Jan Veselý

Jan Veselý
Jan Veselý (born April 24, 1990 in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech professional basketball player with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association in the United States. Standing at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), Veselý plays the small forward and power forward positions. After deciding not to enter the 2010 NBA Draft, he was selected sixth in 2011 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.
Jan Veselý was born on April 24, 1990 in Ostrava (Czechoslovakia then, Czech Republic now). His father, Jan, is a former basketball player, and his mother a former volleyball player.[1] Veselý's younger sister, [2] and his girlfriend Eva are both basketball players.[3] Reportedly, he is fluent in Czech, Slovenian, Serbian and English.[4] Jan Veselý's girlfriend Eva Kodouskova, shown on NBA draft night, is said to be 6'3".

Veselý began playing basketball with the youth clubs of Příbor and BK Snakes Ostrava in the Czech Republic. He joined Geoplin Slovan in 2007. He then moved to Partizan Belgrade in 2008. He won nine club trophies with the club,[5] and also reached the 2009–10 Euroleague Final Four. In 2010, Veselý was presented the FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award. At his last match with Partizan, the final of the 2010–11 Serbian League, the team captain Petar Božić let Veselý lift the winning trophy, while the audience gave him a standing ovation.
Veselý was drafted by the Washington Wizards with the sixth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Veselý has been a member of the senior men's Czech Republic national basketball team, having previously played for the junior national teams.
Due to his speed and court movement, Veselý has been compared to European NBA superstars Dirk Nowitzki and Andrei Kirilenko.
Jan Veselý has been the favorite of the Partizan supporters.[9] He stated he was "surprised by his popularity in Serbia, as no one in Czech Republic knew who he was".[4] He would later add his popularity in his homeland had been increasing since the success of his club in the 2009–10 Euroleague.[10] The Partizan supporter created two joke slogans, "When Jan plays, we are all joyful" (Serbian: "Kad Jan igra, svi smo veseli") and "We are all happy, only Jan is joyful" (Serbian: "Svi smo srećni, samo se Jan Veseli"), as his surname means "joyful" in both Czech and Serbian.[11]
After the end of the 2010–11 season, which had been confirmed to be his last in Partizan, Veselý stated, "My first destionation in Europe will always be Belgrade. [...] Partizan, Belgrade and Serbia have given me a great opportunity, which now I can continue in the other place. Serbia has become my second home".[7] He also added he would like to wear number 24 once again and that his wish was to end his career in Partizan.[7][12] Years of life in Serbia left permanent trace on his music taste as he said he likes Serbian music better than American or Czech music.

No. 24 Washington Wizards
Forward
Personal information
Date of birth April 24, 1990 (age 21)
Place of birth Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
Nationality Czech
Listed height 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight 239 lb (108 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Washington Wizards
Pro career 2007–present
League NBA
Career history
Geoplin Slovan (2007–08)
Partizan Belgrade (2008–11)
Washington Wizards (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
3× Adriatic League Champion (2009, 2010, 2011)
3× Serbian Champion (2009, 2010, 2011)
3× Serbian Cup Winner (2009, 2010, 2011)
FIBA European Young Player of the Year (2010)

Nikolaos Zisis

Nikolaos Zisis
Nikolaos "Nikos" Zisis (alternate spelling: Zissis) (Greek: Νικόλαος "Νίκος" Ζήσης) (born August 16, 1983 in Thessaloniki, Greece) is a Greek professional basketball player. He is currently with the pro club Montepaschi Siena.
He is 1.97 m (6 ft 5 ¾ in) tall and he can play at both the point guard and shooting guard positions. His primary position with his pro club teams is point guard, while his primary position with the Greek national team is shooting guard. Zisis is known as "The Lord of the Rings" because he is the Greek player with the most combined medals won at the cadet, junior, young men's and men's FIBA European and world tournaments.

Zisis started his playing career in the year 1996 at a local Saloniki youth basketball team, at the YMCA (in Greek: ΧΑΝΘ). At the age of 17, he moved to Athens and to the Greek League team AEK Athens, where he began his professional basketball career. With AEK he won the Greek Cup in 2001, and also the Greek Championship in 2002. He also won the Greek League Young Player of the Year award in 2002.
He then moved to Treviso, Italy and played on the Italian League team Benetton Treviso. With Benetton, he won the Italian Super Cup and the Italian Championship in the year 2006, and also the Italian Cup in the year 2007. He then left Italy and moved to Moscow, Russia.
On June 13, 2007, he signed a 3-year contract worth €5 million euros net income with the Russian League team CSKA Moscow.[3][4] With CSKA, Zisis won the Euroleague Championship during the Euroleague 2007-08 season. In 2009, he left CSKA and signed a 2 year contract worth €1.8 million euros net income with the Italian League club Montepaschi Siena.[5] In 2010, he signed a 2 year extension with Siena.

