Search results for ''

Al-Farouq Aminu is a third-year NBA forward and a member of the Nigerian National Team. Al-Farouq is in his second season with the New Orleans Hornets after spending his rookie season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Al-Farouq was drafted eighth overall in 2010 NBA Draft. Al-Farouq helped the Nigerian National Team reach the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.

Nick Anderson was the face of the Orlando Magic in the 1990's. The shooting guard spent 13 years in the NBA from 1989 to 2002. Nick was the first draft selection in Orlando Magic franchise history, picked 11th overall by the team in the 1989 Draft. Throughout Nick’s 10 seasons in Orlando, he solidified himself as the Magic’s all-time leader in games played, minutes played, points and steals. Nick was second all-time in rebounding behind Shaquille O’Neal. In addition to Shaq, Nick shared the court with Penny Hardaway. Nick finished his career with the Magic having scored more than 10,000 career points.

When Kenny Anderson was drafted with the second overall pick by the New Jersey Nets in the 1991 Draft, he was the youngest player in the NBA. Kenny played for the Nets from 1991 to 1996 as a consistent starter and solid contributor. In 1994 in his third season with the team, Kenny average 18.8 points and 9.6 assists per game and was an All-Star selection with then-teammate Derrick Coleman. Aside from Derrick, Kenny played in the Meadowlands arena with teammates Chris Morris and Armen Gilliam. After the 1996 seasons, Kenny was traded to the Charlotte Hornets where he played for one season. Between the years of 1996 and 2005, Kenny played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, New Orleans Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers.

Vincent Askew is a former NBA guard who played in the league in the late 80’s and throughout the 90’s. Over the course of his 12 year career, Vincent played on 16 professional teams, 8 of them in the NBA. He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 1987 NBA Draft. After being drafted, Vincent played in the CBA, WBL and in a European League before becoming a NBA player in 1991. Vincent joined the Seattle SuperSonics in 1992. Vincent spent four seasons in Seattle, his longest streak with a single team. In 1996, Vincent and the SuperSonics went 64-18 and made an appearance in the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls. With the Sonics, he played with teammates Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. Vincent was then traded to the Indiana Pacers by coach Larry Brown, who said of Vincent: "I don't know of too many guys in the league who are better defenders than him, and not everybody is as unselfish. He doesn't worry about minutes, doesn't worry about shots, he just worries about winning." Vincent had a successful season in Indiana before joining the Portland Trailblazers. Vincent retired from the game in 1998.

Vin Baker is a four-time NBA All-Star and 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist. The 6-foot-11 power forward attended the University of Hartford where he averaged 28.3 points per game, 4th in the country, and finished with 2,238 points, a school record that still stands. During his final year, Baker was called by Sports Illustrated, "America's Best-Kept Secret." In 1993, Baker was the 8th draft pick and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. During his NBA career he also played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Minnesota Timberwolves. During his career Vin averaged 15 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. During his NBA career Vin started The Stand Tall Foundation, a charitable organization that helped give kids a better future by financially assisting with different charitable and volunteer organizations. Stand Tall sponsored such activities as Vin's Youth All-Star Awards Program; created to reward youth involved in constructive activities and to demonstrate that religion and sports can be a winning combination and Stand Tall Achievement Awards; identifying and rewarding students who have excelled in academics and shown outstanding civic achievement. Since retiring from the NBA, Vin has shared his knowledge of the game and experience by coaching Men’s Basketball at Texas Southern University and Old Saybrook High School. In addition, the proud father and family man is working with young people to promote their personal development, health, wellness, and education.

Steve Bardo is a retired NBA shooting guard who played for several teams in the 1990's. During his standout career at the University of Illinois, 6'5" Steve scored 909 points and compiled 495 assists. He was part of the "Flyin' Illini" team that qualified for the 1989 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four. Steve was selected in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, but never played for the team, playing one game with the San Antonio Spurs during the 1991–92 NBA season. He also appeared for the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons, amassing 32 more regular season games. Throughout his career, Steve shared the court with teammates such as Derek Harper, Terry Davis and Tim Legler. Since retiring from basketball, Steve has pursued a career as an author, a motivational speaker, and is currently a college basketball and First Take analyst for ESPN and is a successful author and speaker.

