School Activities Association) Class 5 for the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 seasons. In 2005, Hansbrough helped Poplar Bluff beat the then undefeated and number one team in the nation, Vashon High School. While in high school he made the Missouri All-State team twice and averaged 28.2 points and 13.4 rebounds per game as a senior. Due to his growing popularity, ESPN featured a high school game on ESPN2 in which Hansbrough's Mules were beaten 56–40 by Greg Oden and his Lawrence North High School team out of Indianapolis, IN. Hansbrough accepted an offer to play basketball for North Carolina, turning down scholarship offers to play at Duke, Florida, Missouri, Kansas and Kentucky.
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Tyler Zeller
Tyler Paul Zeller (born January 17, 1990) is an American college basketball player who is currently a senior at the University of North Carolina. He is the nephew of former NBA player Al Eberhard, brother of Indiana basketball player Cody Zeller and former Notre Dame player Luke Zeller.
Born in Visalia, California, Tyler Zeller grew up in Washington, Indiana, attending Washington High School. In his four years at Washington High, his team won four sectional titles, as well as state Class 3A championships in his freshman and senior years (2005 and 2008). In his senior year, he averaged 33.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, and also shot 69% from the field and 82% from the free throw line. In his final high school game, the '08 Class 3A final against Fort Wayne Harding, he scored 47 points, which broke a record for scoring by a player in an Indiana boys' state championship game that had stood since 1970. He was not only a basketball superstar, but also played on Washington High's tennis team for three years, and finished his high school career with a 3.99 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, good for third in his graduating class. After the 2008 season, he was named "Mr. Basketball" in Indiana, the state's highest honor for high school players, three years after his older brother Luke was honored with the same award, and was also named a McDonald's All-American.
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Tyson Chandler
Tyson Cleotis Chandler (born October 2, 1982) is an American professional basketball center who currently plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association. Chandler was the second overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, then was immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls. He has also played for the New Orleans Hornets, Charlotte Bobcats, and Dallas Mavericks. As starting center for Dallas, he helped win the franchise's first NBA championship in 2011. He was also a member of the United States men's national basketball team's gold medal run in the 2010 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Chandler was born to a single mother. He and his two brothers, Terrell and Tervon, grew up in their family's farm in Hanford, California, just south of Fresno, California. Chandler began playing basketball at three years old on a basket Chandler's grandfather, Cleotis, fixed on a tree. Chandler grew up doing farm work such as milking cows, slopping pigs, and cultivating crops. At nine years old Chandler and his mother moved to San Bernadino, California; he was already nearly six feet tall. As a child Chandler was teased because of his height; children on his school basketball team joked that he was older than he really was, and that he had been left back several times in school.
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Udonis Haslem
Udonis Johneal Haslem (born June 9, 1980) is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams. He played professional basketball in France for a year, and then signed with the Miami Heat as an undrafted free agent in 2003.
Haslem was born in Miami, Florida. He attended Wolfson High School in Jacksonville, Florida, then Miami Senior High School in Miami. He helped lead Miami High to state titles in 1997 and 1998 (the last of three in a row), playing alongside another future NBA player, Steve Blake. The team was coached by current South Carolina head coach Frank Martin.
However, an investigation by the Miami New Times revealed that Haslem, Blake and several other players circumvented residency requirements. The New Times reported that while he claimed to live in Miami, he actually lived in Miramar, in Broward County. His official school address was an efficiency apartment owned by a longtime Miami High booster, which was also a violation of Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) rules. As a result, Miami High was stripped of its 1998 title and ordered to forfeit its entire schedule.
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Vladimir Radmanović
Vladimir Radmanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Владимир Радмановић; born November 19, 1980) is a Serbian professional basketball player with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played with the Golden State Warriors, Seattle SuperSonics, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Charlotte Bobcats.
Radmanović has represented the Yugoslavian national basketball team and the Serbia and Montenegro national basketball team. He earned gold medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championships with Yugoslavia. He also participated at the 2004 Summer Olympics with Serbia and Montenegro.
Born into the Serbian family of a JNA officer hailing from the Dalmatian coastal town of Zadar in Croatia, Radmanović was born in Trebinje, in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the former Yugoslavia, where his father Stevan was stationed at the time. He grew up in various locales dictated by the requirements of his father's profession.
Radmanović played basketball for KK Crvena zvezda and KK FMP before entering into the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2001.
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Walt Hazzard
Walter Raphael Hazzard Jr., later Mahdi Abdul-Rahman (April 15, 1942 – November 18, 2011), known professionally as Walt Hazzard, was an American college, Olympic and professional basketball player and college basketball coach. He is best known for his association with the men's basketball team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), having been a star player for that team in the 1960s and having served as the team's head coach in the 1980s. He died on November 18, 2011.
Hazzard attended Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his teams went 89-3 and he was named the city's player of the year when he was a senior. Hazzard then went on to UCLA, where he became an important player on the varsity basketball team. In Hazzard's first season on the varsity squad, the UCLA Bruins made their first Final Four appearance in the 1962 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. They lost to the eventual champion, the Cincinnati Bearcats in the semi-finals.
UCLA's undefeated season, 1963–64, was in no small part due to Hazzard, his backcourt partner Gail Goodrich, and the team's coach John Wooden. The team won the NCAA Championship, and Hazzard was selected by the Associated Press as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Hazzard was chosen as an All-American and also selected as College Player of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). His number 42 jersey was retired by UCLA in 1996 in Pauley Pavilion, but Hazzard gave his permission for stand-out recruit Kevin Love to wear the number.
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Walter Dix
Walter Dix (born January 31, 1986) is an American sprinter who specializes in the 100 meters and 200 meters. He is the fourth fastest 200 m runner ever with a best of 19.53 seconds, and has broken the 10-second barrier in the 100 m with a best of 9.88 seconds.
Dix was a highly successful amateur athlete, setting a state record in the 100 m and trying out for the US Olympic Team at the age of eighteen. He joined Florida State University and in his first year he broke the 100 m American junior record and won at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. After a fourth place finish at the 2005 US Championships, Dix continued with his collegiate success, setting an NCAA record of 19.69 seconds in the 200 m and coming within one hundredth of the 100 m record. He completed a 100 m, 200 m, and 4×100 meter relay sweep at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships, the first to do so since John Carlos in 1969. He closed his amateur career in 2008: another NCAA 200 m title made him the third most decorated track athlete in NCAA history, and he won gold and silver at the 2008 US Olympic Trials.
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Wayne Ellington
Wayne Robert Ellington Jr. (born November 29, 1987 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania), is an American basketball player who was drafted 28th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association. Ellington played for the University of North Carolina from 2006 to 2009. Ellington, 6'4" tall and 200 lbs, is a shooting guard who chose to forgo his final season of college eligibility to declare for the 2009 NBA Draft. His career-best performance came during a 90–88 overtime win against Clemson on January 6, 2008, in which he led all scorers with 36 points.
Ellington scored 2,211 points in his high school career, tallying 455 points at Daniel Boone High School, and then 1,756 points at The Episcopal Academy. He played at Episcopal along with Gerald Henderson, Jr., a member of the Charlotte Bobcats. In his senior year, Ellington averaged 21.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shot 39% from the 3-Point line. He led Episcopal to an overall record of 52-7 in his junior and senior year, and to the Inter-Academic League Conference title in his last two years going 20-0 in both seasons. (Episcopal doesn't play in state championships.)
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Wayne Simien
Wayne Anthony Simien, Jr. (born March 9, 1983, in Leavenworth, Kansas) is an American former professional basketball player, who last played with Spain's Cáceres Ciudad de Baloncesto. He was a member of the Miami Heat team that won the 2005–06 NBA championship.
Growing up, Simien was a University of Kansas fan due to his proximity to Lawrence. He committed to play for Roy Williams and the University of Kansas as early as the 8th or 9th grade, and was later named to the 2001 McDonald's All-American Team. He played for the Leavenworth Pioneers in high school with Coach Larry Hogan and led the Pioneers to a 6A-State Championship his junior year in high school. During his high school career, he began working with world-renowned conditioning coach Istvan Javorek.
At Kansas, Simien received All American honors his junior and senior years. He was a Wooden Award finalist both years, and was the Big 12 Player of the Year his senior year. His college career ended when Kansas was defeated by 14th-seeded Bucknell in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. While at Kansas he won three Big 12 Championships and earned four NCAA Tournament berths including two Final Four appearances (one national runner-up finish) and one Elite 8 finish. Simien finished his college career with 110 wins and a 12–4 NCAA Tournament record. Simien was the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner his final year, recognizing him as the nation's top senior men's basketball player. He finished his career as the 12th leading all-time scorer at Kansas with 1,593 points. Kansas retired his number 23 jersey on January 29, 2011.
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Wikipedia Persondata
wn.com/Wikipedia_Persondata -
Will Solomon
William "Will" James Solomon (born July 20, 1978 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American professional basketball player who is currently playing for the Cherkassky Mavpy in Ukraine. He has also played with the Sacramento Kings of the NBA.
Solomon was first noticed at East Hartford High School in East Hartford, Connecticut. He held several records and is in several clubs in their schools basketball program such as "1000 Career Points", "All State", "All Conference", and the only member of the "NBA Draft" club. He went to Clemson where he continued his basketball career.
Solomon declared himself eligible for the 2001 NBA Draft after his junior year at Clemson University. He was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies in the second round thirty-second overall pick. Solomon played for the Grizzlies in the 2001–02 season and averaged 5.2 ppg in 62 games.
After only one year in the NBA Solomon decided to move to Europe and was signed by Aris Thessaloniki in 2003. That year he won the FIBA Europe European Challenge Cup.
wn.com/Will_Solomon -
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.
wn.com/Wilt_Chamberlain -
Zach Randolph
Zachary Randolph (born July 16, 1981), nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at Michigan State University and was drafted in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Randolph grew up in Marion, Indiana and attended Marion High School, where his coach was Moe Smedley. As a sophomore, he helped lead the Marion Giants to the 1998 Indiana Class 4A Championship Game. As a senior, he again led his team to the state championship game in which Marion High School won its seventh state basketball championship. He finished second in Indiana's 'Mr. Basketball' voting that year, closely behind Jared Jeffries, who played for the team that the Giants beat in the state championship game that year and would later become Randolph's teammate with the Knicks.
After high school, Randolph attended and played basketball for the Michigan State University Spartans, coached by Tom Izzo. His teammates at MSU included Jason Richardson and Charlie Bell. In his single season at Michigan State, he averaged 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game over 33 games, with a team that finished with a 28–5 record and went to the NCAA Final Four. After his freshman season he entered the 2001 NBA Draft.
wn.com/Zach_Randolph
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Shane Battier at Battioke 2013 singing The Love Boat theme song
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:44
- Updated: 28 Jan 2013
Master of Ceremonies, Shane Battier, kicks off "Battioke 2013" with his rendition of the Love Boat theme at the Eden Roc Hotel on South Beach. All footage shot by Surya Fernandez for Hot Hot Hoops.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_at_Battioke_2013_singing_The_Love_Boat_theme_song
Master of Ceremonies, Shane Battier, kicks off "Battioke 2013" with his rendition of the Love Boat theme at the Eden Roc Hotel on South Beach. All footage shot by Surya Fernandez for Hot Hot Hoops.
South Beach Battioke 2013 - Chris Bosh sings My First, My Last, My Everything by Barry White
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:20
- Updated: 28 Jan 2013
Miami Heat player Chris Bosh was crowned champion at Shane Battier's "Battioke 2013" at the Eden Roc Hotel in South Beach by singing "My First, My Last, My Everything" from Barry White. All footage shot by Surya Fernandez for Hot Hot Hoops.
http://wn.com/South_Beach_Battioke_2013_Chris_Bosh_sings_My_First,_My_Last,_My_Everything_by_Barry_White
Miami Heat player Chris Bosh was crowned champion at Shane Battier's "Battioke 2013" at the Eden Roc Hotel in South Beach by singing "My First, My Last, My Everything" from Barry White. All footage shot by Surya Fernandez for Hot Hot Hoops.
- published: 23 Jan 2013
- views: 22639
- author: HotHotHoops
Shane Battier's defense on Kobe Bryant (2009 playoffs)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:32
- Updated: 28 Jan 2013
You sure cannot shut down great players like Kobe Bryant. But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot, every little point. That is what Shane Battier is doing. He doesn't try to block Bryant's shots. He just tries to make him a jumpshooter and put a hand in his face so that he rushes his shot and cannot have a clean look. Videos: Rockets2K
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier's_defense_on_Kobe_Bryant_2009_playoffs
You sure cannot shut down great players like Kobe Bryant. But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot, every little point. That is what Shane Battier is doing. He doesn't try to block Bryant's shots. He just tries to make him a jumpshooter and put a hand in his face so that he rushes his shot and cannot have a clean look. Videos: Rockets2K
- published: 17 May 2009
- views: 224674
- author: AllStarek
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:52
- Updated: 19 Jan 2013
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS 06.14 game 2 miami heat beat series 1 1 incredible dunk pointers shot 4th quarter okc fast break dwyane wade jump mvp reverse spin and driving layup circus rebounds assists putback slam chris...
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_17_points_5_3_pointers_vs_Oklahoma_city_Thunder_full_highlights_GM2_2012_NBA_FINALS
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS 06.14 game 2 miami heat beat series 1 1 incredible dunk pointers shot 4th quarter okc fast break dwyane wade jump mvp reverse spin and driving layup circus rebounds assists putback slam chris...
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 33292
- author: dorell15
Shane Battier's Great Defense on Kobe and Game Winner (2007)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:39
- Updated: 26 Jan 2013
Shane Battier could be the best defensive player (talking about guards, swingmen) of the last decade. My attempt at an video of him guarding Kobe, who frequently struggled against Shane and shot with a low percentage. Battier holds Kobe to 27 points on 26 field goals, however this stat could have even been more impressive, if even I, as a Lakers fan, have to admit that the referees helped Bryant a little. Some fishy calls called against Shane... I love the fact that during the 7 minutes when Battier was off Kobe, Bryant scored 18 points (3/6 FG, 11/14 FT). October 30, 2007.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier's_Great_Defense_on_Kobe_and_Game_Winner_2007
Shane Battier could be the best defensive player (talking about guards, swingmen) of the last decade. My attempt at an video of him guarding Kobe, who frequently struggled against Shane and shot with a low percentage. Battier holds Kobe to 27 points on 26 field goals, however this stat could have even been more impressive, if even I, as a Lakers fan, have to admit that the referees helped Bryant a little. Some fishy calls called against Shane... I love the fact that during the 7 minutes when Battier was off Kobe, Bryant scored 18 points (3/6 FG, 11/14 FT). October 30, 2007.
- published: 01 Dec 2011
- views: 64419
- author: LamarMatic
Shane Battier interview 2012 Miami Heat Media Day, 9/28/12 - "Flopping is a silent killer."
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:50
- Updated: 11 Jan 2013
Miami Heat forward Shane Battier speaks with reporters at the 2012 Miami Heat Media Day annual event at the American Airlines Arena on September 28, 2012.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_interview_2012_Miami_Heat_Media_Day,_9_28_12_Flopping_is_a_silent_killer
Miami Heat forward Shane Battier speaks with reporters at the 2012 Miami Heat Media Day annual event at the American Airlines Arena on September 28, 2012.
- published: 30 Sep 2012
- views: 1663
- author: HotHotHoops
South Beach Battioke 2013
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:25
- Updated: 27 Jan 2013
Join Shane Battier for the second annual "South Beach Battioke" celebrity karaoke event on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, to benefit The Battier Take Charge Foundation. Individual tickets ($250) and sponsorship packages are available through the Take Charge Foundation (www.takechargefoundation.com).
http://wn.com/South_Beach_Battioke_2013
Join Shane Battier for the second annual "South Beach Battioke" celebrity karaoke event on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, to benefit The Battier Take Charge Foundation. Individual tickets ($250) and sponsorship packages are available through the Take Charge Foundation (www.takechargefoundation.com).
- published: 07 Jan 2013
- views: 51056
- author: miamiheat
Shane Battier: Playing Jeopardy!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:31
- Updated: 14 Jan 2013
Kevin Arnovitz takes up Shane Battier's challenge to match wits on Jeopardy!
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_Playing_Jeopardy!
Kevin Arnovitz takes up Shane Battier's challenge to match wits on Jeopardy!
- published: 18 Dec 2012
- views: 1691
- author: ESPN
Shane Battier vs Russell Westbrook altercation! (Christmas Game)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:27
- Updated: 28 Jan 2013
Shane Battier & Dwyane Wade committed hard fouls to Russell Westbrook which lead to a near brawl situation on Christmas Day 2012.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_vs_Russell_Westbrook_altercation!_Christmas_Game
Shane Battier & Dwyane Wade committed hard fouls to Russell Westbrook which lead to a near brawl situation on Christmas Day 2012.
- published: 26 Dec 2012
- views: 6252
- author: CakesBerry
Shane Battier Love Boat Fund Raiser (Jan 21) - Miami Beach
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:19
- Updated: 28 Jan 2013
Shane Battier Love Boat Fund Raiser (Jan 21) - Miami Beach
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_Love_Boat_Fund_Raiser_Jan_21_Miami_Beach
Shane Battier Love Boat Fund Raiser (Jan 21) - Miami Beach
- published: 18 Jan 2013
- views: 2596
- author: nbaus3030
Shane Battier 09-10 Mix
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:04
- Updated: 22 Jan 2013
Highlights of Shane Battier's 2009-2010 season with the Houston Rockets.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_09-10_Mix
Highlights of Shane Battier's 2009-2010 season with the Houston Rockets.
- published: 23 Jun 2010
- views: 27426
- author: Stuart S
Shane Battier's great show - 2012 Finals - Game 2, Heat Thunder
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:05
- Updated: 26 Nov 2012
Shane Battier's great show Battier matched his surprising 17-point performance in Game 1 by going 5 of 7 from 3-point range, providing all the help the superstar trio needed.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier's_great_show_2012_Finals_Game_2,_Heat_Thunder
Shane Battier's great show Battier matched his surprising 17-point performance in Game 1 by going 5 of 7 from 3-point range, providing all the help the superstar trio needed.
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 5410
- author: peer wu
Houston Rockets Shane Battier Tribute Video
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:26
- Updated: 31 Dec 2012
www.clutchfans.net The Houston Rockets tribute video for Shane Battier that they played after the first quarter of the Rockets game against Battier's Miami Heat on 11
http://wn.com/Houston_Rockets_Shane_Battier_Tribute_Video
www.clutchfans.net The Houston Rockets tribute video for Shane Battier that they played after the first quarter of the Rockets game against Battier's Miami Heat on 11
- published: 13 Nov 2012
- views: 6974
- author: clutchfansDOTnet
Russell Westbrook fouled by Shane Battier: Thunder at Heat on Christmas
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:01
- Updated: 31 Dec 2012
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook took a hard foul from Miami Heat forward Shane Battier on Christmas Day. Battier was originally called for a flagrant foul but that decision was reversed on video replay.
http://wn.com/Russell_Westbrook_fouled_by_Shane_Battier_Thunder_at_Heat_on_Christmas
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook took a hard foul from Miami Heat forward Shane Battier on Christmas Day. Battier was originally called for a flagrant foul but that decision was reversed on video replay.