With Greece's junior national teams, Zisis won the silver medal at the 1999 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship and he also led the tournament in scoring. He also won the bronze medal at the 2000 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship. He was an All Star at the 2001 Albert Schweitzer Tournament. Zisis also won the gold medal with the Greek junior national team at the 2002 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he was also named the tournament's MVP. His first game with Greece's senior national team took place in Tunis, at the 2001 Mediterranean Games, on September 3, 2001. At the Mediterranean Games, he helped Greece win the silver medal at the tournament.
As a member of the senior Greek national basketball team, Zisis won the gold medal at the EuroBasket 2005, which was held in Serbia and Montenegro. He was Greece's leading scorer during the tournament, averaging 10.6 points per game. At the end of the semifinal game against the French national basketball team, Zisis drove the length of the court, drove into the middle of the floor, drew a double team, and then dished the ball out to Dimitris Diamantidis, who hit a game-winning 3 pointer. After his great performance at the EuroBasket in 2005, Zisis was named the FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year.[7]
The next year, at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, which was held in Japan, Zisis hit a game winning 3 point shot at the end of the game against the Australian national basketball team to give Greece a 72-69 victory. However, in the next game in the tournament he was hit on the cheekbone and eye socket bone by the elbow of the Brazilian national basketball team's Anderson Varejão. Zisis suffered a severe facial injury that forced him to sit out for the remaining entirety of the World Championship, as the injury required surgery. Even though Greece lost Zisis, who was their leading scorer the year before at the EuroBasket 2005, they were still able to win the silver medal (including an improbable upset victory over Team USA in the semifinal game) during the World Championship tournament.
At the EuroBasket 2007, Zisis was one of the two key Greek players along with Theo Papaloukas, that led Greece's national team to the biggest comeback in the history of the European Championship, against the Slovenian national basketball team, called "the miracle". Greece finished the tournament in 4th place.
Zisis has also competed with Greece at the 2004 Olympic Basketball Tournament, where Greece finished in 5th place in the world, and at the 2008 Olympic Basketball Tournament, where Greece finished in 5th place in the world. He also played at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
Zisis is very close friends with fellow Greek national basketball team player Vassilis Spanoulis, and he is also friends with Italian NBA player Andrea Bargnani.

Nickname(s) The Lord of the Rings
Position Point Guard
Shooting Guard
Height 6 ft 5.75 in (1.97 m)
Weight 215 lb (98 kg)
League Italian League
Euroleague
Team Montepaschi Siena
Born August 16, 1983 (age 28)
Thessaloniki, Greece
Nationality Greek
Pro career 2000–present
Career history AEK Athens (2000-05)
Benetton Treviso (2005-07)
CSKA Moscow (2007-09)
Awards Greek League Young Player of the Year 2002
FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship MVP 2002
FIBA Europe Young Player of The Year 2005

Latrell Sprewell

Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Fontaine Sprewell (born September 8, 1970) is a former American professional basketball player. During his time as a professional, Sprewell was named to the NBA All-Star game during four seasons, and played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. He helped lead the Knicks to the NBA Finals and the Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals. Despite his accomplishments, his career was largely overshadowed by a 1997 incident in which he choked his coach, P.J. Carlesimo, during a practice, which ultimately resulted in a 68-game suspension.
Sprewell's career came to a premature end in 2005 when he refused a $21-million three-year contract offer from the Timberwolves, which he said would not be enough to feed his children. Since that time, he has made headlines for grounding his million dollar yacht, having two of his homes foreclosed upon, and being prohibited from seeing his children.
After attending Washington High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sprewell played competitively with the Three Rivers Community College Raiders Basketball Team in Poplar Bluff, Missouri from 1988–1990, and from 1990–1992 with the University of Alabama, where he was a teammate of future NBA players Robert Horry, Jason Caffey and James Robinson.
He was selected 24th overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. Sprewell, nicknamed "Spree," made an immediate impact, starting 69 of the 77 games he played in during his rookie season and averaging 15.4 points per game. His performance would improve over the next few years, leading the team in scoring and playing for the Western Conference All-Star team in 1994, 1995, and 1997, scoring 24.2 ppg in 1996-97, fifth in the league. Additionally, in 1993-1994 he led the league in games played and minutes per game.

Though a four-time All-Star, a significant mark on Sprewell's career was an incident which took place on December 1, 1997, in which he attacked head coach P. J. Carlesimo during a Warriors practice. When Carlesimo yelled at Sprewell to make crisper passes (specifically asking him to "put a little mustard" on a pass[2]), Sprewell responded that he was not in the mood for criticism and told the coach to keep his distance. When Carlesimo approached, Sprewell threatened to kill him and dragged him to the ground by his throat, choking him for 10–15 seconds before his teammates pulled Sprewell off his coach. Sprewell returned about 20 minutes later and landed a glancing blow at Carlesimo before being dragged away again. It was not his first violent incident with the Warriors; in 1995, Sprewell fought with teammate Jerome Kersey and returned to practice carrying a two-by-four, and reportedly threatened to return with a gun.[3] In a 1993 practice, Sprewell fought with Byron Houston, who was 50 pounds heavier than Sprewell and had what many teammates describe as having a Mike Tyson-like demeanor and physique.[4]
Sprewell was suspended for 10 days without pay. The next day, in the wake of a public uproar, the Warriors voided the remainder of his contract, which included $23.7 million over three years, and the NBA suspended him for one year. Sprewell took the case to arbitration, and, as a result, the contract voiding was overturned and the league suspension was reduced to the remaining 68 games of the season—at the time, the longest suspension for an on-court incident in NBA history. During his suspension, Sprewell was charged with reckless driving for his role in a 90 mph accident that injured two people, and spent three months under house arrest as part of a no-contest plea.
Due to the NBA lockout, Sprewell did not play again until February 1999,[6] after the Warriors traded him to the New York Knicks for John Starks, Chris Mills and Terry Cummings. Sprewell played 37 games for the Knicks that season; all but four off the bench.
Many pundits felt that signing the volatile Sprewell was too big a gamble for the Knicks to take, but Sprewell himself vowed that he was a changed man. New York narrowly qualified for the 1999 playoffs, making the field as the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. New York shocked the NBA as they navigated past the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and finally the Indiana Pacers en route to becoming the first eighth seeded team to make it to the NBA Finals, where they met the San Antonio Spurs. They eventually succumbed to the Spurs in 5 games, though Sprewell enjoyed a good series for the most part, averaging 26.0 ppg. He tallied 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Knicks' 78-77 Game 5 loss. He was featured on the cover of the September 1999 issue of SLAM Magazine.
Sprewell moved into the Knicks starting line up for the 1999-2000 season at small forward, and averaged 18.6 points. The Knicks gave him a five-year/$62-million contract extension.[3]
Sprewell made his only All-Star appearance for the Knicks in 2001, scoring 7 points off the bench. In 2001-02, Sprewell averaged 19.4 ppg, including 49 points in a game against the Boston Celtics, one of three times he scored 40 or more points that season.
However, prior to the 2002 season, Sprewell reported to training camp with a broken hand, which he claimed occurred when he slipped on his yacht; the Knicks fined him a record $250,000 for failing to report the incident to them. Sprewell sued the New York Post for claiming that he broke his hand in a fight.[3]
In 2003, Sprewell made NBA history as he connected 9 of 9 from the three-point arc, making the most three pointers without a single miss en route to a season-high 38 points versus the Los Angeles Clippers (the record has since been tied by the Detroit Pistons' Ben Gordon). After the season, Sprewell was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a four-team trade involving Keith Van Horn, Glenn Robinson, and Terrell Brandon.