Rick Barry is a retired NBA player and is considered to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time. Rick is known for his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision, knowledge and execution of team defense principles, tenacious and often times demanding will to win, and unorthodox but accurate underhanded free throw shooting. Rick is one of the few elite players who altered their games without losing effectiveness; he broke into the professional ranks as a rebounder and all-purpose scorer before he became a primary ball distributor and lethal perimeter threat. Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in history by the NBA in 1996, Rick is the only player to lead the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ABA and NBA in scoring for an individual season. In 1987, Rick was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kent Bazemore is a current shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors. Kent is in his rookie NBA season after signing with the Warriors in July of 2012. Prior to turning pro, Kent was a standout at Old Dominion University where he was a three-year starter. As a junior, Kent led the Monarchs to the 2011 NCAA tournament, losing to eventual national runner-up Butler 60-58. That season, Kent averaged career highs of 12.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game and was named the CAA Defensive player of the year and second team All-Conference. He also gained national recognition when he received the Lefty Driesell Award given to the nation's top defensive player. In his final season at Old Dominion, Kent averaged 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

John Block is a former NBA center, who played ten seasons in the league for seven different teams. John enjoyed his best statistical season in 1967-68 as a member of the expansion San Diego Rockets, posting 20.2 points per game and 11.0 rebounds per game. In 1973 he was named to the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star team as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. In that game he played alongside contemporary stars Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlin among others.

Muggsy Bogues is a former NBA point guard for the Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors. He was drafted 12th overall in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets where he played for one season. Muggsy joined the Charlotte Hornets in 1988 and stayed there for ten years, becoming one of the most well-known players on the team. He is the Hornets’ career leader in minutes played with 19,768, assists with 5,557 and steals with 1,067. Until 2007, Muggsy held the Hornets’ single-game record of 19 assists. After his career in Charlotte, Muggsy played for the Warriors for two seasons and the Raptors for two seasons before retiring from the NBA.

Walter Bond played in the NBA for three seasons from 1992 to 1995, spending time as a Dallas Maverick, Utah Jazz and Detroit Piston. During his NBA career, he played in 153 games and scored a total of 873 points. On November 10, 1992, in just his second professional game in the NBA, Walter scored a career high 25 points for the Mavs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Walter has also played professionally on five teams in the CBA, in Germany with Bayer Giants Leverkusen and in Italy for Cirio Avellino. During his time in the NBA, Walter has played with teammates such as Derek Harper, Karl Malone and John Stockton.

Tom Brennan is the former head coach of the University of Vermont and a current broadcaster for Dial Global Sports. He coached nineteen seasons at Vermont, winning three America East Conference Championships. He also led the Catamounts to an upset of Big East Conference champions Syracuse University in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. He won three America East Coach of the Year awards during his tenure and is the school’s all-time leader in victories and games coached.

Dee Brown was chosen 19th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1990 NBA Draft. The shooting guard proceeded to play a total of 12 seasons in the NBA, eight with the Celtics, two with the Toronto Raptors and two with the Orlando Magic. With the Celtics, Dee played in all 82 regular-season games during a rookie campaign that earned him selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1990-91. He averaged 8.7 points and 4.2 assists to help the Celtics win the NBA Atlantic Division with a 56-26 record that season. In 11 games during the 1991 playoffs, Dee averaged 12.2 points. Dee also gained national acclaim after becoming the Slam Dunk champion during the 1991 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. Dee beat standout six-time NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp in the finals with his now-famous “no-look” dunk, in which he draped his right arm over his eyes in mid-air and slammed the ball with his left hand. Dee finished his NBA career with 6,758 total points.

Caron Butler is an All-Star NBA Small Forward and NBA Champion. Caron was a member of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks that defeated Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat for their first ever championship. Caron is also a two-time NBA All-Star having been named to the team during the 2007 and 2008 seasons as a member of the Washington Wizards. Caron was drafted tenth overall in the first round of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat and was later named to the All-Rookie first team.

Sam Cassell is a three-time NBA Champion and current assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. He played fifteen seasons in the NBA, winning consecutive titles with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995 playing alongside future Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Sam won his third title as a member of the Boston Celtics in 2008. He had arguably his best individual season in 2004 as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, in which he was voted to the All-NBA second-team and the Western Conference All-Star team.

Cedric Ceballos is a professional basketball player. As a small forward, he has played for several NBA and international teams throughout his career including the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 1990 NBA Draft. While playing for the Suns, he led the NBA in field goal percentage with 57.6 during the 1992-1993 season. Also in 1992, he won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with a blindfolded dunk. After Cedric joined the Lakers in 1994, he led the team in scoring with a 21.7 average and made the All-Star team. The following season, he again led the Lakers with a 21.2 average and recorded their first 50-point game in over 20 years. In 1996, he was named the Comeback Player of the Year. Cedric played abroad from 2002 to 2004 before returning to the U.S. to play for the American Basketball Association.