- published: 26 Dec 2012
- views: 8583
- author: watchnba201213
Amar`e Stoudemire Shows No Love for Shane Battier
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:41
- Updated: 25 Jan 2013
Amar`e Stoudemire offers to help Shane Battier up, but changes his mind and leaves him hanging. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights.
http://wn.com/Amar`e_Stoudemire_Shows_No_Love_for_Shane_Battier
Amar`e Stoudemire offers to help Shane Battier up, but changes his mind and leaves him hanging. Visit www.nba.com for more highlights.
- published: 10 May 2012
- views: 195579
- author: NBA
NBA 2K13 - Westbrook BREAKS Battier's Ankles During NBA 2K13 Livestream
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:33
- Updated: 09 Jan 2013
I had to cut out this clip, first time breaking ankles in 2K13. It's so much easier than in 2K12!
http://wn.com/NBA_2K13_Westbrook_BREAKS_Battier's_Ankles_During_NBA_2K13_Livestream
I had to cut out this clip, first time breaking ankles in 2K13. It's so much easier than in 2K12!
- published: 29 Sep 2012
- views: 9984
- author: ItsPronto
Andre Drummond leaves Battier frozen, then scoops it for the score
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:23
- Updated: 22 Jan 2013
Miami Heat @ Detroit Pistons, December 28, 2012. Andre Drummond hits Shane Battier with a crossover and hits an acrobatic layup.
http://wn.com/Andre_Drummond_leaves_Battier_frozen,_then_scoops_it_for_the_score
Miami Heat @ Detroit Pistons, December 28, 2012. Andre Drummond hits Shane Battier with a crossover and hits an acrobatic layup.
- published: 29 Dec 2012
- views: 2953
- author: GrantHill
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:10
- Updated: 24 Aug 2012
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
http://wn.com/David_West_Slaps_Shane_Battier_In_The_Head_Heat_vs_Pacers_Game_6
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
- published: 25 May 2012
- views: 10664
- author: Edwardisavampire2009
Kevin Durant's HUGE Dunk on Shane Battier | Game 2 NBA Finals 2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:28
- Updated: 23 Jan 2013
Kevin Durant dunks on Shane Battier in Game 2 of the 2012 NBA Finals Kevin Durant Dunk Kevin Durant 2012 Huge amazing clutch Dunk Kevin Durant 2012 NBA Finals dunk Kevin Durant Dunk on Shane Battier Game 2 NBA Finals 2012
http://wn.com/Kevin_Durant's_HUGE_Dunk_on_Shane_Battier_|_Game_2_NBA_Finals_2012
Kevin Durant dunks on Shane Battier in Game 2 of the 2012 NBA Finals Kevin Durant Dunk Kevin Durant 2012 Huge amazing clutch Dunk Kevin Durant 2012 NBA Finals dunk Kevin Durant Dunk on Shane Battier Game 2 NBA Finals 2012
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 30137
- author: BobGodz
Shane Battier highlights & interview Heat at OKC Finals Game 2 HD
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:49
- Updated: 09 Nov 2012
Shane Battier highlights & interview Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 Finals 6/14/12
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_highlights_interview_Heat_at_OKC_Finals_Game_2_HD
Shane Battier highlights & interview Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 Finals 6/14/12
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 2948
- author: HEATPOSTERIZED
Shane Battier 3's highlights & Defense Heat vs Pacers Game 5 HD
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:32
- Updated: 13 Nov 2012
Shane Battier 3's highlights & Defense interview Miami Heat VS Indiana Pacers Game 5 Easter Conference Semi Finals 5/22/12
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_3's_highlights_Defense_Heat_vs_Pacers_Game_5_HD
Shane Battier 3's highlights & Defense interview Miami Heat VS Indiana Pacers Game 5 Easter Conference Semi Finals 5/22/12
- published: 23 May 2012
- views: 4871
- author: HEATPOSTERIZED
Durant goes BIG at Battier for the slam!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:32
- Updated: 20 Nov 2012
Check out Kevin Durant, playing with 5 fouls, drive at Shane Battier and throw down the monster slam for the posterizing play as the Thunder and Heat battle in game 2 of the NBA finals!
http://wn.com/Durant_goes_BIG_at_Battier_for_the_slam!
Check out Kevin Durant, playing with 5 fouls, drive at Shane Battier and throw down the monster slam for the posterizing play as the Thunder and Heat battle in game 2 of the NBA finals!
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 23398
- author: NBA
Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies - 2001 NBA Draft - Shane Battier - Pick 6 - 1st Round
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:47
- Updated: 15 Jul 2012
With the 6th pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, The Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies select Shane Battier from Duke university. Have any Vancouver Grizzlies footage? Message me! "There is absolutely no copyright infringement intended what so ever. All the contents in the following video are owned by there respective owners. The audio and visual clips in this video were put together for entertainment purposes only." jeremy lin carmelo anthony amare stoudemire big three nyc madison square garden kanye westTracy McGrady - 13 points in 35 seconds Carmelo Anthony,Tracy Mcgrady,Shaq, LeBron, Dwight Howard All-Star Dance-Off,Slam Dunk Contest,Top 10,NBA Draft 2009,Dwight Howard Superman dunk,AND1,Hot sauce,Lebron james,la lakers,Boston celtics nba champions,La Clippers,Denver Nuggets,Allen Iverson,Dallas Mavericks,East West All star game,nba record,nba street vol 1,2,homecourt,I Challenge Baron Davis,greatest in nba history,shot,block,steal,Michael Jordan's Final Shot 98,Baron Davis, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marubury, Yao Ming, Gilbert Arenas, Kobe Bryant, Speedy Claxton, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson, and Ben Gordan,Soulja Boy And Lebron James Interview ,Kobe Bryant Jumps Over Car(Aston Martin) Slow Motion,Kobe Bryant Car Jump Exposed,fl, ncaa, baseball, soccer, futbol, football, Nba, basketball, mlb, hockey, nhl, paris fifa, poker, golf, world cup,Guinness World Record,Spud Webb Dunk Contest,the best of derrick rose,Kobe Bryant Jumps ...
http://wn.com/Vancouver_Memphis_Grizzlies_2001_NBA_Draft_Shane_Battier_Pick_6_1st_Round
With the 6th pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, The Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies select Shane Battier from Duke university. Have any Vancouver Grizzlies footage? Message me! "There is absolutely no copyright infringement intended what so ever. All the contents in the following video are owned by there respective owners. The audio and visual clips in this video were put together for entertainment purposes only." jeremy lin carmelo anthony amare stoudemire big three nyc madison square garden kanye westTracy McGrady - 13 points in 35 seconds Carmelo Anthony,Tracy Mcgrady,Shaq, LeBron, Dwight Howard All-Star Dance-Off,Slam Dunk Contest,Top 10,NBA Draft 2009,Dwight Howard Superman dunk,AND1,Hot sauce,Lebron james,la lakers,Boston celtics nba champions,La Clippers,Denver Nuggets,Allen Iverson,Dallas Mavericks,East West All star game,nba record,nba street vol 1,2,homecourt,I Challenge Baron Davis,greatest in nba history,shot,block,steal,Michael Jordan's Final Shot 98,Baron Davis, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marubury, Yao Ming, Gilbert Arenas, Kobe Bryant, Speedy Claxton, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson, and Ben Gordan,Soulja Boy And Lebron James Interview ,Kobe Bryant Jumps Over Car(Aston Martin) Slow Motion,Kobe Bryant Car Jump Exposed,fl, ncaa, baseball, soccer, futbol, football, Nba, basketball, mlb, hockey, nhl, paris fifa, poker, golf, world cup,Guinness World Record,Spud Webb Dunk Contest,the best of derrick rose,Kobe Bryant Jumps ...
- published: 28 Jun 2012
- views: 2140
- author: VanCityGrizzlies
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Shane Battier's defense on Kobe Bryant (2009 playoffs)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:32
- Updated: 14 Jan 2013
You sure cannot shut down great players like Kobe Bryant. But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot, every little point. That is what Shane Battier is doing. He doesn't try to block Bryant's shots. He just tries to make him a jumpshooter and put a hand in his face so that he rushes his shot and cannot have a clean look. Videos: Rockets2K
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier's_defense_on_Kobe_Bryant_2009_playoffs
You sure cannot shut down great players like Kobe Bryant. But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot, every little point. That is what Shane Battier is doing. He doesn't try to block Bryant's shots. He just tries to make him a jumpshooter and put a hand in his face so that he rushes his shot and cannot have a clean look. Videos: Rockets2K
- published: 17 May 2009
- views: 223172
- author: AllStarek
Shane Battier's Great Defense on Kobe and Game Winner (2007)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:39
- Updated: 13 Jan 2013
Shane Battier could be the best defensive player (talking about guards, swingmen) of the last decade. My attempt at an video of him guarding Kobe, who frequently struggled against Shane and shot with a low percentage. Battier holds Kobe to 27 points on 26 field goals, however this stat could have even been more impressive, if even I, as a Lakers fan, have to admit that the referees helped Bryant a little. Some fishy calls called against Shane... I love the fact that during the 7 minutes when Battier was off Kobe, Bryant scored 18 points (3/6 FG, 11/14 FT). October 30, 2007.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier's_Great_Defense_on_Kobe_and_Game_Winner_2007
Shane Battier could be the best defensive player (talking about guards, swingmen) of the last decade. My attempt at an video of him guarding Kobe, who frequently struggled against Shane and shot with a low percentage. Battier holds Kobe to 27 points on 26 field goals, however this stat could have even been more impressive, if even I, as a Lakers fan, have to admit that the referees helped Bryant a little. Some fishy calls called against Shane... I love the fact that during the 7 minutes when Battier was off Kobe, Bryant scored 18 points (3/6 FG, 11/14 FT). October 30, 2007.
- published: 01 Dec 2011
- views: 62581
- author: LamarMatic
Miami Heat's Shane Battier Interview by Craig Sager
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:35
- Updated: 20 Aug 2012
Interview of Shane Battier Enjoy guys, also if you got any questions about the Heat ill answer them right away! Don't forget to Subscribe! My Starting Line Up PG - Norris Cole SG - D-Wade SF - Lebron James PF - Chris Bosh C - Eddy Curry come mid season
http://wn.com/Miami_Heat's_Shane_Battier_Interview_by_Craig_Sager
Interview of Shane Battier Enjoy guys, also if you got any questions about the Heat ill answer them right away! Don't forget to Subscribe! My Starting Line Up PG - Norris Cole SG - D-Wade SF - Lebron James PF - Chris Bosh C - Eddy Curry come mid season
- published: 13 Dec 2011
- views: 3176
- author: NbaHighlights93
Shane Battier's Post-game Interview & Highlights | 6/14/12 | NBA Finals Game 2 (SUN SPORTS-TV)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:49
- Updated: 30 Dec 2012
Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh talks about their team's huge Game 2 win over the OKC Thunder in the NBA Finals and what they can do to improve and try to grab a series led in Game 3 at home back in Miami on Sunday. He also talks about how the distractions helped win Game 2 not luck. Chris Bosh's Post-game Press Conference. The Miami Heat pickup a great victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder to the tie the series up 1-1 in the series of the NBA Finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. LeBron James scores 32 points, Dwyane Wade adds 24 and Chris Bosh grabs 15 boards and Heat defeat the Thunder in an epic Game 2. The series moves to Miami for three straight games. Miami Heat won Game 2 -- 100 - 96 Extra Tags:boston celtics vs miami heat game recap lock out season 2011 2012 highlights mvp playoffs nba finals basketball overtime ot rookie injury video all star slam dunk contest technical top 10 east-finals round sweep series games home kevin garnett paul pierce ray allen rajon rondo brandon bass jeff green kenyon dooling marquis daniels mickael pietrus lebron james dwyane wade chris bosh shane battier mario chalmers udonis haslem noris cole mike miller Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics 6.12.12 Lebron James Chris Bosh Dwyane Wade Mario Chalmers Shane Battier Norris Cole Mike Miller Eddy Curry James Jones Dexter Pittman Joel Anthony Udonis Haslem James Jones Erik Spoelstra Rajon Rondo Paul Pierce Ray Allen Kevin Garnett Avery Bradley Brandon Bass ...
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier's_Post-game_Interview_Highlights_|_6_14_12_|_NBA_Finals_Game_2_SUN_SPORTS-TV
Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh talks about their team's huge Game 2 win over the OKC Thunder in the NBA Finals and what they can do to improve and try to grab a series led in Game 3 at home back in Miami on Sunday. He also talks about how the distractions helped win Game 2 not luck. Chris Bosh's Post-game Press Conference. The Miami Heat pickup a great victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder to the tie the series up 1-1 in the series of the NBA Finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. LeBron James scores 32 points, Dwyane Wade adds 24 and Chris Bosh grabs 15 boards and Heat defeat the Thunder in an epic Game 2. The series moves to Miami for three straight games. Miami Heat won Game 2 -- 100 - 96 Extra Tags:boston celtics vs miami heat game recap lock out season 2011 2012 highlights mvp playoffs nba finals basketball overtime ot rookie injury video all star slam dunk contest technical top 10 east-finals round sweep series games home kevin garnett paul pierce ray allen rajon rondo brandon bass jeff green kenyon dooling marquis daniels mickael pietrus lebron james dwyane wade chris bosh shane battier mario chalmers udonis haslem noris cole mike miller Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics 6.12.12 Lebron James Chris Bosh Dwyane Wade Mario Chalmers Shane Battier Norris Cole Mike Miller Eddy Curry James Jones Dexter Pittman Joel Anthony Udonis Haslem James Jones Erik Spoelstra Rajon Rondo Paul Pierce Ray Allen Kevin Garnett Avery Bradley Brandon Bass ...
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 3673
- author: Kingdome1979
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:52
- Updated: 02 Jan 2013
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS 06.14 game 2 miami heat beat series 1 1 incredible dunk pointers shot 4th quarter okc fast break dwyane wade jump mvp reverse spin and driving layup circus rebounds assists putback slam chris...
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_17_points_5_3_pointers_vs_Oklahoma_city_Thunder_full_highlights_GM2_2012_NBA_FINALS
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS 06.14 game 2 miami heat beat series 1 1 incredible dunk pointers shot 4th quarter okc fast break dwyane wade jump mvp reverse spin and driving layup circus rebounds assists putback slam chris...
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 32608
- author: dorell15
Shane Battier interview 2012 Miami Heat Media Day, 9/28/12 - "Flopping is a silent killer."
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:50
- Updated: 11 Jan 2013
Miami Heat forward Shane Battier speaks with reporters at the 2012 Miami Heat Media Day annual event at the American Airlines Arena on September 28, 2012.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_interview_2012_Miami_Heat_Media_Day,_9_28_12_Flopping_is_a_silent_killer
Miami Heat forward Shane Battier speaks with reporters at the 2012 Miami Heat Media Day annual event at the American Airlines Arena on September 28, 2012.
- published: 30 Sep 2012
- views: 1465
- author: HotHotHoops
Shane Battier 09-10 Mix
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:04
- Updated: 19 Nov 2012
Highlights of Shane Battier's 2009-2010 season with the Houston Rockets.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_09-10_Mix
Highlights of Shane Battier's 2009-2010 season with the Houston Rockets.
- published: 23 Jun 2010
- views: 27174
- author: Stuart S
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 17:33
- Updated: 07 Dec 2012
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley
http://wn.com/December_10,_2011_Miami_Heat_Shane_Battier_Miami_Heat_Press_Conference_with_Pat_Riley
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley
- published: 11 Dec 2011
- views: 7251
- author: jcw44762
Shane Battier dominates Kobe, Lakers in final minutes
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:03
- Updated: 13 Jan 2013
www.clutchfans.net Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier, not known for his offense, scores 11 points in 2 minutes and 9 seconds to help the Rockets pull away from Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 109-99 on 12
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_dominates_Kobe,_Lakers_in_final_minutes
www.clutchfans.net Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier, not known for his offense, scores 11 points in 2 minutes and 9 seconds to help the Rockets pull away from Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 109-99 on 12
- published: 02 Dec 2010
- views: 51518
- author: clutchfansDOTnet
NBA Fundamentals: Shane Battier - Taking a Charge
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:19
- Updated: 06 Jan 2013
Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets teaches us how to take a charge in this edition of NBA Fundamentals. Shane is one of the best charge takers in the league.
http://wn.com/NBA_Fundamentals_Shane_Battier_Taking_a_Charge
Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets teaches us how to take a charge in this edition of NBA Fundamentals. Shane is one of the best charge takers in the league.
- published: 31 May 2007
- views: 217795
- author: xTLBx
Shane Battier on Analytics and Hero-Ball
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:12
- Updated: 13 Jan 2013
Kevin Arnovitz and Shane Battier discuss the impact of analytics in the NBA, and why so many coaches employ hero-ball at the end of games.
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_on_Analytics_and_Hero-Ball
Kevin Arnovitz and Shane Battier discuss the impact of analytics in the NBA, and why so many coaches employ hero-ball at the end of games.
- published: 24 Dec 2012
- views: 923
- author: ESPN
![[Exclusive] Shane Battier Locker Room Interview (Playoffs 2011)](http://web.archive.org./web/20130129061020im_/http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WM6zQmPDshU/default.jpg "[Exclusive] Shane Battier Locker Room Interview (Playoffs 2011)")
[Exclusive] Shane Battier Locker Room Interview (Playoffs 2011)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:35
- Updated: 07 Jun 2012
http://wn.com/_Exclusive_Shane_Battier_Locker_Room_Interview_Playoffs_2011
Shane Battier Mix
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:16
- Updated: 25 Nov 2012
Shane Battier Mix
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_Mix
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:10
- Updated: 24 Aug 2012
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
http://wn.com/David_West_Slaps_Shane_Battier_In_The_Head_Heat_vs_Pacers_Game_6
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
- published: 25 May 2012
- views: 10536
- author: Edwardisavampire2009
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Miami Heat
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:23
- Updated: 03 Jan 2013
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Miami Heat
http://wn.com/April_15,_2012_ABC_Ch10_Shane_Battier_and_How_he_has_Adjusted_to_Playing_for_the_Miami_Heat
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Miami Heat
- published: 20 Apr 2012
- views: 1625
- author: jcw44762
South Beach Battioke 2013
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:25
- Updated: 15 Jan 2013
Join Shane Battier for the second annual "South Beach Battioke" celebrity karaoke event on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, to benefit The Battier Take Charge Foundation. Individual tickets ($250) and sponsorship packages are available through the Take Charge Foundation (www.takechargefoundation.com).
http://wn.com/South_Beach_Battioke_2013
Join Shane Battier for the second annual "South Beach Battioke" celebrity karaoke event on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, to benefit The Battier Take Charge Foundation. Individual tickets ($250) and sponsorship packages are available through the Take Charge Foundation (www.takechargefoundation.com).