During that regular season, Sprewell became part of the league's highest-scoring trio, alongside Kevin Garnett and point guard Sam Cassell. Sprewell helped the team earn the first seed in the Western Conference playoffs, but Minnesota's franchise-record playoff run drew to an end when they were defeated by the Lakers in 6 games in the Western Conference Finals. Sprewell finished second in team scoring, pacing at 19.9 ppg behind Garnett's 24.0 ppg.
On October 31, 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves offered Sprewell a 3-year, $21 million contract extension, substantially less than what his then-current contract paid him. Claiming to feel insulted by the offer, he publicly expressed outrage, declaring, "I have a family to feed ... If Glen Taylor wants to see my family fed, he better cough up some money. Otherwise, you're going to see these kids in one of those Sally Struthers commercials soon."[7] He declined the extension, and, having once more drawn the ire of fans and sports media, had the worst season of his career in the final year of his contract. In the summer of 2005, the Nuggets, Cavs, and Rockets all expressed interest in signing Latrell Sprewell, but no agreements were reached.
One month into the 2005-06 season and without a contract, Sprewell's agent, Bob Gist, said his client would rather retire than play for the NBA minimum salary, telling Sports Illustrated, "Latrell doesn't need the money that badly. To go from being offered $7 million to taking $1 million, that would be a slap in the face." Several days later, Gist said that Sprewell planned to wait until "teams get desperate" around the trade deadline in February, and then sign with a contending team (an eventuality that never materialized). Gist said that Sprewell would not be interested in signing for any team's $5 million mid-level exception, calling that amount "a level beneath which [Sprewell] would not stoop or kneel!"
In March 2006, Sprewell was offered contracts by the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, both of whom were considered at the time to be strong favorites to win the NBA Championship, but Sprewell failed to respond and remained a free agent as the season came to a close. There was also some interest in Sprewell by the Los Angeles Lakers at the beginning of the 2005-2006 season, but a disagreement in the contract offer resulted in a failure to reach a deal.[citation needed]
Over the course of his career, Sprewell started 868 of 913 games he played in, averaging 18.8 ppg, 4.2 apg and 4.1 rpg with playoff career averages of 19.7 ppg, 3.4 apg and 4.3 rpg. Sprewell was named to the All-NBA First Team at the end of his second season, and to the All-NBA Defensive second team that same year.
Latrell Sprewell is currently the number one delinquent taxpayer in the state of Wisconsin. He owes $3,533,426.49 in back income taxes.

Eduardo Nájera

Eduardo Nájera
Eduardo Alonso Nájera Pérez[1] (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈnaxeɾa][2]) (born July 11, 1976 in Chihuahua, Mexico) 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.[3]
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.[4]
Currently, he and Jennifer, his wife, have a daughter and a son.
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.[2] He was the first Mexican player to be drafted into the NBA (Horacio Llamas being undrafted).[1]
Najera played for the Mexican team in the 1997 World University Games and helped them achieve a fourth place finish in the 1999 World University Games.[1]
He saw significant action as a member of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000–01 and 2001–02, but recurrent knee injuries limited his action in his last two years in Dallas.
He played at the first-ever Basketball Without Borders Americas tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the 2004 NBA Summer of Goodwill.

On August 24, 2004, Najera was traded along with Luis Flores, Christian Laettner, Mladen Sekularac, cash, a 2007 first round draft pick, and another future first round draft pick to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Erick Dampier, Dan Dickau, Evan Eschmeyer, and Steve Logan.[7] In Golden State Najera again put in modest minutes and was a solid contributor.


Najera with the Denver Nuggets
On February 24, 2005, he was then sent to the Denver Nuggets along with Luis Flores and a future first round pick in exchange for Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Rodney White, where he would have some of his most productive seasons as an NBA player.[8]
Also in 2006, an exhibition match was played in Monterrey, Mexico, between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets.
On April 27, 2006, Najera started his first playoff game for the Nuggets in Game 3 of their first round series facing the Los Angeles Clippers. He replaced Kenyon Martin who was suspended indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team".
He was partly involved in the December 2006 Knicks–Nuggets brawl. While not involved in the actual fighting, he did try to separate the players. He was ejected from the game.
On July 11, 2008 he signed a contract with the New Jersey Nets for 4 years $12 million.[9][10] He stated that he would make it a point to turn the Nets' young forwards Yi Jianlian and Ryan Anderson and center Brook Lopez into stronger, tougher players. Najera turned down more money and a chance to return to his college state, Oklahoma City Thunder. He also turned down an offer from the New Orleans Hornets in order to take a chance to lead a young and talented New Jersey team.
On January 11, 2010, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Kris Humphries and Shawne Williams.[11]
On July 13, 2010, Nájera was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats along with Erick Dampier and Matt Carroll in exchange for Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinça.