Jim Chones was a professional basketball player for ten years, from 1973 to 1983 and is currently a radio analyst for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jim was selected in the 1973 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers and played in the ABA for two seasons, spending one with the New York Nets and one with the Carolina Cougars. In 1974, Jim joined the Cavaliers in the NBA, where he played for five seasons until 1979. During the 1973 season, Jim was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. From 1979 to 1982, Jim played with the Lakers and the Washington Bullets, winning a NBA championship with Los Angeles in 1980. He played on a Laker team with NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Spencer Haywood that defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals that year. During Game 6 of the Finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unable to play due to an ankle injury. In his place, Jim shut down the middle and finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, holding Darryl Dawkins to 14 points and four rebounds. Jim then played in European leagues for two seasons before retiring.

Derrick Coleman is a retired NBA player who enjoyed his best years as a member of the New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 19.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Derrick grew up and attended high school in Detroit, Michigan. Derrick later attended college at Syracuse University. He was selected first overall in the 1990 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Throughout his career, left-handed Coleman was an effective low post scorer with a reliable perimeter shooting touch, averaging 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. When Derrick entered the NBA, he was compared to elite power forwards such as Karl Malone and Charles Barkley, and expected to put up similar numbers, only with the added ability to shoot from three-point range.

Michael Cooper is a retired NBA guard and forward and current basketball coach. Michael spent his 12-year NBA career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and has coached in both the NBA and WNBA. He is the only person to win a championship, as either a coach or a player, in the NBA, WNBA, and the NBA Development League. Michael, or “Coop,” was drafted by the Lakers in 1978 and became an integral part of the “Showtime” Lakers teams of the 1980's. He was named to eight NBA All Defensive Teams, won NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and won five NBA Championships alongside fellow Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. Known for his knee-high socks and defensive prowess, Michael averaged 8.9 points, 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. By the time he retired, Michael ranked among the Lakers’ all-time top 10 in several categories, including three-point field goals, games played, offensive and defensive rebounds and free throw percentage.

Corey Crowder played 58 games in the NBA between 1991 and 1995. He averaged 2.1 points per game for the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs during that time. Additionally, Corey spent time playing in the CBA and later played overseas in Italy, Spain, France and Israel. In 1992, Corey and the Jazz were Midwest Division Champions, finishing first with a 55-27 record. That year, he played alongside teammates Karl Malone, Jeff Malone and John Stockton.

Oliver “Ollie” Darden was a professional basketball player for three seasons from 1967 to 1970. Ollie was selected in the 1966 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons and played for the Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and Kentucky Colonels of the ABA. Throughout his career, Ollie produced 2,047 points playing in 223 games in the ABA. As a member of the Pacers, Ollie won an ABA Championship in 1970 with teammates Roger Brown and Mel Daniels.

Mel Davis is a New Yorker through and through. The 6’6” forward played in the NBA from 1973 to 1977, getting selected 14th overall by the New York Knicks in the 1973 NBA Draft. Mel spent three successful seasons with the Knicks and one with the New York Nets. During his time with the Knicks, Mel played with many notable players such as Willis Reed, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Phil Jackson and former senator Bill Bradley. Mel went on to play five more seasons of basketball, this time overseas. The forward spent time in Italy, France and Switzerland before returning to the U.S.

Darryl Dawkins is a retired NBA player, most noted for his days with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career. He was nicknamed "Chocolate Thunder" for his powerful dunks, which notably led to the NBA adopting breakaway rims due to him shattering the backboard on two occasions.

Terry Dehere is a former politician, restaurateur, and retired NBA basketball player. Before going pro, Dehere played for Seton Hall University from 1989 until 1993, where he holds the school and conference record with 2,494 career points, as well as school career records for 3-point field goals made and 3-point field goals attempted. Dehere also holds single season records for 3-point field goals made and 3-point field goal percentage. He was named Big East Player of the Year in the 1992-93 season, as well as Conference Tournament MVP. A 6'2", 190-lb. guard, he was selected 13th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1993 NBA Draft. He played for the Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Grizzlies averaging 8.0 ppg during his NBA career which spanned six seasons. In January 2002, Dehere signed with the Florida Flame of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). After basketball, Dehere made his political debut as a candidate for an At-Large Council seat in the Jersey City municipal election of 2001. In 2007, Dehere was elected to serve as a member of the Jersey City Board of Education where he served on the Legal and Affirmative Action Committees. In 2009, Dehere became vice president of that board.