- published: 07 Jan 2013
- views: 34528
- author: miamiheat
Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies - 2001 NBA Draft - Shane Battier - Pick 6 - 1st Round
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:47
- Updated: 15 Jul 2012
With the 6th pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, The Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies select Shane Battier from Duke university. Have any Vancouver Grizzlies footage? Message me! "There is absolutely no copyright infringement intended what so ever. All the contents in the following video are owned by there respective owners. The audio and visual clips in this video were put together for entertainment purposes only." jeremy lin carmelo anthony amare stoudemire big three nyc madison square garden kanye westTracy McGrady - 13 points in 35 seconds Carmelo Anthony,Tracy Mcgrady,Shaq, LeBron, Dwight Howard All-Star Dance-Off,Slam Dunk Contest,Top 10,NBA Draft 2009,Dwight Howard Superman dunk,AND1,Hot sauce,Lebron james,la lakers,Boston celtics nba champions,La Clippers,Denver Nuggets,Allen Iverson,Dallas Mavericks,East West All star game,nba record,nba street vol 1,2,homecourt,I Challenge Baron Davis,greatest in nba history,shot,block,steal,Michael Jordan's Final Shot 98,Baron Davis, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marubury, Yao Ming, Gilbert Arenas, Kobe Bryant, Speedy Claxton, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson, and Ben Gordan,Soulja Boy And Lebron James Interview ,Kobe Bryant Jumps Over Car(Aston Martin) Slow Motion,Kobe Bryant Car Jump Exposed,fl, ncaa, baseball, soccer, futbol, football, Nba, basketball, mlb, hockey, nhl, paris fifa, poker, golf, world cup,Guinness World Record,Spud Webb Dunk Contest,the best of derrick rose,Kobe Bryant Jumps ...
http://wn.com/Vancouver_Memphis_Grizzlies_2001_NBA_Draft_Shane_Battier_Pick_6_1st_Round
With the 6th pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, The Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies select Shane Battier from Duke university. Have any Vancouver Grizzlies footage? Message me! "There is absolutely no copyright infringement intended what so ever. All the contents in the following video are owned by there respective owners. The audio and visual clips in this video were put together for entertainment purposes only." jeremy lin carmelo anthony amare stoudemire big three nyc madison square garden kanye westTracy McGrady - 13 points in 35 seconds Carmelo Anthony,Tracy Mcgrady,Shaq, LeBron, Dwight Howard All-Star Dance-Off,Slam Dunk Contest,Top 10,NBA Draft 2009,Dwight Howard Superman dunk,AND1,Hot sauce,Lebron james,la lakers,Boston celtics nba champions,La Clippers,Denver Nuggets,Allen Iverson,Dallas Mavericks,East West All star game,nba record,nba street vol 1,2,homecourt,I Challenge Baron Davis,greatest in nba history,shot,block,steal,Michael Jordan's Final Shot 98,Baron Davis, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marubury, Yao Ming, Gilbert Arenas, Kobe Bryant, Speedy Claxton, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson, and Ben Gordan,Soulja Boy And Lebron James Interview ,Kobe Bryant Jumps Over Car(Aston Martin) Slow Motion,Kobe Bryant Car Jump Exposed,fl, ncaa, baseball, soccer, futbol, football, Nba, basketball, mlb, hockey, nhl, paris fifa, poker, golf, world cup,Guinness World Record,Spud Webb Dunk Contest,the best of derrick rose,Kobe Bryant Jumps ...
- published: 28 Jun 2012
- views: 1949
- author: VanCityGrizzlies
"Buzzer Beater" - Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:54
- Updated: 16 Apr 2012
Shane Battier gives an English lesson on last-second shooting and the term "buzzer beater" for englishbaby.com. See the full lesson here: www.englishbaby.com
http://wn.com/Buzzer_Beater_Shane_Battier_of_the_Houston_Rockets
Shane Battier gives an English lesson on last-second shooting and the term "buzzer beater" for englishbaby.com. See the full lesson here: www.englishbaby.com
- published: 15 Dec 2009
- views: 3917
- author: ebabyenglish
Shane Battier 3's highlights & Defense Heat vs Pacers Game 5 HD
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:32
- Updated: 13 Nov 2012
Shane Battier 3's highlights & Defense interview Miami Heat VS Indiana Pacers Game 5 Easter Conference Semi Finals 5/22/12
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_3's_highlights_Defense_Heat_vs_Pacers_Game_5_HD
Shane Battier 3's highlights & Defense interview Miami Heat VS Indiana Pacers Game 5 Easter Conference Semi Finals 5/22/12
- published: 23 May 2012
- views: 4768
- author: HEATPOSTERIZED
The Beat: Shane Battier | Heat vs Magic | NBA 2012-13 Season 31/12/2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:35
- Updated: 01 Jan 2013
Shane Battier joins The Beat to talk about the Heat and dishes on his teammates.
http://wn.com/The_Beat_Shane_Battier_|_Heat_vs_Magic_|_NBA_2012-13_Season_31_12_2012
Shane Battier joins The Beat to talk about the Heat and dishes on his teammates.
- published: 01 Jan 2013
- views: 321
- author: KenVidoes
Heat have historic NBA finals night from downtown!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:48
- Updated: 14 Jan 2013
The Miami Heat as a team connected on 14 three pointers, tying an NBA record for most three pointers made by a team in an NBA finals game and we bring you a look at each three pointer, from Mike Miller's incredible performance to the clutch shots from Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers in the game 5 victory over Kevin Durant and the Thunder!
http://wn.com/Heat_have_historic_NBA_finals_night_from_downtown!
The Miami Heat as a team connected on 14 three pointers, tying an NBA record for most three pointers made by a team in an NBA finals game and we bring you a look at each three pointer, from Mike Miller's incredible performance to the clutch shots from Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers in the game 5 victory over Kevin Durant and the Thunder!
- published: 22 Jun 2012
- views: 96895
- author: NBA
Shane Battier highlights & interview Heat at OKC Finals Game 2 HD
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:49
- Updated: 09 Nov 2012
Shane Battier highlights & interview Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 Finals 6/14/12
http://wn.com/Shane_Battier_highlights_interview_Heat_at_OKC_Finals_Game_2_HD
Shane Battier highlights & interview Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 Finals 6/14/12
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 2919
- author: HEATPOSTERIZED
Shane's interview
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:35
- Updated: 07 Jun 2012
Shane Battier interview
http://wn.com/Shane's_interview
3:32
Shane Battier's defense on Kobe Bryant (2009 playoffs)
You sure cannot shut down great players like Kobe Bryant. But what you can do, is to slow ...
published: 17 May 2009
author: AllStarek
Shane Battier's defense on Kobe Bryant (2009 playoffs)
You sure cannot shut down great players like Kobe Bryant. But what you can do, is to slow them down and make them work hard for every shot, every little point. That is what Shane Battier is doing. He doesn't try to block Bryant's shots. He just tries to make him a jumpshooter and put a hand in his face so that he rushes his shot and cannot have a clean look. Videos: Rockets2K
- published: 17 May 2009
- views: 223172
- author: AllStarek
14:39
Shane Battier's Great Defense on Kobe and Game Winner (2007)
Shane Battier could be the best defensive player (talking about guards, swingmen) of the l...
published: 01 Dec 2011
author: LamarMatic
Shane Battier's Great Defense on Kobe and Game Winner (2007)
Shane Battier could be the best defensive player (talking about guards, swingmen) of the last decade. My attempt at an video of him guarding Kobe, who frequently struggled against Shane and shot with a low percentage. Battier holds Kobe to 27 points on 26 field goals, however this stat could have even been more impressive, if even I, as a Lakers fan, have to admit that the referees helped Bryant a little. Some fishy calls called against Shane... I love the fact that during the 7 minutes when Battier was off Kobe, Bryant scored 18 points (3/6 FG, 11/14 FT). October 30, 2007.
- published: 01 Dec 2011
- views: 62581
- author: LamarMatic
4:35
Miami Heat's Shane Battier Interview by Craig Sager
Interview of Shane Battier Enjoy guys, also if you got any questions about the Heat ill an...
published: 13 Dec 2011
author: NbaHighlights93
Miami Heat's Shane Battier Interview by Craig Sager
Interview of Shane Battier Enjoy guys, also if you got any questions about the Heat ill answer them right away! Don't forget to Subscribe! My Starting Line Up PG - Norris Cole SG - D-Wade SF - Lebron James PF - Chris Bosh C - Eddy Curry come mid season
- published: 13 Dec 2011
- views: 3176
- author: NbaHighlights93
2:49
Shane Battier's Post-game Interview & Highlights | 6/14/12 | NBA Finals Game 2 (SUN SPORTS-TV)
Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh talks about their team's huge Game 2 win over the OKC ...
published: 15 Jun 2012
author: Kingdome1979
Shane Battier's Post-game Interview & Highlights | 6/14/12 | NBA Finals Game 2 (SUN SPORTS-TV)
Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh talks about their team's huge Game 2 win over the OKC Thunder in the NBA Finals and what they can do to improve and try to grab a series led in Game 3 at home back in Miami on Sunday. He also talks about how the distractions helped win Game 2 not luck. Chris Bosh's Post-game Press Conference. The Miami Heat pickup a great victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder to the tie the series up 1-1 in the series of the NBA Finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. LeBron James scores 32 points, Dwyane Wade adds 24 and Chris Bosh grabs 15 boards and Heat defeat the Thunder in an epic Game 2. The series moves to Miami for three straight games. Miami Heat won Game 2 -- 100 - 96 Extra Tags:boston celtics vs miami heat game recap lock out season 2011 2012 highlights mvp playoffs nba finals basketball overtime ot rookie injury video all star slam dunk contest technical top 10 east-finals round sweep series games home kevin garnett paul pierce ray allen rajon rondo brandon bass jeff green kenyon dooling marquis daniels mickael pietrus lebron james dwyane wade chris bosh shane battier mario chalmers udonis haslem noris cole mike miller Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics 6.12.12 Lebron James Chris Bosh Dwyane Wade Mario Chalmers Shane Battier Norris Cole Mike Miller Eddy Curry James Jones Dexter Pittman Joel Anthony Udonis Haslem James Jones Erik Spoelstra Rajon Rondo Paul Pierce Ray Allen Kevin Garnett Avery Bradley Brandon Bass ...
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 3673
- author: Kingdome1979
1:52
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 N...
published: 15 Jun 2012
author: dorell15
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS
Shane Battier 17 points (5 3 pointers) vs Oklahoma city Thunder full highlights GM2 2012 NBA FINALS 06.14 game 2 miami heat beat series 1 1 incredible dunk pointers shot 4th quarter okc fast break dwyane wade jump mvp reverse spin and driving layup circus rebounds assists putback slam chris...
- published: 15 Jun 2012
- views: 32608
- author: dorell15
4:50
Shane Battier interview 2012 Miami Heat Media Day, 9/28/12 - "Flopping is a silent killer."
Miami Heat forward Shane Battier speaks with reporters at the 2012 Miami Heat Media Day an...
published: 30 Sep 2012
author: HotHotHoops
Shane Battier interview 2012 Miami Heat Media Day, 9/28/12 - "Flopping is a silent killer."
Miami Heat forward Shane Battier speaks with reporters at the 2012 Miami Heat Media Day annual event at the American Airlines Arena on September 28, 2012.
- published: 30 Sep 2012
- views: 1465
- author: HotHotHoops
17:33
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley...
published: 11 Dec 2011
author: jcw44762
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley
December 10, 2011 - Miami Heat - Shane Battier Miami Heat Press Conference with Pat Riley
- published: 11 Dec 2011
- views: 7251
- author: jcw44762
4:03
Shane Battier dominates Kobe, Lakers in final minutes
www.clutchfans.net Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier, not known for his offense, score...
published: 02 Dec 2010
author: clutchfansDOTnet
Shane Battier dominates Kobe, Lakers in final minutes
www.clutchfans.net Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier, not known for his offense, scores 11 points in 2 minutes and 9 seconds to help the Rockets pull away from Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 109-99 on 12
- published: 02 Dec 2010
- views: 51518
- author: clutchfansDOTnet
3:19
NBA Fundamentals: Shane Battier - Taking a Charge
Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets teaches us how to take a charge in this edition of NB...
published: 31 May 2007
author: xTLBx
NBA Fundamentals: Shane Battier - Taking a Charge
Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets teaches us how to take a charge in this edition of NBA Fundamentals. Shane is one of the best charge takers in the league.
- published: 31 May 2007
- views: 217795
- author: xTLBx
5:12
Shane Battier on Analytics and Hero-Ball
Kevin Arnovitz and Shane Battier discuss the impact of analytics in the NBA, and why so ma...
published: 24 Dec 2012
author: ESPN
Shane Battier on Analytics and Hero-Ball
Kevin Arnovitz and Shane Battier discuss the impact of analytics in the NBA, and why so many coaches employ hero-ball at the end of games.
- published: 24 Dec 2012
- views: 923
- author: ESPN
2:35
[Exclusive] Shane Battier Locker Room Interview (Playoffs 2011)
...
published: 19 Apr 2011
author: peaksportsusa1
[Exclusive] Shane Battier Locker Room Interview (Playoffs 2011)
- published: 19 Apr 2011
- views: 1868
- author: peaksportsusa1
1:10
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6...
published: 25 May 2012
author: Edwardisavampire2009
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
David West Slaps Shane Battier In The Head - Heat vs Pacers - Game 6
- published: 25 May 2012
- views: 10536
- author: Edwardisavampire2009
Vimeo results:
0:30
Peak Battier
Client:Peak
director:kensin peng
talent:Shane Battier(nba)...
published: 11 Oct 2009
author: Kensin Peng
Peak Battier
Client:Peak
director:kensin peng
talent:Shane Battier(nba)
0:31
"X's and O's" - Shane Battier - Peak International NBA Commercial
Available to direct commercial projects: http://nickolasduarte.com/
I had the very fortun...
published: 09 Jun 2012
author: Nickolas Duarte
"X's and O's" - Shane Battier - Peak International NBA Commercial
Available to direct commercial projects: http://nickolasduarte.com/
I had the very fortunate opportunity to direct a series of international broadcast commercials for Peak- China's 2nd largest sports apparel brand. This spot features the incredibly talented and professional Shane Battier, currently starting for the Miami Heat.
Nickolas Duarte
http://twitter.com/directorduarte
1:54
Shane Battier English Lesson
Shane Battier gives an English, baby! English lesson on the term "buzzer beater." http://w...
published: 31 Dec 2009
author: ebaby
Shane Battier English Lesson
Shane Battier gives an English, baby! English lesson on the term "buzzer beater." http://www.englishbaby.com/lessons/5082
89:02
Court Surfing: Battier Beef?
Wall $treet & Mark take some flack from online blogger who feels like we (read: WILL!) was...
published: 06 Apr 2009
author: Wall $treet
Court Surfing: Battier Beef?
Wall $treet & Mark take some flack from online blogger who feels like we (read: WILL!) was dissing Shane Battier in a segment prior by stating "There's been a Shane Battier sighting in Houston on the court & he's playing well! He must think he's back at Duke!"
Court Surfing...Where whining over role players happens...
Youtube results:
2:23
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Miami Heat
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Mi...
published: 20 Apr 2012
author: jcw44762
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Miami Heat
April 15, 2012 - ABC (Ch.10) - Shane Battier and How he has Adjusted to Playing for the Miami Heat
- published: 20 Apr 2012
- views: 1625
- author: jcw44762
1:25
South Beach Battioke 2013
Join Shane Battier for the second annual "South Beach Battioke" celebrity karaoke event on...
published: 07 Jan 2013
author: miamiheat
South Beach Battioke 2013
Join Shane Battier for the second annual "South Beach Battioke" celebrity karaoke event on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, to benefit The Battier Take Charge Foundation. Individual tickets ($250) and sponsorship packages are available through the Take Charge Foundation (www.takechargefoundation.com).
- published: 07 Jan 2013
- views: 34528
- author: miamiheat
2:47
Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies - 2001 NBA Draft - Shane Battier - Pick 6 - 1st Round
With the 6th pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, The Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlie...
published: 28 Jun 2012
author: VanCityGrizzlies
Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies - 2001 NBA Draft - Shane Battier - Pick 6 - 1st Round
With the 6th pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, The Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies select Shane Battier from Duke university. Have any Vancouver Grizzlies footage? Message me! "There is absolutely no copyright infringement intended what so ever. All the contents in the following video are owned by there respective owners. The audio and visual clips in this video were put together for entertainment purposes only." jeremy lin carmelo anthony amare stoudemire big three nyc madison square garden kanye westTracy McGrady - 13 points in 35 seconds Carmelo Anthony,Tracy Mcgrady,Shaq, LeBron, Dwight Howard All-Star Dance-Off,Slam Dunk Contest,Top 10,NBA Draft 2009,Dwight Howard Superman dunk,AND1,Hot sauce,Lebron james,la lakers,Boston celtics nba champions,La Clippers,Denver Nuggets,Allen Iverson,Dallas Mavericks,East West All star game,nba record,nba street vol 1,2,homecourt,I Challenge Baron Davis,greatest in nba history,shot,block,steal,Michael Jordan's Final Shot 98,Baron Davis, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Tracy McGrady, Stephon Marubury, Yao Ming, Gilbert Arenas, Kobe Bryant, Speedy Claxton, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Allen Iverson, and Ben Gordan,Soulja Boy And Lebron James Interview ,Kobe Bryant Jumps Over Car(Aston Martin) Slow Motion,Kobe Bryant Car Jump Exposed,fl, ncaa, baseball, soccer, futbol, football, Nba, basketball, mlb, hockey, nhl, paris fifa, poker, golf, world cup,Guinness World Record,Spud Webb Dunk Contest,the best of derrick rose,Kobe Bryant Jumps ...