n 2000, Eduardo Najera was named Third Team All-American by both the Associated Press and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
In 2000, Eduardo Najera graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in sociology.
In 2000, Najera received the Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame, an award given to a player who has demonstrated personal character both on and off the court.[2]
In 2001, Najera served as the United Nations Drug Control Programme Goodwill Ambassador for Sports Against Drugs. In 2004, he established the Eduardo Najera Foundation for Latino Achievement, which provides college scholarships for outstanding Latino students facing barriers to their educations, and in 2006, he received the Chopper Travaglini Award for demonstrating outstanding charity work in the Denver community.
No. 21 Charlotte Bobcats
Small forward
Personal information
Date of birth July 11, 1976 (age 35)
Place of birth Ciudad Meoqui, Chihuahua, Mexico
Nationality Mexican
High school Cornerstone Christian Academy
(San Antonio)
Listed height 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight 235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College Oklahoma (1996–2000)
NBA Draft 2000 / Round: 2 / Pick: 38th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career 2000–present
League NBA
Career history
2000–2004 Dallas Mavericks
2004–2005 Golden State Warriors
2005–2008 Denver Nuggets
2008–2010 New Jersey Nets
2010 Dallas Mavericks
2010–present Charlotte Bobcats

Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire
Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire[1] (pronunciation: /əˈmɑreɪ ˈstɒdəmaɪər/; born November 16, 1982) is an American professional basketball center and power forward for the New York Knicks. Taken in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, he spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns. He is listed by NBA.com as 6 feet 10 inches (208 cm) and 240 pounds (110 kg).
Stoudemire won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2003, made six appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, made first-team All-NBA in 2007, and won a Bronze Medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympic Games.
Stoudemire's first name had previously been listed in the Phoenix Suns media guide as Amaré or Amare, but it was changed to Amar'e in October 2008.[2] Stoudemire told NBA.com that his name had always been spelled Amar'e, but the media had been spelling it incorrectly since he joined the NBA.
Stoudemire was born in Lake Wales, Florida. His father, Hazell, died of a heart attack when Stoudemire was 12, and his mother, Carrie, was in and out of prison during that time.[4][5]
As a result, he attended six different high schools—among them Mount Zion Christian Academy—before graduating from Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida.[5] He told Isaac Perry in an article for Dime Magazine that what kept him going in that time period was God and the words of rapper Tupac Shakur.
He did not start playing organized basketball until he was 14.[6] Stoudemire only played two years of high school-level basketball, but in those two years he was named the MVP of the Nike Summer League. He committed to play at the University of Memphis, but never attended the school.
Instead, he declared for the NBA draft because of his desire to help his family quickly. The Phoenix Suns decided on him with the ninth pick in the 2002 NBA Draft due to a need for inside strength at the time. Phoenix was the only team that year to select a high school player in the first round.

In his rookie season, Stoudemire averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, with a season high of 38 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 30, 2002, the highest score by a prep-to-pro player until broken a year later by LeBron James.[citation needed] Stoudemire won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, beating out Yao Ming and Caron Butler and becoming the first player drafted out of high school to win the award.
The following season, Stoudemire improved statistically,[7][8] but his team stumbled to a 29–53 record, and point guard Stephon Marbury was traded to the New York Knicks. During the summer of 2004, Stoudemire was selected to play for the eventual Bronze Medal-winning United States national team in the 2004 Summer Olympics. However, head coach Larry Brown declined to give him significant playing time[quantify].
During the 2004–05 NBA season, Stoudemire teamed up with point guard Steve Nash to lead the Suns to a 62–20 record. Averaging 26 points per game that year and achieving a new career high of 50 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 2, 2005, he was selected to his first National Basketball Association All-Star Game as a reserve forward. In the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Stoudemire performed magnificently, averaging 37 points per game, but the Suns lost in 5 games.
During the 2005–06 NBA pre-season, knee cartilage damage was discovered and Stoudemire underwent microfracture surgery on October 18, 2005. Initially, the Suns thought he would return by mid-February,[9] but his rehab took longer than expected. Stoudemire, however, scored 20 points in his return against the Portland Trail Blazers, but went scoreless his third game against the New Jersey Nets on March 27, 2006. On March 28 it was announced that he would likely miss the rest of the regular season due to ongoing stiffness in both knees. His manager stated that the comeback came a little too soon, and Stoudemire needed to do more rehab.[10] Stoudemire's rehabilitation, which was led by Suns trainer Aaron Nelson[11] and Dr. Micheal Clark, the president and CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)[12] went well as he stated during the rehab that he was pretty explosive and he gradually gained his strength back.
Before the 2006–07 season, Stoudemire changed his jersey number from 32 to 1.[14] Dijon Thompson, last wore #1 the previous season.[14]
Stoudemire joined the United States national team once and began practicing with the international team in July, but was dropped from the squad for its trip to Asia because coach Mike Krzyzewski believed he needed a proper chance to fully recover from his knee injuries.
On February 18, 2007, Stoudemire appeared in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, his second NBA All-Star Game appearance. He scored 29 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, and came in second in MVP voting to winner Kobe Bryant.[citation needed] He had previously announced that he would make the All Star Game in his first season back after his knee recovered.[citation needed]
During the 2007 NBA Playoffs, in a series against the San Antonio Spurs, Stoudemire accused Manu Ginóbili and Bruce Bowen of being "dirty" players.[15][16] Stoudemire was suspended for Game 5 for leaving the bench area after an altercation between guard Steve Nash and Robert Horry. The Suns lost to the Spurs in six games.