- published: 28 Jun 2012
- views: 1949
- author: VanCityGrizzlies
1:54
"Buzzer Beater" - Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets
Shane Battier gives an English lesson on last-second shooting and the term "buzzer beater"...
published: 15 Dec 2009
author: ebabyenglish
"Buzzer Beater" - Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets
Shane Battier gives an English lesson on last-second shooting and the term "buzzer beater" for englishbaby.com. See the full lesson here: www.englishbaby.com
- published: 15 Dec 2009
- views: 3917
- author: ebabyenglish
photo: AP / Ronald Mendes-Agencia RBS
27 Jan 2013
Tweet. Police say at least 232 people have died in a fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil. Around 117 others were injured after the blaze broke out while a band was performing at the Kiss club in the southern city of Santa Maria at about 2am (local time). Police earlier said more than 245 people had died in the fire. It is thought pyrotechnics being used for the concert may have caused the blaze ... ....(size: 2.6Kb)
photo: US DoD / U.S. Army Staff Sgt Sun L. Vega, Joint Staff
27 Jan 2013
TEL AVIV – Now that he has secured his second term, President Barack Obama has already secretly pledged to the Palestinians he will press Israel into a new round of so-called land-for-peace negotiations, a top Palestinian Authority negotiator told WND. The negotiator said top members of the Obama administration told the Palestinians the U.S....(size: 2.2Kb)
photo: AP / Hossam Ali
26 Jan 2013
An Egyptian court has handed down 21 death sentences in connection with the deadly riot last year at a football stadium in Port Said located along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The defendants sentenced on Saturday are mostly members of the "Ultras," die-hard football fans who support Port Said's al-Masry squad ... Al-Masry fans stormed the pitch after their team won, throwing stones, bottles and fireworks at al-Ahly supporters....(size: 17.2Kb)
photo: AP / Khalil Hamra
28 Jan 2013
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy on Sunday declared a state of emergency and a nightime curfew for one month in three restive cities after days of deadly violence. Mr. Morsy, facing his worst crisis since taking office in June, said the measures would take effect on Sunday night in the cities of Port Said, Suez and Ismailia ... Keywords....(size: 1.7Kb)
The Miami Herald
29 Jan 2013
“And Miami ... Shane Battier, who has always hinted that he might go into politics once his career is over, posted a picture on Twitter of himself striking a Clinton-esque pose behind the president’s podium. “Great day at the White House to honor the Champs,” Battier wrote. “What do you think, Battier 2032?”. If Battier is lucky, he won’t have to wait that long to return to the White House ... ....(size: 4.7Kb)
Deccan Chronicle
29 Jan 2013
Washington ... "Now, I'm not trying to take all the credit ... but I think that it's clear that going up against me prepared them ... it sharpened their skills ... Obama was surrounded by players such as Dwyane Wade, Mike Miller, Shane Battier and James, the youngest player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points, as he praised the Heat for burying egos in their 2012 championship run ... ....(size: 1.7Kb)
noodls
28 Jan 2013
And with the strong-side now flipped, Paul Pierce closes hard on Shane Battier in the corner and stays there, with Allen barely given an inch more. While the concept of a strong and weak side might seem elementary, it might help to paraphrase and explanation Battier offered up a few weeks ago ... Pierce is right on Battier in the above image and he's supposed to stay there even if Cole drives right on by....(size: 8.2Kb)
Richmond Times Dispatch
28 Jan 2013
Rondo will have surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee ... “I feel for him ... Pierce got the rebound and was fouled by Shane Battier ... Miami had one last chance, but Battier missed a long jumper at the buzzer ... MIAMI (98) — James 14-31 3-5 34, Haslem 1-2 0-0 2, Bosh 7-12 2-2 16, Chalmers 0-3 0-0 0, Wade 6-20 5-6 17, Allen 7-17 5-7 21, Battier 1-3 0-0 2, Anthony 0-0 0-0 0, Cole 3-6 0-0 6, Lewis 0-2 0-0 0 ... Advertisement. ....(size: 2.7Kb)
Tampa Bay Online
28 Jan 2013
Kansas City Star
28 Jan 2013
After a mostly listless performance in regulation by the defending champions and then a wild and rough 10 minutes in two overtime periods, Heat forward Shane Battier missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in the Heat's 100-98 loss to the Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden ... Battier's heave from outside didn't have a chance....(size: 4.7Kb)
Sacramento Bee
28 Jan 2013
After a mostly listless performance in regulation by the defending champions and then a wild and rough 10 minutes in two overtime periods, Heat forward Shane Battier missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in the Heat's 100-98 loss to the Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden ... Battier's heave from outside didn't have a chance....(size: 4.8Kb)
The Miami Herald
28 Jan 2013
After a mostly listless performance in regulation by the defending champions and then a wild and rough 10 minutes in two overtime periods, Heat forward Shane Battier missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in the Heat’s 100-98 loss to the Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden ... Battier’s heave from outside didn’t have a chance....(size: 5.0Kb)
The Miami Herald
28 Jan 2013
After a mostly listless performance in regulation by the defending champions and then a wild and rough 10 minutes in two overtime periods, Heat forward Shane Battier missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in the Heat’s 100-98 loss to the Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden ... Battier’s heave from outside didn’t have a chance....(size: 5.0Kb)
Daily Press
28 Jan 2013
WASHINGTON— ... Dwyane Wade. White House. Kevin Durant ... Shane Battier ... Flu ... ... He then reflected on playing pickup games against several Heat players, including James, Wade and Shane Battier ... "LeBron learned some post moves from Hakeem [Olajuwon]. Shane Battier came on board. They became a more complete team. They got to know each other better and trust each other more. And they became more fun to watch."....(size: 12.3Kb)
The News Tribune
28 Jan 2013
BOSTON — A double-overtime victory against LeBron James and the defending NBA champions was difficult to celebrate for Paul Pierce and the Celtics. News of Rajon Rondo’s season-ending knee injury spoiled the party ... “It brought a dark cloud in this room when you heard the news.” ... Pierce got the rebound and was fouled by Shane Battier ... Miami had one last chance, but Battier missed a long jumper at the buzzer ... ....(size: 3.0Kb)
Kansas City Star
28 Jan 2013
The Heat came up short when Doc Rivers' diabolical defense blew up the Heat's final possession, left Wade trapped in the corner, with a wayward 3-point attempt from Shane Battier all that could be mustered as the last of the afternoon's six period-ending horns sounded ... reduced to James, Wade, Bosh, Allen and Battier for the final three periods....(size: 4.2Kb)
Sacramento Bee
28 Jan 2013
The Heat came up short when Doc Rivers' diabolical defense blew up the Heat's final possession, left Wade trapped in the corner, with a wayward 3-point attempt from Shane Battier all that could be mustered as the last of the afternoon's six period-ending horns sounded ... reduced to James, Wade, Bosh, Allen and Battier for the final three periods....(size: 4.3Kb)
Shane Courtney Battier (born September 9, 1978) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He has also been a member of the U.S. national team.
Battier was born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, and attended Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where he won many awards including 1997 "Mr. Basketball of Michigan." He went on to play four years of college basketball at Duke, where he captured the 2001 National Championship and swept the major National Player of the Year awards. Battier was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies and was traded five years later to the Houston Rockets. He was then traded back to the Memphis Grizzles during the 2010-2011 NBA season. His number has been retired by both Detroit Country Day School and Duke University. He is widely known for his aggressive defense and being able to guard the league's best players.
Contents |
Career[link]
Early years[link]
Battier was an outlier from his childhood; by the time he entered Country Day as a seventh-grader, he was already 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m), and was 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) a year later. He was also the only child in the school with a black father and a white mother. As Michael Lewis put it in a 2009 article, the young Battier "was shuttling between a black world that treated him as white and a white world that treated him as black."[1] More specifically in the context of basketball, Lewis noted that "the inner-city kids with whom he played on the A.A.U. circuit treated Battier like a suburban kid with a white game, and the suburban kids he played with during the regular season treated him like a visitor from the planet where they kept the black people."[1] Battier also noted that his cerebral approach to the game was forged from that time:
| “ | Everything I’ve done since then is because of what I went through with this. What I did is alienate myself from everybody. I’d eat lunch by myself. I’d study by myself. And I sort of lost myself in the game.[1] | ” |
Although he was almost always the best player on the court, he never fully embraced the starring role. In the Lewis article, Battier's high school coach, Kurt Keener, said "He had a tendency to defer. He had this incredible ability to make everyone around him better. But I had to tell him to be more assertive. The one game we lost his freshman year, it was because he deferred to the seniors."[1] However, his apparent deference was not a sign of lack of ambition; an exchange between Battier and Lewis made this clear:
| “ | Battier: "Chris Webber won three state championships, the Mr. Basketball Award and the Naismith Award. I won three state championships, Mr. Basketball and the Naismith Awards. All the things they said I wasn’t able to do, when I was in the eighth grade."
Lewis: “Who’s they?” Battier: “Pretty much everyone.” Lewis: “White people?” Battier: “No. The street."[1] |
” |
College[link]
Battier, who graduated from Country Day with a 3.96 grade point average and was named the school's outstanding student in his senior year,[1] went on to attend Duke, where he played four years under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. While at Duke, Battier was often the best defender on the court. He frequently took charges which prompted the Cameron Crazies to chant, "Who's your daddy? Battier!" He led the Blue Devils to two Final Fours, in 1999 and 2001, though his team in 1998 squandered a late 17 point lead to eventual national champion Kentucky in the regional finals. The Blue Devils lost to the Connecticut Huskies in the 1999 finals, but came back to win the national championship by defeating the Arizona Wildcats two years later. In 2001, Battier swept the major National Player of the Year awards, and subsequently had his jersey number 31 retired by the Blue Devils. Additionally, Battier was a three-time awardee of the NABC Defensive Player of the Year. Battier (778) and Jason Williams on the 2001 national championship team were one of only two Duke duos to each score over 700 points in a season, the other duo being Jon Scheyer (728) and Kyle Singler (707) in the 2009–10 season.[2] Battier graduated from Duke with a major in religion.[3]
After the conclusion of his college career, Battier was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team. Battier was a two-time Academic All-American and Academic All-American of the year in 2001.[4]
He was second behind Jon Scheyer in the Duke record book for minutes played in a single season as of March 28, 2010, and had 36 double-figure scoring games in a single season (tied for 5th-most in Duke history, with Scheyer, Jason Williams, and J.J. Redick.[5]
NBA[link]
Battier was selected by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the sixth pick of the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft. He was the Grizzlies' second draft pick since the team relocated from Vancouver, British Columbia, after six years. Pau Gasol of Spain was selected in the same draft with the number three pick, by the Atlanta Hawks, then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Battier is a versatile player with the size to play inside and the range to score from further out (particularly the corner three-pointer). However, he makes his living as a hustle player on the defensive end, where he defends three positions (shooting guard, power forward, small forward) with a high degree of skill, nets a good number of blocks and steals, dives for loose balls, and frequently draws offensive fouls from his opponent.
On June 28, 2006, Battier was traded by the Grizzlies to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Stromile Swift and the Rockets' number 8 selection Rudy Gay in the 2006 NBA Draft.[6]
Battier has often been called[by whom?] "the ultimate glue guy" for playing sound, fundamental, team-oriented basketball, making his teammates more effective without flash or padding his own stats, and for making the most of his skills with discipline and hustle rather than raw athleticism.[7] He's also known[by whom?] for his extensive preparation in studying the opposing team and the player he is assigned to guard: "I try to prepare for my opponent as thoroughly as possible. I want to know every angle on the man I am guarding to give me an edge. I read many, many pages and go over strengths and weaknesses many times before a game. 'Proper preparation prevents poor performance.' That is a motto I like."[8] The Rockets made him the team's only player with access to its highly sophisticated statistical data that they compiled on all opposing players; he used this data to familiarize himself with the tendencies of the players he would guard in each game.[1] In a game between the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs in the 2007–08 season in which he was assigned to guard Manu Ginóbili, because Ginóbili was playing off the bench and his minutes were not in sync with those of typical NBA starters, Battier went to Rockets coach Rick Adelman before the game and asked to be kept out of the starting lineup and substituted in whenever Ginóbili entered the game. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey later said about the incident, “No one in the NBA does that. No one says put me on the bench so I can guard their best scorer all the time.”[1]
He played for the US national team in the 2006 FIBA World Championship, winning a bronze medal.[9]
On February 17, 2010, in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Battier scored 20 points, shooting 6-6 from 3-point territory, to go along with his 10 rebounds. During the latter part of the season, Battier lost his starting spot to the returning Trevor Ariza. Battier, however, made it perfectly clear that starting a game or hearing his name prior to a game was not important to him. On March 21, 2010 in a game against the New York Knicks, Battier would suffer a season-ending knee injury.
On August 12, 2010, the Rockets traded swingman Trevor Ariza to the New Orleans Hornets for Courtney Lee from the New Jersey Nets. On December 17, Battier recorded his first double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points (including 5 three-pointers) and 10 rebounds to go with 5 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal. On January 24, 2011, Battier scored a season-high 19 points (including 5 three pointers) in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. On February 5, Battier recorded a season-high 13 rebounds in an overtime win over the Utah Jazz. On February 14, Battier went a perfect 7-7 from the field (including 3-3 on three-pointers), finishing with 17 points, in a 121-102 win over the Denver Nuggets. On February 24, Battier was traded by the Houston Rockets back to the Memphis Grizzlies, where Battier was originally drafted and played the first years of his career, in exchange for center Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, and a 1st round draft pick. On April 17, with Memphis down by two, Battier made the game-winning three to bring, helping Memphis to its first playoff win in franchise history, following losses in its first 12 playoff games.
On December 8, 2011, Battier announced through his Twitter account that he planned to sign with the Miami Heat when free agency opened the following day. He had met with Heat officials in the first hours of December 5, the first day that teams were allowed to speak with players. Battier officially signed on as a member of the Heat on December 9, 2011.[10] On March 2, 2012, Battier scored a season-high 18 points, going 6-7 from the three point line, in a one point loss to the Utah Jazz. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, Battier recorded his first career playoff double-double in a 93-79 win.
Media appearances[link]
In the 2006-07 NBA season, Battier appeared in the NBA Fundamentals series, hosted by TNT, in which players showcase several aspects of the game. He explained how to take charges, i.e. draw offensive fouls. In this clip, Battier explained that a good charge taker needs three things: good court vision, so he knows where the ball is at all times; anticipation, so he can guess the spot where a slashing attacker will dribble to; and courage, because taking a charge hurts. He also emphasised the need to keep your feet outside the blocking circle, because otherwise, the legal charge becomes an illegal block. Battier joked that Charles Barkley, who is known for his size, was an elite charge taker.
Personal life[link]
In summer 2004, Battier married Heidi Ufer, his high school sweetheart.[11] They had their first son, Zeke Edward Battier, on June 2, 2008. On April 17, 2011, Heidi had their second child, a daughter named Eloise.
Battier is a co-owner of D1 Sports Training in Memphis.[12] Battier was recently chosen as the seventh smartest professional athlete by the Sporting News.[3]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Memphis | 78 | 78 | 39.7 | .429 | .373 | .700 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 14.4 |
| 2002–03 | Memphis | 78 | 47 | 30.6 | .483 | .398 | .828 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 9.7 |
| 2003–04 | Memphis | 79 | 1 | 24.6 | .446 | .349 | .732 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 1.3 | .7 | 8.5 |
| 2004–05 | Memphis | 80 | 72 | 31.5 | .442 | .395 | .789 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 9.9 |
| 2005–06 | Memphis | 81 | 81 | 35.0 | .488 | .394 | .707 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 10.1 |
| 2006–07 | Houston | 82 | 82 | 36.4 | .446 | .421 | .779 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .7 | 10.1 |
| 2007–08 | Houston | 80 | 78 | 36.3 | .428 | .377 | .743 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 9.3 |
| 2008–09 | Houston | 60 | 59 | 33.9 | .410 | .384 | .821 | 4.8 | 2.3 | .8 | .9 | 7.3 |
| 2009–10 | Houston | 67 | 62 | 32.4 | .398 | .362 | .726 | 4.7 | 2.4 | .8 | 1.1 | 8.0 |
| 2010–11 | Houston | 59 | 59 | 30.8 | .456 | .391 | .645 | 4.8 | 2.6 | .9 | 1.2 | 8.6 |
| 2010–11 | Memphis | 23 | 0 | 24.2 | .426 | .333 | .882 | 4.0 | 1.4 | .7 | .4 | 5.0 |
| 2011–12 | Miami | 65 | 10 | 23.1 | .387 | .339 | .622 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .5 | 4.8 |
| Career | 832 | 629 | 32.2 | .441 | .382 | .742 | 4.5 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 9.2 |
Playoffs[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Memphis | 4 | 0 | 17.3 | .400 | .429 | .667 | 3.0 | .3 | .0 | .2 | 4.8 |
| 2005 | Memphis | 4 | 4 | 29.8 | .419 | .143 | .400 | 6.8 | 1.5 | .5 | 1.0 | 7.3 |
| 2006 | Memphis | 4 | 4 | 32.3 | .500 | .286 | .333 | 5.8 | .5 | 1.0 | .5 | 6.0 |
| 2007 | Houston | 7 | 7 | 38.9 | .451 | .442 | .875 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 10.3 |
| 2008 | Houston | 6 | 6 | 41.0 | .444 | .480 | .727 | 3.8 | .5 | 1.0 | .8 | 10.0 |
| 2009 | Houston | 13 | 13 | 38.2 | .407 | .315 | .957 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 1.1 | .7 | 8.1 |
| 2011 | Memphis | 13 | 0 | 26.1 | .439 | .276 | .667 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .5 | .5 | 5.5 |
| Career | 51 | 34 | 32.7 | .434 | .360 | .750 | 4.3 | 1.4 | .9 | .7 | 7.5 |
See also[link]
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 145 games played
- Lewis, Michael (February 14, 2009). "The No-Stats All-Star". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?hp.
References[link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Michael (February 15, 2009). "The No-Stats All-Star". The New York Times Magazine. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
- ^ "Notes: Duke 61, Butler 59 – Duke University Blue Devils | Official Athletics Site". GoDuke.com. December 5, 2009. http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=204923002. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- ^ a b "Wise guys: Sports' smartest athletes". SportingNews.com. http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2010-09/smart-athletes/story/sporting-news-names-the-20-smartest-athletes-in-sports. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
- ^ "Shane Battier Named Verizon Academic All-America of the Year: Battier became the fourth Duke player to be named Academic All-America two or more times.". CBS Interactive. 2001-03-13. http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031301aae.html. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
- ^ "Notes: Duke 78, Baylor 71 – Duke University Blue Devils | Official Athletics Site". GoDuke.com. http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=204918040. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
- ^ "Rockets acquire Battier in three-player deal with Memphis". NBA.com. July 12, 2006. http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Rockets_acquire_Battier_in_tra-184447-822.html. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
- ^ Houston Chronicle: "Was it a Good Preseason." October 27, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2007.
- ^ Houston Chronicle: "Shane Battier Chat Transcript" March 4, 2008.]
- ^ 2006 USA Basketball[dead link]
- ^ Windhorst, Brian (December 8, 2011). ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/story/_/id/7330117/memphis-grizzlies-shane-battier-plans-sign-miami-heat.
- ^ "NBA.com, Shane Battier Bio Page, Personal". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/heat/roster/heat_player_shane_battier_1112.html. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ Erin Lawley (March 31, 2006). "D1 Sports Training hits upon winning strategy for growth". Nashville Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2006/04/03/story8.html.
External links[link]
- Official site
- Shane Battier player profile at NBA.com
- Shane Battier at ESPN.com
- Shane Battier on BlackHistoryDaily.com
- ClutchFans.net Shane Battier Profile – Houston Rocket Fan Site
- 2001 Oscar Robertson Trophy
- Shane Battier movie and film appearances at IMDB
- The No-Stats All-Star at New York Times
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Battier, Shane |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American basketball player |
| Date of birth | September 9, 1978 |
| Place of birth | Birmingham, Michigan |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Battier
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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.
This article is about the NBA basketball player. For the professional wrestler, see Chris Bosh (wrestler).
 Bosh with the Miami Heat in 2011 |
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| No. 1 – Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1984-03-24) March 24, 1984 (age 28) Dallas, Texas |
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| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school | Lincoln HS (Dallas, Texas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg)[a] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Georgia Tech | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Toronto Raptors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2003–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2010 | Toronto Raptors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–present | Miami Heat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Christopher Wesson Bosh (born March 24, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A high school "Mr. Basketball" in Texas, Bosh left college at Georgia Tech after one season with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball team to enter the 2003 NBA Draft. He was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors in a very competitive draft class. While at Toronto, Bosh emerged as one of the young stars in the league; he became a five-time NBA All-Star, was named to the All-NBA second team once, appeared for the US national team (with whom he won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics), and took over former fan-favorite Vince Carter as the face and leader of the Raptors franchise. In the 2006–07 season, Bosh led the Raptors to their first NBA Playoffs berth in five years, and their first ever division title. He left Toronto as its all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double doubles, free throws made and attempted, and minutes played.
Bosh was nicknamed "CB4" by Toronto Raptors play-by-play commentator Chuck Swirsky, a combination of Bosh's initials and then jersey number.[1] Seeking to promote sports and education amongst youths in Dallas and Toronto, Bosh set up the Chris Bosh Foundation and regularly speaks to youths about the benefits of reading.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Born in Dallas, Texas, to Noel and Freida Bosh,[2] Chris Bosh grew up in Hutchins, Texas.[3] A family-oriented person, Bosh often played basketball in the house with his younger brother, Joel.[4] By four years of age, he began learning how to dribble a basketball in the gym where his dad played pick-up games.[5] Although Bosh was always tall since youth and this allowed him to out-rebound others in basketball games,[6] he only started learning the game around fourth grade at a playground near his grandmother's house.[4] Apart from basketball, Bosh also played baseball up until high school, preferring to play as first baseman.[4] Growing up, Bosh names his parents as the biggest influences on his personality and considered NBA superstar Kevin Garnett as his favorite athlete, modeling his play after him.[6] Academically, Bosh always did well in school[7] but he began to garner significant attention from college recruiters when he led Lincoln High School in Dallas to the number one ranking in the country and the USA Today National Championship with a perfect 40–0 season.[8]
The teenager went on to lead Lincoln High to win the Class 4A state title before 16,990 fans as he racked up 23 points, 17 rebounds and nine blocks. Bosh was subsequently named High School Player of the Year by Basketball America, Powerade Player of the Year in Texas, a First-team all-American by Parade, McDonald's and EA Sports, a Second-team all-American by USA Today and SLAM Magazine, a First-team all-state player, and "Mr. Basketball" in Texas by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.[8] With his combination of grades and basketball skills, Bosh was on a number of college recruiting lists. The University of Florida and the University of Memphis made serious attempts, but it was Paul Hewitt, coach of the Georgia Tech, who made the best impression. Bosh felt Hewitt would look out for his best interests and respect his aspirations to play professional basketball; moreover, Georgia Tech's transition offense impressed the teenager.[7]
Bosh eventually chose to follow the footsteps of his cousin and aunt and attended Georgia Tech to study graphic design and computer imaging, and subsequently, management.[4] There, he led the Yellow Jackets in averaging 15.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 31 games, and led the Atlantic Coast Conference in field goal percentage (.560), joining Antawn Jamison as the only freshmen ever to do so.[2] Bosh originally intended to complete his degree, but by the end of the 2002–03 season, his strong performances convinced him that he was ready for the NBA.[7] He left Georgia Tech after his freshman season[2] and entered the 2003 NBA Draft. Although Bosh said in future interviews that he misses his college days, he believes he made the right decision to pursue a professional career.[6] He also intends to obtain a college degree in the future,[5] to fulfill a promise made to his mother.[4]
NBA career[link]
Toronto Raptors[link]
Rookie year (2003–04)[link]
In a strong draft class including future All-Stars LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade,[7] Bosh was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2003 NBA Draft and was signed on July 8, 2003.[9] Prior to his signing, however, other NBA teams made offers for Bosh as they knew Toronto needed a veteran scorer, and Raptors star Vince Carter himself pressed for a trade. General Manager Glen Grunwald turned everyone down.[7]
In his rookie season Bosh was forced to play out of position as the Raptors' starting center after Antonio Davis was traded to the Chicago Bulls.[10] Night in and night out the wiry teenager battled against opponents who had a significant size and strength advantage over him.[10] Bosh—who cited teammate Michael Curry as his mentor[6]—was often praised by his coaches for his heart, and willingness to play through pain and injuries resulting from his lack of body strength compared to some of the league's strong forwards and centers.[11] Bosh's contributions were not unnoticed by teammates either,[12] as he averaged 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 33.5 minutes in 75 games, leading all rookies in rebounding and blocks, and setting a franchise record for most rebounds in a rookie season with 557.[2] Bosh was rewarded by being selected to the All-Rookie First Team for the 2003–04 season.[2]
Heralded as the new hope (2004–06)[link]
With the departure of the disenchanted franchise face of the team, Vince Carter, in December 2004, Bosh was simultaneously anointed as the new leader around whom Toronto would build.[13] In the remaining games following Carter's departure, the power forward averaged 18.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 38.1 minutes per game, improving in every major statistical category.[2] He was awarded his first ever NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played between 3 and 9 January 2005.[2] As the season drew to a close, analysts predicted that Bosh would become an All-Star one day.[14][15] Bosh ended the 2004–05 season as the leading scorer and leading rebounder for the team on 21 and 46 occasions respectively.[2]
Prior to the 2005–06 season, Bosh was named as one of Toronto's team captains. Bosh continued to work on his game as he consistently chalked up double doubles, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage for the first half of the season.[16] On February 9, 2006, for the first time in his career, Bosh was selected to play in the 2006 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas as a reserve forward for the Eastern Conference.[2] He was only the third Raptor to make an All-Star game, after Carter and Antonio Davis. Bosh's selection was just three days after he was named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time in his career.[16] In March 2006, following a season-ending injury to Bosh,[17] the Raptors hit a 1–10 skid.[18] This highlighted Bosh's importance as the centerpiece of the offense, as well as the leader of the team. The Raptors finished the season 27–55 and Bosh averaged 22.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.[19]
Despite a major off-season revamp of the Raptors roster—including the departure of good friends Mike James and Charlie Villanueva—Bosh officially signed a three-year contract extension with a player option for a fourth year on July 14, 2006.[20] The deal was reportedly worth US$65 million over four years.[21] Upon signing the contract, Bosh said "I think the future is very positive for the franchise... change was needed... we have a lot of guys who just want to win and are willing to work hard."[21] During the same press conference, Bosh also announced a donation of $1,000,000 to a Toronto charity, known as Community Legacy Programs.[20]
Leader of the division champions (2006–07)[link]
After a shaky start to the Raptors' 2006–07 campaign, the Raptors managed to surpass the 0.500 mark as the All-Star break approached.[22] Bosh's play and leadership were pivotal to this run and as an increasing recognition of his abilities, on January 25, 2007, he was named an All-Star starter for the East in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. Bosh received the second highest number of votes among all Eastern Conference forwards.[23] This was his first All-Star start and second overall All-Star appearance, having averaged over 22 points and 11 rebounds in the first half of the season.[23] On January 31, 2007, in a game against the Washington Wizards, Bosh scored a 65-foot (20 m) buzzer-beating shot to end the third quarter of the game.[24] He shot 15-of-15 after missing his first four shots.[25] Bosh's in-form streak enabled him to be selected Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January 2007.[26] He had averaged 25.4 points and 9.1 rebounds while leading the Raptors to a 10–5 record in that month. On February 7, 2007, Bosh's career-high 41 points prompted the home fans to chant "MVP"—an unprecedented event in the Air Canada Centre.[27] Two days later, Bosh collected 29 points and 11 rebounds against the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting 10-of-10 in the second half.[28]
On March 28, 2007, Bosh became the new franchise record holder for double doubles in a home win against the Miami Heat.[29] He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time in his career shortly after,[30] having led Toronto to clinch their first NBA Playoffs berth in five years. Toronto went on to win its first ever division title, and concluded the regular season with a 47–35 record, including a 30–11 home record, both franchise records.[31] As third seed, the Raptors played sixth seed New Jersey Nets in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The series drew much media attention as Carter, who left had Toronto under acrimonious circumstances, was back at the ACC as a Net.[32] In the opening game, while Carter was constantly booed by the home crowd and was not an offensive threat, Toronto's inexperience was evident as they struggled offensively and were down 65–78 going into the fourth quarter.[32] A late rally by Toronto in the fourth quarter was not enough as they eventually lost 91–96. The Raptors won Game 2 at the ACC to tie the series 1–1, as Bosh recorded 25 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.[33] The Nets won games 3 and 4 to lead 3–1, but Toronto forced Game 6 when they narrowly won 98–96 in Game 5.[34] New Jersey won Game 6, however, and sent Toronto out of the first round.[35] Bosh averaged a double-double with 22.6 ppg and 10.7 rpg for the regular season, both career-highs, and posted 17.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg for the playoffs.[19] He was named to the All-NBA Second Team at the end of the 2006–07 campaign.[36]
Struggles (2007–09)[link]
Before the 2007–08 season began, Andrea Bargnani, the number one pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, was slated to start at center and Bosh at power forward to form a strong Toronto frontcourt and Jason Kapono, a three-point specialist, was acquired via free agency from the Miami Heat to add offensive firepower; however, as the season unfolded, neither plans materialized as hoped.[37] Bosh himself had a slow start to the season, but as mid-season approached, his form picked up and he was named Player of the Week for the second week of January.[38] On January 31, 2008, he was selected to be on the Eastern Conference team for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game.[39] In the meantime, Toronto continued to struggle and their problems were exacerbated when regular starting point guard T. J. Ford returned from injury and became frustrated playing backup to José Calderón.[37] Nevertheless, even with injuries to Bosh (15 games), Jorge Garbajosa (75 games) and Ford (31 games), the Raptors concluded the regular season with a 41–41 record, and clinched the sixth seed for the 2008 NBA Playoffs. However, they were defeated by the Orlando Magic in the first round, losing 4–1.[40]
The first-round series against the Magic was touted as the matchup between two of the league's best young big men in Dwight Howard and Bosh, but the Raptors were perceived to have an advantage because of their dual-point guard play.[41] But Orlando held home court advantage, and the Raptors were unable to win the first two games in Amway Arena. In Game 1, Bargnani started at small forward. This did not matter, as Orlando took a huge lead in the first quarter. Howard dominated the game, finishing with 22 points, 25 rebounds and 5 blocks. The stifling defense held Toronto to 37.6% shooting. Bosh finished 4 for 11 from the field (13 of 13 in freethrows) and the Raptors lost by 14.[42] Game 2 started similarly to Game 1, with Howard's dominance propelling the Magic to a sizeable lead, but solid plays from Bosh, Kapono and Calderón put the Raptors in front late in the fourth quarter.[43] The Magic came back, and with 9 seconds left on the clock, Bosh missed 18-foot jumper as time expired, giving the Magic a one-point win.[43] In Game 3, Ford and Calderón stepped up, and the Raptors preserved some hope with a 108–94 home win.[44] In Game 4, the teams were almost tied going into the fourth quarter. Despite Bosh recording 39 points and 15 rebounds,[45] deadly shooting by the Magic in the final few minutes ensured victory for the visitors. Back on the road in Game 5, Toronto was outplayed by the Magic in the second half, and the Raptors eliminated from the first round four games to one. General Manager Bryan Colangelo said at a press conference thereafter, "Whether it's protecting [Bosh] inside the paint, getting a little bit more of a presence in there, to just getting him another scorer that's going to shoulder some of that burden, it's something that's clear we have to get better", hinting that the roster was in need of an overhaul.[46] Bosh said after the loss, "They played a great series, they executed on offence and defense better than we did and when it came to the small things, they did a better job... I can't sit here and bark in protest that the better team didn't win. That's pretty obvious. They beat us pretty good."[40] Unlike the previous campaign, Bosh was not named to any of the All-NBA teams.[47]
To provide Bosh with an experienced frontcourt partner, the Raptors pulled blockbuster trade prior to the 2008–09 campaign: six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Ford, Rasho Nesterovič, and Roy Hibbert, the 17th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.[48] Bosh—who had won an Olympic gold medal with the national team at Beijing 2008—started the season strong and playing better defense than ever. He averaged 26 points, 10 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first three games and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career.[49] A week later, he became Toronto's all-time leader in offensive rebounds, surpassing Antonio Davis's record.[50] While Bosh and O'Neal formed a formidable partnership in the frontcourt, the Raptors struggled to surpass the .500 mark. The principal deficiency of previous campaigns—wing players—continued to upend Toronto's progress.[51] With the Raptors at 8–9, head coach Sam Mitchell was sacked and replaced by Jay Triano.[52] Under the new regime, Bargnani finally blossomed as a player, but injuries and weaknesses in the roster meant that the Raptors entered the All-Star break 13 games under .500.[53] On January 29, 2009, Bosh was named an All-Star reserve,[54] but an injury ruled him out of the game. Two weeks later, in a bid to bring in a wing player and create greater salary flexibility, O'Neal and Jamario Moon were traded to Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.[53] The trade did not improve the team's win–loss record, however, and the Raptors were eliminated from contention with seven games of the regular season remaining.[55] The bright spark in Bosh's campaign was his career-high 22.7 points per game, as well as his being one of two players in the league that season (the other being Dwight Howard) to average a 20/10 in points and rebounds.[56] On April 20, 2009, Colangelo announced that he would offer Bosh a contract extension during the summer,[57] which Bosh later refused to sign.[58]
Overhauling the roster (2009–10)[link]
To prepare for the 2009–10 season, Bosh worked out under Ken Roberson, looking to add 20 pounds and bring his weight up to 250.[58] Following the failure of the 2008–09 campaign, Colangelo knew that he had to shake up the roster to persuade Bosh to stay, and the Raptors were one of the busiest teams in the pre-season market.[59] Toronto's lack of wing players was addressed by the drafting of DeMar DeRozan. They then managed to get Hedo Türkoğlu to renege on a verbal commitment to sign with the Portland Trail Blazers and obtained him in a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic. They also traded for Antoine Wright and Marco Belinelli, while Bosh's former Georgia Tech teammate and then-Indiana point guard Jarrett Jack was also signed as a free agent.[59] Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson, Sonny Weems and former Raptors Rasho Nesterovič and Pops Mensah-Bonsu were acquired in separate transactions to add front court depth. They opened their season with a win against the heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers, in which Bosh scored 21 points and pulled down 16 rebounds.[60] Bosh went on a tear, averaging 25.4 points and 11.9 rebounds in the first 16 games, but the Raptors were only able to win seven of those games.[60][61] In that period, Bosh was also the league leader in rebounds, rebounds per game, free throws made and attempted, and double doubles.
The Raptors crossed into 2010 with a 16–17 record, and on January 3, 2010, Bosh overtook Vince Carter as Toronto's all-time leader in total points scored.[62] After pulling together a string of wins, Toronto were .500 after 40 games, and Bosh remained the league leader in double doubles, being only one of two players in the league who averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.[63] On January 20, 2010, he scored a career-high 44 points in a loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, while collecting his 220th career double double.[64] That same month, Bosh was named a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Star team,[65] and was Eastern Conference Player of the Week.[66] After the All-Star break, the Raptors went on several losing streaks and injuries to Bosh and Türkoğlu exacerbated the situation. As the regular season came to a close, the Raptors went from being the fifth seed before the All-Star break to fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot with the Chicago Bulls. After recording his 44th double double on March 22, 2010, Bosh became the Raptors' all-time leader in number of double doubles in a season. On April 5, 2010, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, winning the honor for the seventh time in his career (tying Carter for the most in franchise history).[67] However, Bosh was unable to play in a pivotal match against the Bulls on April 11, 2010. The blowout loss cost Toronto their tie-breaker and ultimately the eighth seed, as the Bulls finished with 41 wins to Toronto's 40.[68]
Miami Heat (2010–present)[link]
After the 2009–10 season was over, there was much speculation over whether coveted free agents such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Bosh would sign with new teams for the 2010–11 season. Bosh was active on the social media front, posting his thoughts on Twitter and having a documentary crew record his meetings with the teams interested in signing him.[69] On July 9, 2010, Bosh officially completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat, teaming up with Wade and James.[70] His parting message to the Raptors on his website said: "know that this was my toughest decision, mostly because Toronto has been so great to me. I've loved every minute here and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart to the Raptors..."[71] Not only did Bosh leave Toronto as its all-time leader in virtually all major statistical categories, he was one of only three players in the league who accrued 10,000 points, 4,500 rebounds, and 600 blocks in his seven seasons with the Raptors.[72]
Despite being widely tipped as contenders, the Heat got off to a tentative 9–8 start, and Bosh was perceived to be under-performing. The Heat managed to go on to compile a 21–1 record, however, and were jostling with the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls for pole position in the Eastern Conference as mid-season approached.[73] Miami finished the regular season with 58 wins and faced Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. Miami won the series in five games, and also prevailed in five games in the semi-finals against Boston. In the Conference Finals against Chicago, Bosh was particularly instrumental, averaging 23.2 points in the 4–1 series win. He was slow off the blocks in the Finals against Dallas, shooting below .300 in the first two games, but scored the winning shot in Game 3 to give Miami a 2–1 lead. That was the last game Miami won, as Dallas won the next three to win its first ever championship.