Stoudemire led the Suns in scoring (25.2 points per game) and rebounds (9.1 per game) in the 2007–08 season. He made the 2008 NBA All-Star team and was named to the 2nd team on the All-NBA Team. Stoudemire also adjusted well to playing with Shaquille O'Neal, who the Suns had acquired in February. The Suns however faltered in the playoffs, again losing to their rivals the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns blew a big lead in game one of the series, and seemed to never recover, losing the series 4–1 to the Spurs. Stoudemire averaged 23 points in the series. After the season, the Suns coach Mike D'Antoni left the team to coach the New York Knicks.
With new coach Terry Porter, the Suns game turned more to an emphasis on defense and a more controlled offense. The Suns offensive slowdown affected Stoudemire, whose scoring average dropped about 4 points from the previous season, although he was still leading the team in scoring and rebounding. The Suns also struggled with Terry Porter's system, and were just 28–23 and had lost their last five games just before the 2009 NBA All-Star game. Stoudemire started for the winning Western Conference in the 2009 NBA All-Star Game.
On February 19, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Stoudemire suffered a detached retina, although he may have injured it earlier as he had been bothered by the same eye even before this game. He had injured the same eye in preseason, although this injury involved a partially torn iris, with no damage to his retina. He said then that he would have to wear protective goggles for the rest of his career, but stopped wearing them after seven games.[17] Stoudemire underwent eye surgery to repair the retina. The recovery took eight weeks, which forced him to miss the remainder of the regular season.[18] He announced that he would wear protective goggles when he returned to play the following season.
In the 2009–10 season, Stoudemire would eventually lead the Suns to a 54–28 record, clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. The Suns would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 4–2 during the first round and beat the San Antonio Spurs 4–0 in the Conference Semifinals, to meet the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals. After dropping the first two games, Stoudemire would score 42 points in game 3 and 21 in game 4, to help the Suns tie the series 2–2. After Ron Artest's buzzer beater in game 5 and Kobe Bryant's 37 points in game 6, the Suns lost the series 4–2.
On June 30, 2010, Stoudemire opted out of his contract with the Phoenix Suns, which made him an unrestricted free agent. On July 5, 2010, Stoudemire and the New York Knicks agreed in principle to a contract estimated to be worth around $99.7 million over five years.[20] On the first day that free agents were allowed to officially sign, the Knicks formally introduced Stoudemire at Madison Square Garden.[21] With the Knicks, Stoudemire was reunited with head coach Mike D'Antoni, who had coached him with the Suns. On December 15, 2010, in a loss against the Boston Celtics, Stoudemire set a franchise record with his ninth straight 30-point game.[22] On December 17, 2010, Stoudemire set a franchise record with his ninth straight game shooting 50 percent or better from the field.[citation needed] On January 27th, 2011, Stoudemire was named a starter on the Eastern Conference All Star Team alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, and Dwight Howard. On February 22, 2011 the Knicks made a 3-team trade with the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves that sent Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks along with the Nuggets' starting point guard Chauncey Billups.[23] In 2011, the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire was injured during the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the Knicks were swept by the Boston Celtics.
In November 2008, Stoudemire received the NBA's Community Assist Award, for his work with his Each 1, Teach 1 Foundation, and its efforts to provide safe drinking water in Sierra Leone by funding the building of water wells in impoverished villages. Stoudemire visited the country in Summer 2008, making visits to water well sites and meeting with President Ernest Bai Koroma and the rest of the cabinet.

Brevin Knight

Brevin Knight
Brevin Adon Knight (born November 8, 1975) is an American retired professional basketball point guard who played with nine teams in the NBA from 1997 to 2009. Knight played college basketball at Stanford University and was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1997. He is the brother of Brandin Knight.
Knight attended Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, New Jersey, leading its basketball team to New Jersey state championships along with Ira Bowman, Chris Couzen, and Pat Bosworth his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He was named to the Newark Star-Ledger's All-State First Team. Lightly recruited out of high school, Knight was a late signee for Stanford University.

Knight had a successful college career at Stanford, where he is the all-time leader in assists (780) and steals (298) and third all-time in scoring (1,714). He was chosen by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 16th pick in the 1997 NBA Draft.
Knight was drafted with the 16th pick of the first round in the 1997 NBA Draft.[1] In his rookie season, Knight led the NBA in steals per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.[2] He has played for the Cavaliers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Phoenix Suns, the Washington Wizards, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Bobcats, averaging 7.6 points and 6.5 assists per game in his career.

The Bobcats received Knight through their 2004 expansion draft. He was one of the best players on the team during the 2004–05 NBA season, averaging 10.1 points, 9 assists, and 1.98 steals per game as the Bobcats went 18–64. Knight finished second in assists per game in the league, behind MVP Steve Nash. He was waived by the Bobcats on June 29, 2007 after spending the last three seasons with them.[3] On August 13, 2007, he signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.[4] He was traded to the Utah Jazz on July 23, 2008 for Jason Hart.

No. 2, 6, 12, 22
Point guard
Personal information
Date of birth November 8, 1975 (age 35)
Place of birth Livingston, New Jersey
Nationality American
High school Seton Hall Preparatory School
Listed height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight 170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
College Stanford (1993–1997)
NBA Draft 1997 / 16th overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Pro career 1997–2009
Career history
1997–2001 Cleveland Cavaliers
2001 Atlanta Hawks
2001–2003 Memphis Grizzlies
2003 Phoenix Suns
2003–2004 Washington Wizards
2004 Milwaukee Bucks
2004–2007 Charlotte Bobcats
2007–2008 Los Angeles Clippers
2008–2009 Utah Jazz