On January 5, 2012, Bosh, who was playing and filling in for an injured James and Wade, lead the Heat to a 116–109 triple overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks, avenging their only loss of the season to that point, and improving the team's record to 7–1. The game was highlighted by a three point shot Bosh made to force the game into overtime with 0.06 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter. Bosh finished the game with 33 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocked shots.[74]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Toronto | 75 | 63 | 33.5 | .459 | .357 | .701 | 7.4 | 1.0 | .8 | 1.4 | 11.5 |
| 2004–05 | Toronto | 81 | 81 | 37.2 | .471 | .300 | .760 | 8.9 | 1.9 | .9 | 1.4 | 16.8 |
| 2005–06 | Toronto | 70 | 70 | 39.3 | .505 | .000 | .816 | 9.2 | 2.6 | .7 | 1.1 | 22.5 |
| 2006–07 | Toronto | 69 | 69 | 38.5 | .496 | .343 | .785 | 10.7 | 2.5 | .6 | 1.3 | 22.6 |
| 2007–08 | Toronto | 67 | 67 | 36.2 | .494 | .400 | .844 | 8.7 | 2.6 | .9 | 1.0 | 22.3 |
| 2008–09 | Toronto | 77 | 77 | 38.0 | .487 | .245 | .817 | 10.0 | 2.5 | .9 | 1.0 | 22.7 |
| 2009–10 | Toronto | 70 | 70 | 36.1 | .518 | .364 | .797 | 10.8 | 2.4 | .6 | 1.0 | 24.0 |
| 2010–11 | Miami | 77 | 77 | 36.3 | .496 | .240 | .815 | 8.3 | 1.9 | .8 | .6 | 18.7 |
| 2011–12 | Miami | 57 | 57 | 35.2 | .487 | .286 | .821 | 7.9 | 1.8 | .9 | .8 | 18.0 |
| Career | 643 | 631 | 36.7 | .492 | .289 | .799 | 9.1 | 2.1 | .8 | 1.1 | 19.8 | |
| All-Star | 6 | 2 | 21.7 | .531 | .333 | .533 | 6.5 | 1.3 | .7 | .3 | 12.8 |
Playoffs[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Toronto | 6 | 6 | 37.0 | .396 | .200 | .842 | 9.0 | 2.5 | .8 | 1.8 | 17.5 |
| 2007–08 | Toronto | 5 | 5 | 39.8 | .472 | .143 | .833 | 9.0 | 3.6 | 1.6 | .4 | 24.0 |
| 2010–11 | Miami | 21 | 21 | 39.7 | .474 | .000 | .814 | 8.5 | 1.1 | .7 | .9 | 18.6 |
| Career | 32 | 32 | 39.2 | .459 | .125 | .823 | 8.7 | 1.8 | .9 | 1.0 | 19.2 |
International career[link]
Bosh's international career began in 2002 when he was selected as a member of the 2002 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that finished with a 4–1 record and the bronze medal.[75]
After his NBA career began, Bosh was named in March 2006 to the 2006–2008 United States men's national basketball team program, and helped lead the team to a 5–0 record during its pre-World Championship tour.[75] In August 2006, Bosh was named as a member of the 2006 USA World Championship Team.[75] Together with fellow 2003 draftees Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Kirk Hinrich, this team competed in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. The team won the bronze medal, defeating former 2004 Olympic champion Argentina.[76] Bosh was ranked sixth in field goal percentage.[75]
Following the 2006–07 season, Bosh was named to the team that would compete in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship. However, he sustained a foot injury and withdrew from the squad.[77] On June 23, 2008, he was named to the team that would compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.[78] During the tournament itself, Bosh operated as the main backup to center Dwight Howard as Team USA went unbeaten in all eight games en route to the gold medal, defeating Spain in the final.[79] He averaged 9.1 points per game, and led the team in rebounds with 6.1 a game.[80]
Player profile[link]
You are not going to see a whole lot of screaming and hollering at guys... He is a guy that is going to pull somebody aside and say it in a positive way, and I think it goes a lot farther that way.
Anthony Parker on Bosh's leadership[81]
Bosh primarily plays the power forward position though he occasionally logs time at center. Listed at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) and 235 pounds (107 kg),[19] Bosh possesses excellent speed, athleticism, and ball handling for a player of his size.[82] He is particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket and finish strong or get to the free throw line—where he is also proficient—but he is also known for his well-developed jump shot.[83] Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien once commented on the match-up problems Bosh posed for opposing defenders: "We've tried over the years to put big guys on him. It doesn't work. We've tried to put small guys on him. It doesn't seem to work either. I don't know if we have somebody to play Bosh, to tell you the truth."[84] When he was the centerpiece of the Raptors' offense, Bosh was often double teamed, and he was noted to unselfishly pass the ball to team mates who were in better shooting positions.[85] He improved his shooting range when he worked on his three point shooting during the summer of 2006 and showed improvement in the 2006–07 season. On November 8, 2006, against the Philadelphia Sixers, he hit a game-winning three point shot with 6.1 seconds left.[86] It was reminiscent of the shot that marked his "arrival" to the NBA in his first season, when he hit a game-tying three pointer against Houston to send the game to overtime.[2] When the 2006–07 season concluded, Bosh had shot .343 from the three point arc for the season; he improved to .400 the following season.[19]
In terms of leadership, Bosh has always led by example. When he was the leader of the Raptors, he was not known for being vocal on the court, preferring to maintain his quiet and humble demeanor but expecting his team mates to match his work ethic.[83] However, Bosh was also known to deliver stern rebukes to team mates who make bad calls on the court.[87] Throughout his career, comparisons have been made between him and Kevin Garnett due to their similar style of play and physique. Whereas the former does not possess the latter's defensive abilities, Bosh was observed to have adopted a greater defensive dimension to his game after his stint with Team USA at the 2008 Olympics where they won the gold medal.
Salaries[link]
| Season | Team | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Toronto | $2,911,320 |
| 2004–05 | Toronto | $3,129,720 |
| 2005–06 | Toronto | $3,348,000 |
| 2006–07 | Toronto | $4,235,220 |
| 2007–08 | Toronto | $12,455,000 |
| 2008–09 | Toronto | $14,410,581 |
| 2009–10 | Toronto | $15,779,912 |
| 2010–11 | Miami | $14,500,000 |
Honors and achievements[link]
- NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month: January 2007
- NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week: January 3, 2005; January 30, 2006; March 26, 2007; January 7, 2008; October 28, 2008; February 1, 2010; April 5, 2010
- NBA Atlantic Division Champion: 2006–07
- NBA Southeast Division Champion: 2010–11
- NBA All-Star: 2005–06; 2006–07; 2007–08; 2008–09 (did not participate due to injury); 2009–10; 2010–11; 2011–12
- All-NBA Second Team: 2006–07
- NBA All-Rookie Team: 2003–04
- NBA Rookie All-Star Game: 2003–04; 2004–05
- Bronze medal winner with Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
- Gold medal winner with Team USA at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Other achievements[link]
- Third-youngest player in NBA history to record 1,000 rebounds[2]
- Fourth-youngest player in NBA history to record 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game[2]
- Toronto's all-time leader in minutes played
- Toronto's first player to achieve 10,000 points
- Toronto's all-time leader in points scored[62]
- Toronto's all-time leader in rebounds[50]
- Toronto's all-time leader in defensive rebounds[50]
- Toronto's all-time leader in offensive rebounds[50]
- Toronto's all-time leader in rebounds per game
- Toronto's all-time leader in rebounds per game in a season
- Toronto's all-time leader in blocks
- Toronto's all-time leader in free throws made[88]
- Toronto's all-time leader in free throws made in a season
- Toronto's all-time leader in free throws attempted[88]
- Toronto's all-time leader in free throws attempted in a season
- Toronto's all-time leader in double-doubles[29]
- Toronto's all-time leader in double-doubles in a season
- NBA Sportsmanship Award (divisional winner): 2007–08[89]
Off the court[link]
Besides his on-the-court exploits, Bosh was a National Honor Society member and graduated with honors from Lincoln.[5] He is also a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Dallas Association of Minority Engineers.[5] Following his success in the NBA, Bosh soon had his own YouTube channel,[90] and has since made various TV appearances. In December 2009, First Ink, a DVD featuring comedic digital shorts and a documentary about Bosh was released. The DVD was filmed during the summer of 2009.[91]
In the field of philanthropy, Bosh established the Chris Bosh Foundation in 2004. Remembering the challenges he faced as a youth,[5] Bosh founded the organization to help younger people in academics and athletics.[92] The Foundation, with programs in Toronto and Dallas, has worked closely with organizations such as the Toronto Special Olympics to raise important funding for community projects.[5] Bosh's mother, Freida, has served as CEO of the Foundation.[92] As an avid reader, Bosh also regularly speaks to groups of children about the benefits of reading,[3] and has received the NBA Community Assist Award for his active contributions for the Raptors community development program in Toronto and Dallas during the course of the NBA campaign.[93] In November 2008, Bosh pledged to donate $75,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.[94]
In 2011, Bosh married Adrienne Williams.[95] On May 3, 2012, Adrienne gave birth to their son, Jackson.[96]
Paternity lawsuit[link]
On March 24, 2009, it was reported that Bosh's former girlfriend, Allison Mathis, was seeking child support and sole custody of their child. Mathis alleged that when she was seven months pregnant, Bosh stopped supporting her financially and tried to remove her from their home.[97] Three days later, it was reported that the dispute was only over the amount Bosh paid.[98] Mathis' lawyer also told the press, "My client very much wanted this dispute to remain private. Certainly this thing did not get started by anything on our side... She is very distressed that somehow this thing got into the newspapers. She wants Trinity to have a good relationship with her dad, Chris Bosh, and adverse publicity makes that more difficult."[98]
See also[link]
Notes[link]
- a Though NBA.com lists Bosh's weight as 235 pounds, the Toronto Star has reported that Bosh now weighs closer to 250 pounds (113 kg).[99]
References[link]
- ^ Gallay, Mike, "The Birthday Bosh", nba.com/raptors, March 24, 2004, accessed April 30, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Chris Bosh Info Page – Bio, nba.com, accessed August 3, 2007.
- ^ a b Mawhinney, Janice, "Playing by the book; Raptors star uses money and charisma to make sure literacy is a winner with Toronto schoolkids", Toronto Star, November 26, 2005.
- ^ a b c d e Colbourn, Glenn, "A new Bosh in Raps' town", Toronto Star, January 13, 2004.
- ^ a b c d e f About, Official Website of Chris Bosh, accessed August 3, 2007. Archived October 18, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d Aldridge, Andre, "CHATTING WITH CB4", nba.com, January 2, 2007, accessed August 3, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Chris Bosh Biography, jockbio.com, accessed August 25, 2007.
- ^ a b Player Bio: Chris Bosh, ramblinwreck.com, accessed April 29, 2007.
- ^ "Raptors Sign Chris Bosh", nba.com/raptors, July 8, 2003, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ a b Feschuk, Dave, "Vegas trip leaves Bosh bushed", thestar.com, February 18, 2007, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ "Chris Bosh's evolution into an NBA star", ctv.ca, February 18, 2007, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ Kahn, Mike, "The sky, Bosh? Raptors rookie just getting started", cbs.sportsline.com, January 26, 2004, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ 2004-05: End Of The Carter Era, nba.com/raptors, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ Wick, Norma, "All Flights Cancelled, nba.com/raptors, January 10, 2005, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ Ball, Mike, "Still An All-Star In This Town", nba.com/raptors, January 17, 2005, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ a b "Bosh Named NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Week", nba.com/raptors, February 6, 2006, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ "Charlie Villanueva Nets 48 in OT Loss in Milwaukee", nba.com/raptors, March 26, 2006, accessed August 3, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Schedules & Results 2005-2006, nba.com/raptors, accessed August 3, 2007.
- ^ a b c d Chris Bosh Info Page – Career Stats and Totals, nba.com, accessed November 12, 2007.
- ^ a b "Raptors Re-Sign Bosh to Multi-Year Contract Extension", nba.com/raptors, July 14, 2006, accessed August 3, 2007.
- ^ a b "Raptors Re-Sign Chris Bosh To Contract Extension", nba.com/raptors, July 14, 2006, accessed August 3, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Post Up, nba.com/raptors, January 26, 2007, accessed April 26, 2007.
- ^ a b "Raptors voted all-star starter" cbc.ca, January 25, 2007, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Post Up, nba.com/raptors, January 31, 2007, accessed April 26, 2007.
- ^ Game Notes, nba.com/raptors, January 31, 2007, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ "Bosh named Eastern Conference Player of the Month", nba.com/raptors, February 2, 2007, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ Smith, Doug, Bosh's career-high 41 sparks 'M-V-P' chant, thestar.com, February 7, 2007, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ Post-Game Notes, nba.com/raptors, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ a b Smith, Doug, "Raptors' small-ball ices Heat", thestar.com, March 29, 2007, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Forward Chris Bosh Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week, nba.com/raptors, April 2, 2007, accessed April 26, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Post Up, nba.com/raptors, April 15, 2007, accessed April 27, 2007.
- ^ a b Raptors Post Up, nba.com/raptors, April 21, 2007, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ Grange, Michael, "Back to square one as Raptors even the series", The Globe and Mail, April 24, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Post Up, nba.com/raptors, May 1, 2007, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ Raptors Post Up, nba.com/raptors, May 4, 2007, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ Phoenix Duo Highlights All-NBA First Team, nba.com, May 10, 2007, accessed May 12, 2007.
- ^ a b Grange, Michael, "Colangelo, Mitchell have issues to reconcile", Globe and Mail, April 29, 2008.
- ^ Ganter, Mike, "Bosh keeps up streak", torontosun.com, January 15, 2008, accessed January 18, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ Two Hometown Hornets Named as Reserves for 2008 NBA All-Star Game, nba.com, January 31, 2008, accessed February 1, 2008.
- ^ a b Smith, Doug, "Season over for deflated Raptors", thestar.com, April 29, 2008, accessed April 30, 2008.
- ^ Feschuk, Dave, "Ford finally firing on all cylinders for Raptors", thestar.com, April 25, 2008, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ Dwight Howard’s 20-20 Game Leads Magic Past Raptors, nba.com, April 20, 2008, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ a b Howard’s Second 20-20 Game Lifts Magic Past Raptors, nba.com, 23 April 2008, accessed 26 April 2008.
- ^ Raptors Cut Magic’s Lead to 2-1, nba.com, April 25, 2008, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ Magic at Raptors Game Info, nba.com, April 26, 2008, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ Smith, Doug, "Colangelo: Sam's safe 'for now'", thestar.com, April 30, 2008, accessed July 13, 2009.
- ^ MVP Kobe Bryant Highlights All-NBA First Team, nba.com, May 8, 2008, accessed November 22, 2008.
- ^ Sources: Pacers agree to O'Neal-for-Ford swap with Raptors, sports.espn.go.com, accessed August 4, 2008.
- ^ Bosh Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week, raptors.com, accessed November 4, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Post-Game Notes, nba.com/raptors, November 5, 2008, accessed November 7, 2008.
- ^ Feschuk, Dave, "Giveaways gut Bosh's big night", thestar.com, November 19, 2008, accessed November 20, 2008.
- ^ Mitchell Relieved Of Duties, Jay Triano Takes Over On Interim Basis, nba.com/raptors, December 3, 2008, accessed December 3, 2008.
- ^ a b Aldridge, David, "Raptors trade O'Neal, Moon to Heat for Marion, Banks", nba.com, 13 February 2009, accessed 14 February 2009.
- ^ Shaq, pair of Magic players highlight All-Star reserves, nba.com, January 29, 2009, accessed January 30, 2009.
- ^ Chandler scores 17, Knicks beat Raptors 112-103, nba.com, April 5, 2009, accessed April 11, 2009.
- ^ Smith, Doug, "Bosh helps Raptors end season on a high note", thestar.com, April 16, 2009, accessed April 17, 2009.
- ^ Raptors GM plans to offer Bosh extension, nba.com, April 20, 2009, accessed April 21, 2009.
- ^ a b Grange Michael, "Bigger and better", Globe and Mail, June 14, 2009.
- ^ a b Grange, Michael, "Jack could provide fringe benefits for struggling Raptors ", The Globe and Mail, July 12, 2009.
- ^ a b Toronto Raptors 2009-10 Schedule, nba.com/raptors, accessed July 11, 2010.
- ^ Chris Bosh Game Log, sports.espn.go.com, accessed November 11, 2009.
- ^ a b Bosh becomes Raptors all-time leading scorer, sports.espn.go.com, January 3, 2010, accessed January 4, 2010.
- ^ DOUBLE-DOUBLE LEADERS: Total Double Doubles, nba.com, accessed January 15, 2010.
- ^ Bogut posts double-double as Bucks overcome big night from Bosh, espn.go.com, January 20, 2010, accessed January 22, 2010.
- ^ Nowitzki leads parade of reserves to Dallas, nba.com, January 28, 2010, accessed January 29, 2010.
- ^ Chris Bosh, Kevin Durant named Player of the Week, nba.com, February 1, 2010, accessed February 2, 2010.
- ^ Bosh Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week, nba.com/raptors, April 5, 2010, accessed April 7, 2010.
- ^ MacKenzie, Holly, "Bulls top Raptors in showdown for last Eastern playoff spot", nba.com, April 11, 2010, accessed July 11, 2010.
- ^ Smith, Doug, "Chris Bosh leaves Raptors to team up with Dwyane Wade in Miami", thestar.com, July 8, 2010, accessed July 8, 2010.
- ^ Heat get James, Bosh in sign-and-trade deals, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, July 9, 2010, accessed July 10, 2010.
- ^ Krishna, Sudha, "Lebron James Website vs Chris Bosh Website - Two Distinct Styles", nowpublic.com, July 9, 2010, accessed July 10, 2010.
- ^ Chris Bosh the power broker in Heat’s three-for-all, thestar.com, July 10, 2010, accessed July 11, 2010.
- ^ Aschburner, Steve, "Heat thank November swoon for helping them find way to bloom", nba.com, January 13, 2011, accessed January 14, 2011.
- ^ Chris Bosh leads short-handed Heat past Hawks in triple OT, espn.go.com, January 5, 2012, accessed January 6, 2011.
- ^ a b c d USA Basketball: Bio: Chris Bosh, usabasketball.com, accessed March 20, 2007. Archived February 24, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 2006 FIBA World Championship, fiba.com, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ Chris Bosh leaves U.S. training camp because of left foot injury, sports.yahoo.com, August 15, 2007, accessed November 5, 2007.
- ^ Bosh named to U.S. Olympic team, olympics.thestar.com, June 23, 2008, accessed June 24, 2008.
- ^ US hoops back on top, beats Spain for gold medal, sports.yahoo.com, August 24, 2008, accessed August 24, 2008.
- ^ USA, usabasketball.com, accessed August 25, 2008.
- ^ O'Connor, Joe, "Bosh still learning to be a leader", canada.com, January 18, 2008, accessed April 12, 2008.