Penny Hardaway

Penny Hardaway
Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway (born July 18, 1971) is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), specializing as a small forward, shooting guard, and point guard. His most productive years came in his days as a member of the Orlando Magic as well as the early portion of his stint with the Phoenix Suns. Hardaway was an All-NBA player early in his career, but was plagued by constant injuries which gradually reduced his effectiveness. He played for New York Knicks from 2004 to 2006 and last played for the Miami Heat, who released him December 12, 2007.
Hardaway grew up playing basketball in Memphis for Treadwell High School, where he averaged 36.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.9 steals, and 2.8 blocks as a senior and was named Parade Magazine National High School player of the year. He finished his high school career with 3,039 points.[2] Hardaway then committed to Memphis State University (known as the University of Memphis since 1994).
Hardaway had to sit out the 1990–91 season due to being academically ineligible. He wound up making the Dean's List with a 3.4 grade point average as an education major. During his freshman season, Hardaway was robbed at gunpoint and then struck by a stray bullet in the foot, putting his career in jeopardy.
In the summer of 1992 Hardaway was selected to the 1992 USA Basketball Developmental Team that scrimmaged daily against the 1992 Olympic Team.[4] Penny was teammates with Chris Webber, Bobby Hurley, Jamal Mashburn, Rodney Rogers, Eric Montross, Grant Hill, and Allan Houston. The USA Basketball Developmental Team was the only team to beat Team USA in 1992.
Penny was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1993 NBA Draft (third pick overall), but was traded along with three future first-round picks to the Orlando Magic for the rights to first overall pick Chris Webber. The Magic's intent was to draft Webber and pair him with Shaquille O'Neal until Hardaway - whose desire was to play alongside O'Neal - requested a second workout to show why he should be their pick. Two days before the draft, Hardaway participated in a shirts-skins game with several Magic players and local talent and impressed the organization enough to make the draft day trade.

He started out the season at the shooting guard position while he learned the point guard position from veteran Scott Skiles
The 1994–95 NBA season saw Penny take his game to another level. The Magic won a franchise record 57 games while Penny averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. In fact he was the only player to average at least twenty points and five assists and shoot fifty percent on field goals during the regular season. He was named a starter in his first NBA All-Star game and was named All-NBA First Team. The highlight of the playoff run was the second-round defeat of the Chicago Bulls. Along with Shaquille O'Neal, he led his team to the NBA Finals in his second season, where they were swept by the Houston Rockets. Despite the sweep Hardaway averaged 24.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8 assists, while shooting 50% from the field in the series.
An injury to star teammate Shaquille O'Neal at the start of the 1995-96 NBA season forced Hardaway to garner more of the scoring load during the first few weeks of the season. He responded by leading the Magic to a 17–5 start.
He was named NBA Player of the Month for November by averaging 27.0 points, 6.5 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 1 block per game.
He was named a starter in the NBA All-Star Game for the second consecutive season while leading the Magic to a franchise record 60 wins. For the season he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the second consecutive year while averaging 21.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds and capturing 166 steals which was good for 5th in the league.
During the summer of 1996, Hardaway played on the 1996 US Olympic Games Basketball Team, which won a gold medal. Penny averaged 9 points, 4.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in the eight games.
The departure of O'Neal during the off-season to the Los Angeles Lakers left Hardaway as the lone star on the Magic heading into the 1996–97 NBA season. Hardaway struggled through an injury filled season but still managed to be named a starter for the third consecutive time in the NBA All-Star game. During the season Hardaway, being the team leader, led a coup to fire then coach Brian Hill with only 33 games left during the season.[11][12] In 59 regular-season games he averaged 20.5 points, 5.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game and was named to the All-NBA Third Team.
A devastating left knee injury incurred early in the 1997-98 NBA season required surgery and forced him to miss the majority of the season. Despite injury, he was voted to start NBA All-Star Game for fourth straight year, and had six points and three assists in 12 minutes at New York. However, he was criticized for attempting a comeback sooner than expected by playing in the All-Star Game. He played his last game a week after the All-Star game and missed the remainder of the season (Hardaway has since endured another four surgeries on his left knee up to the present that have gradually deteriorated his explosive athletic abilities). In 19 games he averaged 16.4 points, 4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals.

Hardaway returned during the lockout-shortened 1999 season and managed to play in all 50 regular-season games to lead the Magic to a share of the best regular-season record in the Eastern Conference. He averaged 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists, and his 111 steals placed him 5th in the league. The Magic then lost a first-round series to the Philadelphia 76ers in which Hardaway averaged 19 points, 5.5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2.3 steals. It would prove to be his final season in Orlando.
In the Summer of 1999, at the urging of Phoenix Suns' point guard Jason Kidd,[13] Hardaway was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Danny Manning, Pat Garrity and two future first round-draft picks.[14]
In 369 regular season games with the Magic, Hardaway averaged 19 points, 6.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. In 45 playoff games he averaged 21.8 points, 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals.
Hardaway was dealt to Phoenix before the start of 1999–2000 NBA Season to team with fellow All-Star guard Jason Kidd to form what was called BackCourt 2000.[13] Injuries to Hardaway's foot and Kidd's ankle allowed them to play just 45 games together (33–12 with both in lineup). In 60 games Hardaway averaged 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.6 steals with a 42–18 record. The Suns finished with a 53–29 record and a 5th seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
The outlook was optimistic heading into the 2000–01 NBA season but a dreaded microfracture surgery on his left knee forced Hardaway to miss all but four games during the season. In those four games he averaged 9.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals.
Hardaway entered the 2001-02 NBA season healthy and managed to play in 80 regular-season games. Kidd had been dealt to the New Jersey Nets for new point guard Stephon Marbury. Kidd's pass-first style was switched with Marbury's shoot-first style which led to Hardaway and Marbury butting heads. Hardaway managed to average 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.7 steals during the month of November.
Hardaway entered the 2002-03 NBA season coming off the bench. Inconsistent play by young Joe Johnson allowed Hardaway to get back into the starting lineup early in the season. His steady veteran play was a key component to a team that had young stars such as Marbury, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion.
The 2003-04 NBA season saw Hardaway shuffle in and out of the Suns starting lineup. He was traded to the New York Knicks January 6, 2004 along with Marbury and Cezary Trybanski. He averaged 8.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 34 games for the Suns.
In 236 regular season games with the Suns he averaged 12.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals. In 15 playoff games he averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals.
Hardaway and Marbury helped lead the Knicks to the 2004 NBA Playoffs. In 42 regular-season games with the Knicks, Hardaway averaged 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1 steal. In 76 total games during the season he averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. In the playoffs the Knicks lost in the first round to the New Jersey Nets. Hardaway led the Knicks in scoring in two playoff games while averaging 16.5 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in the series.
On August 9, 2007, Hardaway was signed by the Miami Heat for the veteran's minimum,[16] reuniting him with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal.[14] He wore jersey number 7, marking the first time in his pro career that he didn't wear number 1.[17] On December 12, 2007, he was waived by the Miami Heat in order to free up a team spot for free agent Luke Jackson. In 16 regular season games, he averaged 3.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists & 1.19 steals. His best game of the season was on November 17, with 6–6 shooting for 16 points in a win over the New Jersey Nets 91–87 on the road.

Jeff Hornacek

Jeff Hornacek
Jeffrey John Hornacek (play /ˈhɔrnəsɛk/; born May 3, 1963) is a retired American basketball player who played at the shooting guard position in the NBA from 1986–2000.
He attended Komarek Elementary School in North Riverside, Illinois, and Gurrie Middle School and Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Cook County, Illinois.
Redshirted at Iowa State University (ISU) in 1981, he was a team walk-on who played from 1982–1986.[1] The son of a high school basketball coach, he became an all-conference player in the Big Eight Conference, playing for legendary coach Johnny Orr. As a point guard he guided the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 of the 1986 NCAA tournament. His shining moment came at the Metrodome in Minneapolis when, after first hitting a shot to tie the game and send it to overtime, Jeff hit the game winning shot in overtime, a 26-ft jumper at the buzzer, to give ISU its first NCAA tournament victory since 1944, beating Miami University, March 14 1986, 81-79. Two days later, he led the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet Sixteen," in a 72-69 upset of second seed Michigan. Orr, who had previously left Michigan to coach at Iowa State, called it the greatest victory of his career. Hornacek left ISU with a Big-8 record of 665 career assists, still an Iowa State school record, and 1,313 career points. He was the fourth player in Cyclone basketball history to have his number retired when his #14 jersey was hung from the rafters of Hilton Coliseum in 1991.

He was the 22nd pick in the second round (46th overall) of the 1986 NBA Draft, by the Phoenix Suns. The 2nd round draft pick that was used to select him was traded three times before finally ending up with the Suns. First, the Los Angeles Lakers packaged it in the deal to acquire Byron Scott from the San Diego Clippers before the 1983-84 season. A week later, the Clippers would then send the pick to the Detroit Pistons in a deal to acquire Ricky Pierce, and on that same day, the Pistons dealt the pick to the Suns for David Thirdkill.

The Suns struggled in Hornacek's first two seasons, but after hiring Cotton Fitzsimmons as coach and acquiring free agent Tom Chambers, the Suns went from 28 wins in 1987-88 to 55 in 1988-89. Hornacek was a perfect "third option" on offense after Chambers and Kevin Johnson. This trio would lead the Suns to four straight NBA playoff appearances, including two Western Conference Finals.

After his sixth and most productive season in 1991–92 in which he led the Suns in scoring average (20.1 ppg), Hornacek was traded (along with Andrew Lang and Tim Perry) to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley. With Hersey Hawkins, the Sixers' leading scorer, in the shooting guard position, Hornacek was assigned point guard responsibilities. Although he had a career high 6.9 assists per game in his only complete season with the Sixers (1992–93 season), his stint as a point guard was not a success (26 wins, 56 losses). Midway through the 1993–94 season (February 24) he was traded to the Utah Jazz (for Jeff Malone) where he could return to his natural shooting guard position alongside John Stockton. Like in Phoenix, Hornacek was a perfect complementary "third option" to Karl Malone and Stockton. Hornacek was also one of the best on offense in the NBA in moving without the ball, something essential for a shooting guard. He was an instrumental part of the Jazz's drive to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, where the Jazz lost to the Chicago Bulls both times. He remained with the Jazz until knee problems forced his retirement in 2000. On November 23 1994, he set a then-NBA record with eight consecutive three-pointers in a single game without a miss against the Seattle SuperSonics. That same season, he also tied an NBA record 11 consecutive three-pointers without a miss, from December 30, 1994 through January 11 1995.

One of the best free throw shooters in the league, once making 67 in a row (November 12, 1999 – January 6, 2000), one of his most well-known mannerisms was stroking the side of his face three times before every free-throw attempt. That was his way of saying hello to his three children during the game.[2] He holds a career free throw percentage of 87.7, 12th highest in NBA history.[3]

Hornacek won the NBA three-point competition twice, and along with Natalie Williams, star of the Utah Starzz, won the All-Star 2-Ball Challenge.

After the 1999-2000 season, Hornacek retired from basketball to spend more time with his family.[4] Hornacek's #14 jersey was retired by the Utah Jazz, for whom he played from 1994 to 2000, and helped get them to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Coach Jerry Sloan and Jazz announcer "Hot Rod" Hundley referred to Hornacek affectionately as "Horny".[5]

He was hired for the 2007–08 season by the Jazz as a special assistant coach and to help Andrei Kirilenko and others with their shooting.[6][7] In May 2008 Hornacek interviewed for a coaching position with the Chicago Bulls, meeting with general manager John Paxson. He put off seeking a coaching position until his children were older so the extensive travel would not put excess pressure on his family.[7] After the departure of Jerry Sloan and Phil Johnson Jeff Hornacek became a full assistant coach.
No. 14
Shooting guard
Personal information
Date of birth May 3, 1963 (age 48)
Place of birth Elmhurst, Illinois
Nationality American
High school Lyons Township (La Grange, Illinois)
Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight 190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
College Iowa State (1982–1986)
NBA Draft 1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career 1986–2000
Career history
1986–1992 Phoenix Suns
1992–1994 Philadelphia 76ers
1994–2000 Utah Jazz
Career highlights and awards

NBA All-Star (1991)
2× NBA Three-Point Shootout champion (1998, 2000)
#14 Retired by the Utah Jazz