- ^ Big, bad Raptors trample Wolves, thestar.com, October 9, 2009, accessed October 14, 2009.
- ^ a b Thomsen, Ian, "Leading man", sportsillustrated.cnn.com, February 6, 2007, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ MacKenzie, Holly, "Led by Bosh, Raptors drop Pacers for fifth straight win", nba.com, January 31, 2010, accessed February 1, 2010.
- ^ Grange, Michael, "Bosh plays leading role in playoff push", globeandmail.com, April 6, 2007, accessed April 7, 2007.
- ^ Raptors Post-Up, nba.com/raptors, November 8, 2006, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ Feschuk, Dave, "Chris Bosh: Father figure", thestar.com, April 6, 2007, accessed April 6, 2007.
- ^ a b Post-Game Notes, nba.com/raptors, January 16, 2008, accessed January 18, 2008.
- ^ Bosh Named One Of The Divisional Winners For 2007-08 NBA Sportsmanship Award, nba.com/raptors, April 3, 2008, accessed April 4, 2008.
- ^ CBTV, youtube.com, accessed January 15, 2010.
- ^ Chris Bosh/First Ink a documentary, hmv.ca, accessed December 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Official website, Chris Bosh Foundation, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ "Chris Bosh Receives NBA Community Assist Award", nba.com/raptors, July 19, 2005, accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ Bosh Named National Spokesperson For Boys And Girls Clubs Of Canada, nba.com/raptors, November 23, 2008, accessed November 24, 2008.
- ^ Chris Bosh banking on team workouts, espn.com, September 3, 2011, accessed September 14, 2011.
- ^ Windhorst, Brian. "Chris Bosh game-time decision". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/7885313/2012-nba-playoffs-chris-bosh-miami-heat-game-time-decision. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ^ Feschuk, Dave, "Raptor Bosh a deadbeat dad, lawsuit says", thestar.com, March 24, 2009, accessed March 25, 2009.
- ^ a b Feschuk, Dave, "Bosh says he's already supporting young child", thestar.com, March 27, 2009, accessed March 29, 2009.
- ^ Smith, Doug, "Vigorous training backfires on Raptors star Chris Bosh", thestar.com, September 28, 2009, accessed October 2, 2009.
External links[link]
- Official website
- Chris Bosh at NBA.com
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets profile
- Chris Bosh's channel on YouTube
- Chris Bosh on Twitter
- ESPN Profile
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vince Carter |
Captain of Toronto Raptors 2005–2010 |
Succeeded by Andrea Bargnani |
| Awards and achievements | ||
| Preceded by Ed Nelson |
Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year 2003 |
Succeeded by Chris Paul |
|
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bosh, Chris |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Basketball player |
| Date of birth | March 24, 1984 |
| Place of birth | Dallas, Texas |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Chris_Bosh
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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.
This article is about the American record producer and singer-songwriter. For the US Ambassador to Norway, see Barry B. White.
| Barry White | |
|---|---|
| Barry White in 1991. Barry White in 1991. |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Barry Eugene Carter |
| Born | (1944-09-12)September 12, 1944 Galveston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | July 4, 2003(2003-07-04) (aged 58) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Soul Disco Funk R&B |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter Record producer Arranger Musician |
| Instruments | Piano Keyboards Vocals Drums/>recorder |
| Years active | 1960–2003 |
| Labels | 20th Century Records Unlimited Gold Records Casablanca Mercury Private Music/BMG A&M Eagle Records |
| Associated acts | Love Unlimited The Love Unlimited Orchestra Isaac Hayes Gerald LeVert, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, The Banana Splits |
| Website | barrywhite.com |
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter ((1944-09-12)September 12, 1944 – July 4, 2003(2003-07-04)), was an American composer and singer-songwriter.
A two-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring soul, funk, and disco songs such as his two biggest hits, "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe."
Worldwide, White had many gold and platinum albums and singles, with combined sales of over 100 million, according to critics Ed Hogan and Wade Kergan.[1] His influences include southern soul artists like Isaac Hayes, Clarence Carter, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin plus Motown artists The Supremes, The Four Tops and Marvin Gaye. Along with Isaac Hayes, White is considered by Allmusic.com as the first singer who played disco music before the actual period of the late 1970s.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Barry White was born Barry Eugene Carter in Galveston, Texas,[2] and grew up in the high-crime areas of South Central Los Angeles. White was the elder of two brothers; his brother Darryl is 13 months younger. He grew up listening to his mother's classical music collection, and first took to the piano emulating what he heard on the records. His introduction to music later led to him playing piano on Jesse Belvin's hit single, "Goodnight My Love."[3]
White recalled that, "[As a child] I had a normal squeaky kid voice. Then as a teenager, that completely changed. My mother cried because she knew her baby boy had become a man."
Gang life and jail sentence[link]
During his teenage years, White and his brother got involved with crime and gang activity. At age 17, he was jailed for four months for stealing $30,000 worth of Cadillac tires.[4]
While in jail, White listened to Elvis Presley singing "It's Now or Never" on the radio,[5] an experience he later credited with changing the course of his life.[6]
Music career[link]
After his release from jail, he left gang life and began a musical career at the dawn of the 1960s in singing groups. He first released "Too Far to Turn Around" in 1960 as part of The Upfronts[7] before going out on his own in the middle of the decade.
The marginal success he had to that point was as a songwriter. His songs were recorded by rock singer Bobby Fuller and TV bubblegum act The Banana Splits. He was also responsible in 1963 for arranging "Harlem Shuffle" for Bob & Earl, which became a hit in the UK in 1969. He discovered disco/soul artists, Viola Wills and Felice Taylor in 1965 and signed them to Mustang/Bronco Records, for which he was working as A&R manager for Bob Keane, the man who discovered Ritchie Valens.
The 1970s as producer[link]
In 1972, he got his big break producing a girl group he had discovered called Love Unlimited. Formed in imitative style of the Motown girl group The Supremes, the group members had gradually honed their talents with White for two years previously until they signed contracts with Uni Records. His best friend, music industry businessman Larry Nunes, helped to finance their album. After it was recorded, Nunes took the recording to Russ Regan, who was the head of the Uni label owned by MCA. The album, 1972's From A Girl's Point of View We Give to You... Love Unlimited became a million album seller.
White produced, wrote and arranged their classic soul ballad, "Walking In The Rain With The One I Love", which climbed to #14 in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart and #6 on the Billboard R&B chart in late 1972. This single also reached #12 in the UK chart. White's voice can clearly be heard debuting in this piece as he plays the lover who answers the phone call of the female lead.
Soon after, Regan left Uni for 20th Century Records. Without Regan, White's relationship with Uni soured. With his relationship with Uni over and Love Unlimited contract-bound with the label, White was able to switch both his production deal and the group to 20th Century Records. (They recorded several other hits throughout the 1970s, including "I Belong To You," which spent over five months on the Billboard R&B chart in 1974 including a week at #1. White also married the lead singer of the group, Glodean James, on July 4, 1974.)
The 1970s as solo artist[link]
White wanted to work with another act but decided to work with a solo male artist. While working on a few demos for a male singer, he made three song demos of himself singing and playing, but Nunes heard them and insisted that he re-record and release them himself as a solo recording artist. After arguing for days about it, White was finally persuaded to release the songs himself although he was initially reluctant to step out in front of the microphone.
He then wrote several other songs and recorded them for what eventually became an entire album of music. He was going to use the name "White Heat," but decided on using his given name instead. White was still hesitating up to the time the label copy was made. It eventually became the first solo White album, 1973's "I've Got So Much to Give". It included the title track and his first solo chart hit, "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby", which also rose to #1 on the Billboard R&B charts as well as #3 on the Billboard Pop charts in 1973 and stayed in the top 40 for many weeks.
Other chart hits by White included "Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up" (#2 R&B, #7 Pop in 1973), "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" (# 1 Pop and R&B in 1974), "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" (#1 R&B, #2 Pop in 1974), "What Am I Gonna Do with You" (#1 R&B, #8 Pop in 1975), "Let the Music Play" (#4 R&B in 1976), "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" (#1 R&B, #4 Pop in 1977) and "Your Sweetness is My Weakness" (#2 R&B in 1978). White also had a strong following in the United Kingdom where he scored five Top 10 hits and one number 1 for "You're The First." His popularity as a singer of love songs, coupled with his large size, led to him acquiring the affectionate nickname "The Walrus of Love".[4]
The Love Unlimited Orchestra[link]
In 1972 White created The Love Unlimited Orchestra, a 40-piece orchestral group to be used originally as a backing band for the girl-group Love Unlimited. However, White had other plans, and in 1974 he released an album of their music titled Rhapsody in White, yielding the composition "Love's Theme", reaching #1 on the Billboard Pop charts. It was one of only a handful of instrumental recordings ever to do so.
White is sometimes credited with ushering in the "disco" sound, seamlessly combining R&B music with classical music. Some also regard "Love's Theme" as the first hit in the actual "disco era", but Nino Tempo and 5th Ave. Sax's song "Sister James" had already reached the Billboard Hot 100 a few months before and had a disco sound in its own right.
He would continue to make albums with the Orchestra, but never achieved the same kind of success with his debut album. The Orchestra ceased to make albums in 1983, but continued to support White as a backing band.
The 1980s[link]
After six years White left 20th Century in 1979 to launch his own label, Unlimited Gold, with CBS/Columbia Records. Although White's success on the pop charts slowed down as the disco era came to an end, he maintained a loyal following throughout his career. Despite several albums over the next three years he failed to repeat his earlier successes, with no singles managing to reach the Billboard Hot 100 except for 1982's "Change," climbing into the Billboard R&B Top 20 (#12). His label venture was exacting a heavy financial cost on White, so he concentrated on mostly touring and finally folded his label in 1983.
After four years he signed with A&M Records, and with the release of 1987's The Right Night & Barry White, the single titled "Sho' You Right" made it to the Billboard R&B charts, peaking at #17.
In 1989 he released The Man Is Back! and with it had three top 40 singles on the Billboard R&B charts: "Super Lover", which made it to #34, "I Wanna Do It Good to Ya", which made it to #26, and "When Will I See You Again", which made it to #32.
The 1990s[link]
A 1970s nostalgia fad allowed Barry White to enjoy a renewed wave of popularity in the 1990s. After White took part in a Quincy Jones record titled Back on the Block, on the song titled "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)", which topped the R&B chart in 1990, he mounted an effective comeback with several albums, each one more successful than the last. He returned to the top of the charts in 1991 with the album Put Me in Your Mix, which reached #8 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart and the song by the same name reached #2 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.
In 1994 he released the album The Icon Is Love which went to #1 on the Billboard R&B album charts, and the single "Practice What You Preach" gave him his first #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart in almost 20 years, and was nominated for a Grammy in the Best R&B Album category (it lost to TLC's CrazySexyCool).
In 1996, White recorded the duet "In Your Wildest Dreams" with Tina Turner. 1996 also saw the release of Space Jam and its soundtrack, on which White had a duet with Chris Rock, called "Basketball Jones," a remake of Cheech & Chong's "Basketball Jones" from 1974.
His final album, 1999's Staying Power, resulted in his last hit song "Staying Power," which placed #45 on the Billboard R&B charts. The single won him his only two Grammy Awards in the categories Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
Acting career[link]
Over the course of his career, White sometimes did voice-over work for TV and movies. He voiced the character Bear in the 1975 film Coonskin and also played the character Sampson in the movie's live-action segments.
He appeared as himself in a couple episodes of The Simpsons, and most importantly the episode "Whacking Day" in which Bart and Lisa used his famously deep bass singing voice, played through loudspeakers placed on the ground, to lull and attract snakes. White was a fan of the show, and had reportedly contacted the staff about wanting to make a guest appearance.
He played the role of a bus driver for a Prodigy commercial in 1995, and he also portrayed the voice of a rabbit in a Good Seasons salad dressing mix commercial, singing a song called "You Can't Bottle Love."[citation needed]
In addition, he did some work for car commercials, most famously for Oldsmobile, and later on, Jeep.
He also provided voice over for Arby's Restaurant commercials on TV and Radio to promote their 'Market Fresh' menu.
His voice can also be heard in Apple's first iBook commercial.
He made two guest appearances on the comedy-drama TV series Ally McBeal, as his music was often featured on the show in dream sequences.
Illness and death[link]
Overweight for much of his adult life, White suffered kidney failure in the fall of 2002 as a result of chronic high blood pressure. He suffered a stroke in May 2003, after which he was forced to retire from public life. On July 4, 2003, he died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering from total renal failure.[8] His remains were cremated, and the ashes were scattered by his family off the California coast.[9]
On September 20, 2004, he was posthumously inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in New York.[10]
Discography[link]
Main article: Barry White discography
References[link]
- ^ allmusic ((( Barry White > Biography )))
- ^ Barry White
- ^ The ultimate soul music trivia book: 501 questions and answers about Motown, Rhythm & Blues, and More / Bobby Bennett and Sarah Smith. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Pub. Group, c1998.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Barry White". BBC News. 4 July 2003. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2386227.stm. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ Ivor Casey Blog
- ^ Page 22Love Unlimited, Barry White with Marc Eliot, Broadway Books, New York, 1999
- ^ Old, Pete. "Barry White Discography". Barry White Unlimited FanClub. http://members.chello.nl/p.klein6/Html/barry_white_discography.htm.. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
- ^ "Singer Barry White dies", BBC, 5 July 2003.
- ^ "Barry White (1944 - 2003) - Find A Grave Memorial". Findagrave.com. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7654675. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
- ^ Name * . "2004 Dance Music Hall of Fame Nominee List | The official nominees for the 2004 Dance Music Hall of Fame are". Discomusic.com. http://www.discomusic.com/101-more/2197_0_7_0_C/. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
External links[link]
- Barry White at Allmusic
- Barry White at the Internet Movie Database
- Knol about Barry White written by Gabriel Gianello
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Related pages:
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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.
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.
 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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Medals
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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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- ^ Ballard, Chris. Kobe's Killer Instinct (cont.), sportsillustrated.cnn.com, May 28, 2008, accessed November 20, 2010.
- ^ McMenamin, Dave. Shots heard 'round the world, sports.espn.go.com, March 11, 2010, accessed November 14, 2010.
- ^ "2011-12 NBA.com GM Survey Results". NBA.com. January 17, 2012. Archived from the original on May 7, 2012. http://www.webcitation.org/67UdhkP2F.
- ^ Abbott, Henry (January 28, 2011). "The truth about Kobe Bryant in crunch time". ESPN.com (ESPN Internet Ventures). Archived from the original on December 20, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/645NlaB8Q.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant Elected As The NBA Player Of The Decade". Thaindian.com. February 15, 2010. http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sports/kobe-bryant-elected-as-the-nba-player-of-the-decade_100320608.html. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Sporting News' NBA Athlete of the Decade: Kobe Bryant, SG, Lakers – Sporting News – NBA". Sporting News. http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/article/2009-09-24/sporting-news-nba-athlete-decade-kobe-bryant-sg-lakers. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "2005–2006 NBA Stats and League Leaders – National Basketball Association – ESPN". Espn.go.com. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/_/year/2006/seasontype/2. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "2006–2007 NBA Stats and League Leaders – National Basketball Association – ESPN". Espn.go.com. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/_/year/2007/seasontype/2. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
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- ^ "2006–2007 NBA Stats and League Leaders – National Basketball Association – ESPN". Espn.go.com. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/_/year/2007. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "2007–2008 NBA Stats and League Leaders – National Basketball Association – ESPN". Espn.go.com. http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/_/year/2008. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "Kobe's 81-point game second only to Wilt". ESPN Internet Ventures. January 12, 2006. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260122013. Retrieved September 20, 2008.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant Wins Most Valuable Player Award". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. May 6, 2008. http://www.nba.com//news/kobe_mvp_080506.html. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
- ^ Sheridan, Chris (August 25, 2008). "Redeem Team proves worthy of Dream Team comparison". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=DreamRedeem-080825. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bryanko01.html. Retrieved September 19, 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Everything You Need to Know About Kobe Bryant". Archived from the original on February 19, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060219203516/http://www.eonline.com/On/Holly/Shows/Bryant/facts.html. Retrieved October 16, 2007. – Wayback Machine cache from February 19, 2006
- ^ Shawn Hubler. "Kobe's costar Vanessa Laine was just another sheltered teenager in Orange County. Then she fell in love with a phenomenon.". Archived from the original on April 6, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070406105500/http://allstarz.hollywood.com/kobe/vanessa02.htm. Retrieved October 16, 2007. – Wayback Machine cache from April 6, 2007
- ^ Stritof, Sheri; Stritof, Bob. "Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine Marriage Profile". About.com. http://marriage.about.com/cs/celebritymarriages/a/kobebryant.htm. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant Buys Home For More Than $4 million". News.google.com. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZNAdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2KcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6703,744809. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "Shaq is a Dad Six Minutes After Kobe". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
- ^ Kim, Victoria (December 16, 2011). "Kobe Bryant divorce: Vanessa cites 'irreconcilable differences'". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/12/kobe-bryant-divorce-vanessa-cites-irreconcilable-difference.html. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ "L.A. Now". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/12/kobe-bryant-divorce-vanessa-lakers-star-will-share-custody-of-daughters.html.
- ^ Crowe, Jerry (May 23, 2008). "Text messages from press row . . .". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/23/sports/sp-crowe23. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
- ^ SI Staff (December 23, 2003). "Bryant distracted, scared amid sex assault case". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/basketball/nba/12/26/kobe.interview.ap/index.html?cnn-yes. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
- ^ Moore, David Leon (February 12, 2004). "Shaq, Kobe still main keys to Lakers' fortunes". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/2004-02-12-shaq-kobe_x.htm. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
- ^ "Fans Shunning Kobe Bryant's Jersey – Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment". Fox News. January 7, 2005. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,143646,00.html. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ Reid, T.R. (September 2, 2004). "Bryant rape case ends in dismissal". The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/09/02/MNG6E8IB861.DTL. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
- ^ Kirk Johnson (September 2, 2004). "Prosecutors Drop Kobe Bryant Rape Case". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/02/national/02kobe.html?_r=1. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ Jensen, Mike (June 16, 2000). "Article: Basketball Star Leaps into Global Ventures. | AccessMyLibrary – Promoting library advocacy". AccessMyLibrary. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7226901_ITM. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Information and results for 'Adidas, Basketball Star Kobe Bryant Part Ways.' | AccessMyLibrary – Promoting library advocacy". AccessMyLibrary. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8828547_ITM. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Adidas Airs Out New Kobe Bryant Shoe, Ad Campaign". Sportsbusinessdaily.com. http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/35398. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ Badenhausen, Kurt (March 9, 2004). "Kobe Bryant's Sponsorship Will Rebound". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2004/09/03/cz_kb_0903kobe.html. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
- ^ Johnson, Greg (June 22, 2008). "Bryant will lose out again to Big Three". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/22/sports/sp-kobe22. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant's Endorsement Deals". Advertising.about.com. April 15, 2010. http://advertising.about.com/od/kobebryant/a/bryantsendorse.htm. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ a b "Kobe Bryant resumes endorsement career". Usatoday.com. July 10, 2005. http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-07-10-kobe-bryant_x.htm. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ Salazar, Quibian (May 12, 2008). "Endorsements Coming Back to Kobe Bryant – BV on Sports". Blackvoices.com. http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2008/05/12/endorsements-coming-back-to-kobe-bryant/. Retrieved June 8, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ a b Devine, Dan (November 5, 2010). "Kobe Bryant shoots 'em up in new 'Call of Duty' ad". Sports.Yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Kobe-Bryant-shoots-em-up-in-new-Call-of-Duty-?urn=nba-282854. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ "No, Kobe Bryant Did Not Jump Over a Car". rankingsandreviews.com (U.S. News & World Report). April 15, 2008. Archived from the original on April 20, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5y5cKyN5V.
- ^ "Nike launches Nike Zoom Kobe V with Kobe Bryant". TradingMarkets.com. December 9, 2009. http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2711325/. Retrieved June 8, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ 3 Comments. "Kobe Bryant Wearing Nubeo Black Mamba MVP Watch « UpscaleHype". Upscalehype.com. http://www.upscalehype.com/2009/10/kobe-bryant-wearing-nubeo-black-mamba-mvp-watch/. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant ESPN The Magazine Fan Issue". ESPN The Magazine. http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/fanIssue. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
- ^ "Top 10 endorsement superstars". CNN. December 31, 2008. http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fortune/0711/gallery.endorsements.fortune/6.html. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ Kritchever, Patrick. The Forbes Celebrity 100, Forbes, June 28, 2010, Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- ^ Rovell, Darren. "Kobe Bryant To Endorse Turkish Airlines". CNBC.com. http://www.cnbc.com/id/40641746/Kobe_Bryant_To_Endorse_Turkish_Airlines. Retrieved February 23, 2011. "It’s a two-year deal that will involve Bryant starring in a promotional film that will be aired on international television channels and in movie theatres in more than 80 countries next year."
- ^ Li, Shan (December 16, 2010). "Kobe Bryant's Turkish Airlines deal outrages Armenian Americans". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/16/local/la-me-kobe-bryant-armenian-20101216. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
- ^ "The first Kobe Bryant Turkish Airlines commercial has landed". NBC Sports. February 28, 2011. http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2011/02/28/the-first-kobe-bryant-turkish-airlines-commercial-has-landed/. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside for Nintendo 64". MobyGames. http://www.mobygames.com/game/kobe-bryant-in-nba-courtside. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "NBA Courtside 2 Featuring Kobe Bryant". CNN. http://archives.cnn.com/1999/TECH/computing/12/08/courtside2/index.html. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ "NBA Courtside 2002 (cube) reviews at". Metacritic.com. January 14, 2002. http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/cube/nbacourtside2002#critics. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "NBA 3 on 3 Featuring Kobe Bryant for GBC". Gamespot.Com. December 7, 1999. http://www.gamespot.com/gbc/sports/nba3on3featuringkb/index.html. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ Surette, Tim (August 21, 2006). "Kobe covers Sony's NBA 07". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/news/kobe-covers-sonys-nba-07-6156109. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- ^ "Sony Debuts SIX Cover Athletes for NBA 09: The Inside". DailyGame. http://www.dailygame.net/news/archives/008110.php. Retrieved June 8, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "CRI.com: Kobe Bryant Works with Jay Chou in New Song". :. 2011-02-23. http://english.cri.cn/6666/2011/02/23/1261s622251.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ Pop Asia. "Jay Chou releases MV with Kobe Bryant". PopAsia. http://www.popasia.net/jay-chou-releases-mv-with-kobe-bryant/. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "Official music video of". Youtube.com. 2011-04-06. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaW0jUGaHe0. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ 4 comments by Daniel Gilroy on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 (2011-02-23). "ChinaSmack: Sprite China – Kobe Bryant and Jay Chou music video " 天地一鬥 " ("Tian Di Yi Dou") with Jay Chou feat. Kobe Bryant". Advertising.chinasmack.com. http://advertising.chinasmack.com/2011/sprite-china-kobe-bryant-jay-chou-music-video.html. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "Kobe Bryant's Charity Work, Events and Causes". looktothestars.org. http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/840-kobe-bryant. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ a b Paul, Alan (July 16, 2009). "Kobe Bryant Conquers China". The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204556804574258222289862830.html. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
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 | |
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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.
 Westbrook with the Thunder |
|
| No. 0 – Oklahoma City Thunder | |
|---|---|
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1988-11-12) November 12, 1988 (age 23) Long Beach, California |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Leuzinger |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 187 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UCLA (2006–2008) |
| NBA Draft | 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall |
| Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Pro career | 2008–present |
| Career history | |
| 2008–present | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Stats at NBA.com | |
Russell Westbrook (born November 12, 1988) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. Westbrook played high school basketball for Leuzinger High School, before heading to play for UCLA. Westbrook played two years at UCLA before declaring for the 2008 NBA Draft. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City six days after the draft. Westbrook was also a member of the 2010 United States national team. Over his career, Westbrook has been a two-time All-Star, a two-time member of the All-NBA Second Team, and a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Westbrook represented the United States in the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey where he won a gold medal.
Contents |
Early years[link]
Westbrook was born in Long Beach, California to parents Russell and Shannon Horton. He has one younger brother, Raynard, and has said that he admires former Los Angeles Lakers great Earvin "Magic" Johnson.[1] Westbrook was a childhood friend of Khelcey Barrs, a talented young small forward who had been attracting interest from major college basketball schools as a 6-foot-6, 200 pound high school sophomore. However, Barrs collapsed and died after playing a series of late night basketball games in 2004.
Westbrook entered Leuzinger High School as an unheralded 5-foot-8, 140-pound freshman with size 14 shoes, not starting on the varsity team until his junior year.[2] He did not receive his first college recruiting letter until the summer before his senior year. Westbrook eventually reached his adult height at 6'3" that same summer.[3][4]
He led the team to a 25–4 overall record and to a CIF-SS Div. I-AA quarterfinal playoff appearance during his senior year. He averaged 25.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.3 assists. He also connected on 57 three-pointers and made 76.0 percent of his free throws. He collected 14 double-doubles, scored 30 or more points on eight occasions and registered a career-best 51 points at Carson on January 6, 2006. He did not attract too much attention from top college basketball programs until Ben Howland offered him a scholarship to play for the UCLA Bruins after Jordan Farmar declared for the NBA Draft.
College[link]
In his two years of playing for the UCLA Bruins, Westbrook wore number 0. In his freshman year Westbrook backed up Darren Collison and was primarily used as a defender and energy player off the bench due to his athleticism and lack of passing and shooting skills. In his freshman year Westbrook averaged 3.4 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 36 games. After Darren Collison was injured, Westbrook's role on the team expanded. Westbrook saw his minutes increase significantly, and he finished the season playing in 39 games, starting in 34 of them. In the year Westbrook averaged 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 steals. The team advanced to the Final Four each year, losing to Florida in 2007, 76–66. In the game, Westbrook played 8 minutes, scoring two points. In 2008, they lost 78–63 to the University of Memphis, who were led by Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey. In the game, Westbrook scored 22 points, to go along with 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.[5] At UCLA, Westbrook played basketball with several NBA players. In his sophomore year Westbrook was named All-Pac-10 Third Team and won Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. At UCLA, Westbrook played with Kevin Love, who was also his roommate, as well as Darren Collison, Arron Afflalo and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. After two years at UCLA, Westbrook decided to enter his name in the 2008 NBA draft.
| College | Year | GP | GS | SPG | BPG | RPG | APG | PPG | FG% | FT% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 2006–07 | 36 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.02 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 3.4 | .457% | .548% | .409% |
| UCLA | 2007–08 | 39 | 34 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 12.7 | .465% | .713% | .338% |
NBA career[link]
Oklahoma City Thunder (2008–present)[link]
He was selected 4th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics (later known as the Oklahoma City Thunder due to sale of team and relocation). He signed with the team on July 5, 2008 along with D. J. White.[7] He played with fellow Bruin Earl Watson on the Thunder team.
Westbrook was named the Western Conference Rookie of the month for December and February. In December, Westbrook averaged 15.5 points, 5.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. In February, Westbrook averaged 20.6 points, 5.9 assists, and 6.1 rebounds.[8] On February 1, 2009, Westbrook scored 34 points in an overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings.[9] He made 7 of 18 field goals and 20 of 22 free throws.[10] His 20 free throws were the most by a Kings opponent since the franchise relocated to Sacramento, California.[11] He was also a candidate for the 2009 Slam Dunk Contest but lost in fan voting to Rudy Fernandez of the Portland Trail Blazers.
On March 2, 2009 Westbrook recorded a triple double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He was the first rookie to do so since Chris Paul in the 2005–06 season, and the third rookie player in Sonics/Thunder franchise history: Art Harris 1968–69 and Gary Payton in 1990–91.[12] He finished fourth in the 2008/09 NBA Rookie of the Year voting[13] behind Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls), O. J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies) and Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets). Westbrook was named to the NBA's all-rookie first team, along with fellow UCLA classmate Kevin Love, who was named to the second team. On November 12, 2010, his 22nd birthday, Westbrook recorded 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists against the Portland Trail Blazers. 14 days afterward, November 26, Westbrook scored 43 points, to go with 8 rebounds and 8 assists, against the Indiana Pacers. Less than a month later, on December 1, 2010, he scored 38 points with 9 assists and achieved a new career-high 15 rebounds in a triple-overtime win over the New Jersey Nets, a game played without Thunder co-star Kevin Durant due to injury trouble.
In his second year the Thunder made a huge turnaround from their first season, qualifying for the playoffs with a 50–32 record. During the season Westbrook averaged 16.1 points, 8.0 assists, and 4.9 rebounds. Westbrook became a significantly better passer; his improvement in the passing department was instrumental in the Thunder's turnaround. The Thunder were eliminated by the eventual world champion Los Angeles Lakers. In the series Westbrook stepped up his play, averaging 20.5 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Westbrook and the Thunder looked to improve on a impressive, successful second season. On November 26, 2010, Westbrook scored 43 points against the Indiana Pacers.[14] Westbrook was chosen as a Western Conference reserve for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.[15] Westbrook finished the season improving in just about every statistical category, averaging 21.9 points, 8.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.9 steals. Westbrook was named to the All-NBA Second Team for his strong year. The Thunder finished the season at 55–27, eventually losing to the eventual world champion Dallas Mavericks. Throughout the playoffs, Westbrook averaged 23.8 points, 6.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds.
On January 19, 2012 Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to a 5 year $80million extension. On February 19, 2012, he scored 40 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets.[16] On March 23, 2012, Westbrook scored a career-high 45 points in a double overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves 149–140.
International career[link]
Senior national team[link]
In 2010 he took part in the FIBA World Championships held in Istanbul, Turkey. He played a pivotal role off the bench with his hustle and energy. USA won gold for the first time since 1994.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Competitor for  United States |
||
| FIBA World Championship | ||
| Gold | 2010 Turkey | Team competition |
Personal[link]
In a July 2008 article, the Daily Oklahoman reported that when he was asked about his relationship with Brian Westbrook, Russell Westbrook responded that they were not related.[17]
Player profile[link]
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), Westbrook is a point guard. Westbrook has established himself as an elite athlete who constantly attacks the basket.[18] When attacking the basket, Westbrook is also known for being able to pull up for the medium range jump shot or pass it out to an open teammate.[19][20] Westbrook is capable of initiating the pick and roll, averaging 7.1 assists per game throughout his first three seasons.[21] At 6 feet 3 inches, Westbrook is an above average rebounder, averaging 4.8 rebounds throughout his first three seasons. Westbrook is constantly able to get to the free throw line, contributing to the average of 17.8 points per game throughout his first three seasons.[22] The main weakness cited in Westbrook's ability is his lack of three-point range; he has averaged .277 on three-point field goal percentage for his first three seasons.[23] Westbrook is also turnover prone, averaging 3.49 turnovers per game for his first three seasons.[23]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Oklahoma City | 82 | 65 | 32.5 | .398 | .271 | .815 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 1.3 | .2 | 15.3 |
| 2009–10 | Oklahoma City | 82 | 82 | 34.3 | .418 | .221 | .780 | 4.9 | 8.0 | 1.3 | .4 | 16.1 |
| 2010–11 | Oklahoma City | 82 | 82 | 34.7 | .442 | .330 | .842 | 4.6 | 8.3 | 1.9 | .4 | 21.9 |
| 2011–12 | Oklahoma City | 66 | 66 | 35.3 | .457 | .316 | .823 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 1.7 | .3 | 23.6 |
| Career | 312 | 295 | 34.2 | .430 | .289 | .818 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 1.6 | .3 | 19.0 | |
| All-Star | 2 | 0 | 20.5 | .552 | .200 | .000 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 16.5 |
Playoffs[link]
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Oklahoma City | 6 | 6 | 35.3 | .473 | .417 | .842 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 1.7 | .2 | 20.5 |
| 2011 | Oklahoma City | 17 | 17 | 37.5 | .394 | .292 | .852 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 1.4 | .4 | 23.8 |
| Career | 23 | 23 | 37.0 | .410 | .317 | .850 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 1.5 | .3 | 23.0 |
Triple-doubles[link]
| Number | Date | Opponent | Box Score | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 02009-03-02March 2, 2009 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 97–86 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 1 block |
| 2 | 02010-02-21February 21, 2010 | at. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 109–107 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 2 | |
| 3 | 02010-12-31December 31, 2010 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 103–94 | 23 | 10 | 10 | 2 | |
| 4 | 02011-01-13January 13, 2011 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 125–124 | 32 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 2 blocks |
| 5 | 02011-01-28January 28, 2011 | vs. Washington Wizards | W 124–117 | 35 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 2 blocks |
| 6(PO) | 02011-05-15May 15, 2011 | vs. Memphis Grizzlies | W 105–90 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 0 | Semifinals, Game 7 |
Awards and recognition[link]
- All-NBA Second Team, 2011-12
- NBA All-Star, 2011–2012
- 2009 NBA All-Rookie First Team
- 2008 Collegeinsider.com All-Defensive Team
- 2008 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and Third-Team All-Conference[dead link]
- Third-team Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West selection
- Third-team All-State, first-team All-CIF Division I and two-time Most Valuable Player of the Bay League honors
- Scout.com rated Westbrook as the No. 2 shooting guard in the West and one of the top 25 shooting guards in the nation
See also[link]
References[link]
- ^ "UCLA player bio". Uclabruins.cstv.com. 2007-01-20. http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/westbrook_russell00.html. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ Arash MarkaziESPNLosAngeles.comFollowArchive (2010-04-30). "2010 NBA Playoffs: Arash Markazi: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook — ESPN Los Angeles". Sports.espn.go.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5150492. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ July 23, 2009 (2009-07-23). "Boys' basketball: Leuzinger is school of late bloomers — latimes.com". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/varsitytimesinsider/2009/07/boys-basketball-leuzinger-is-school-of-late-bloomers.html. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ Russell WestbrookOver FacebookTijdlijnOver Facebook (1988-11-12). "Russell Westbrook". Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/russellwestbrook?v=info. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ 6:07 PM ET, April 5, 2008Alamodome, San Antonio, TX (2008-04-05). "UCLA Bruins vs. Memphis Tigers — NCAA Tournament Game — Recap — April 05, 2008 – ESPN". Espn.go.com. http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=284000062. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "Russell Westbrook Draft 2008 Profile". NBA.com. 1988-11-12. http://www.nba.com/draft2008/profiles/RussellWestbrook.html. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
- ^ "Westbrook, White sign rookie deals with SuperSonics". ESPN. 2008-07-05. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3474388. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
- ^ http://www.nba.com/2009/news/03/02/rookies.month/index.html | Rookie of the Month Feb 09
- ^ "Veteran Jackson carries Kings in overtime to beat lowly Thunder". Sports.espn.go.com. 2009-02-01. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290201023. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings – Box Score – February 01, 2009 – ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2009-02-01. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=290201023. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "Russell Westbrook Info Page". NBA.com. 1988-11-12. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/russell_westbrook/. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "ESPN – Notes, Stats and Trends from Research March 3, 2009". Insider.espn.go.com. 2009-03-03. http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/insider/news/story?id=3948232. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ Bulls' Rose takes home Rookie of Year Award, NBA.com, 22 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
- ^ "Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers Box Score, November 26, 2010". Basketball-Reference.com. 2010-11-26. http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201011260IND.html. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "Russell Westbrook selected to Western Conference All-Star team | Daily Thunder.com". dailythunder.com. http://www.dailythunder.com/2011/02/russell-westbrook-selected-to-western-conference-all-star-team/. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
- ^ Associated Press Text size A A A (2012-02-19). "Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook combine for 91 points in Oklahoma Thunder OT win". Aol.sportingnews.com. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-02-19/kevin-durant-russell-westbrook-combine-for-91-points-in-oklahoma-thunders-ot-win. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "Orlando Summer Pro League notebook: Rookies struggle at the line," Daily Oklahoman, July 12, 2008. (subscription required)
- ^ Mason, Beckley (2011-11-30). "Russell Westbrook’s next step: the Tony Parker cut «". Hoopspeak.com. http://hoopspeak.com/2011/11/russell-westbrook-next-step-tony-parker/. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ Tucker, Josh (2012-01-11). "Russell Westbrook: Transition Jump Shots Key to Scoring Success". Welcome to Loud City. http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/2012/1/11/2699440/russell-westbrook-transition-jump-shots-key-to-scoring-success. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ Prada, Mike (2012-04-06). "Fun With Synergy: Russell Westbrook, Pull-Up Jumpers And Kevin Durant's Shot Distribution Wisdom". SBNation.com. http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/4/6/2930095/russell-westbrook-kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ Kennedy, Andrew (2012-01-29). "The Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook pick-and-roll « True Hoop Drew". Truehoopdrew.com. http://truehoopdrew.com/2012/01/29/the-kevin-durant-russell-westbrook-pick-and-roll/. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ "Russell Westbrook Career Stats Page". NBA.com. 1988-11-12. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/russell_westbrook/career_stats.html. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
- ^ a b "NBA". Tsn.ca. http://www.tsn.ca/nba/teams/players/bio/?id=1973. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Russell Westbrook |
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com, or Basketball-Reference.com
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Westbrook, Russell |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American basketball player |
| Date of birth | November 12, 1988 |
| Place of birth | Long Beach, California |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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