Career NBA statistics
Points 15,659 (14.5 ppg)
Steals 1,536 (1.4 spg)
3P% .403

Sam Cassell

Sam Cassell
Samuel James "Sam" Cassell (born November 18, 1969), is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. The 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) point guard was selected out of Florida State University by the Houston Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. He won two NBA Championships in his first two seasons in the league as a member of the Rockets, and his third with the Boston Celtics in 2008. He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game and All-NBA Team once, both in the 2003–04 season. He played for the Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Clippers.
After graduating from Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland, Cassell spent a post graduate year at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Maine under coach Max Good. From MCI, Cassell was successfully recruited to attend DePaul University.[1] He was declared academically ineligible based on National Collegiate Athletic Association Proposition 48 standards, and ended up starting his college career at San Jacinto College in Texas, where he was known as a big scorer. He moved on to Florida State University for his junior and senior years. In his senior year in 1992–93, he averaged 18.3 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game and led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in steals. Cassell and teammate Bob Sura formed the highest scoring and rebounding backcourt in the nation with 38.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Cassell's 1992–93 Seminoles team finished with a 25–10 record and advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to the Kentucky Wildcats.[2]
On February 14, 2008, in a game against Wake Forest, Cassell's jersey was retired by Florida State.
Cassell was selected out of Florida State University with the 24th overall pick of the 1993 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets as eventual successor to Kenny Smith at the point guard position. Eventually, he split point guard duties with Smith in 1994 and 1995, his first two seasons in the league, and helped the Rockets win two NBA Championships. After the 1995–96 season, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns, along with Robert Horry, Chucky Brown and Mark Bryant, in exchange for Charles Barkley, but his tenure there was brief, as he appeared in just 22 games for the Suns.
On December 27, 1996, he was traded along with Michael Finley, A.C. Green and a second-round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Jason Kidd, Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer. Midway through the 1996–97 season, after appearing in 16 games for the Mavericks, he was traded with Chris Gatling, Jim Jackson, George McCloud and Eric Montross to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Shawn Bradley, Ed O'Bannon, Robert Pack and Khalid Reeves on February 17, 1997. Following the season, he elected to re-sign with the Nets.
Midway through the 1998–99 season, he was dealt again, for the fourth time in 6 seasons, in a three-way trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks along with Brian Evans, Chris Gatling, a 1999 first-round draft pick and a future first-round draft pick on March 11, 1999. On March 3, 2001, he scored his career-high of 40 points against the Chicago Bulls. During All-Star Weekend in 2001, he won the Fleer Shootout at Jam Session on All-Star Saturday. He almost reached the NBA Finals with the Bucks in 2001, falling just short when they lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. During the 2002–03 season, he passed 10,000 points for his career.

After spending 4 seasons with the Bucks, he was traded along with Ervin Johnson to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Joe Smith and Anthony Peeler following the 2002–03 season. He arguably had his best season in 2003–04, when he was named to the All-NBA Second Team and All-Interview Second Team, and voted into the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. He helped the Timberwolves to reach the 2004 Western Conference Finals.
After the 2004–05 season, the Timberwolves traded him and a conditional first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers. Cassell appeared to have found a home with the Clippers, as he led them to the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2006 Playoffs. In the First Round, they beat the Denver Nuggets in five games, but would eventually fall to the Phoenix Suns in 7 games. Before the 2006–07 season, Cassell was tempted to take a two-year, $15M offer from the Atlanta Hawks, but eventually re-signed with the Clippers on a two-year, $13M deal.
Throughout the 2007–08 season, it had been rumored that Cassell would get bought out of his contract with the Clippers, especially after they let the trade deadline pass without dealing him. Cassell first denied that he was pushing strongly towards a buyout,[4] but eventually acknowledged his buyout talks with the Clippers.[5] On February 26, 2008, it was reported that the Clippers would officially announce the buyout later that day,[6] but that did not happen, and only some days later the interests of both parties were reported to be far apart.[7] Cassell would have to walk away from all of his remaining salary to receive a buyout, and initially was not ready to do so.[7] But on February 28, 2008, the Clippers reached a contractual buyout agreement with Cassell and placed him on waivers.[8][9] According to the agreement, Cassell received half of his remaining salary, roughly $850,000

Cassell became an unrestricted free agent on March 3, 2008, 6 p.m. ET, when he cleared waivers, and was eligible to sign with a team of his choice.[11] Although the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns were interested in his services,[12] he was strongly linked with a poised move to the Boston Celtics and was expected to be in Boston once he cleared waivers.[11] On March 1, 2008, Cassell's agent, David Falk, confirmed that Cassell would sign a contract with the Celtics for the remainder of the season if he cleared waivers, receiving a prorated amount of the veteran minimum of $1.2M.[13] Cassell said that he would wear either No. 28 or No. 91 on his jersey,[11] and eventually chose No. 28.
On May 21, 2009, Cassell was named assistant coach under Flip Saunders of the Washington Wizards.
Cassell is known for his feistiness and outgoing personality.[30] He was one of the Milwaukee Bucks' "Big Three", alongside Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson, that reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001.[25] In Minnesota, he was an integral part of the team, as he and his teammates were led by 2003–04 MVP Kevin Garnett to the 2004 Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. Coincidentally, both Allen and Garnett, alongside resident star Paul Pierce, would become Cassell's teammates with the Boston Celtics, and helped them win the 2008 NBA Finals.

Joe Dumars

Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars III (born May 24, 1963), nicknamed Joe D, is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, and currently the Detroit Pistons' President of Basketball Operations. At 6'3" (190 cm) Dumars could play either shooting guard or point guard on offense and was a highly effective defender. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dumars and Isiah Thomas combined to form one of the best backcourts in NBA history. Initially a shooting guard, Dumars moved over to point guard following Thomas's retirement in 1994, sharing ball-handling duties with Grant Hill. Dumars was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Dumars was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dumars' mother, Ophelia, was a custodian at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches while his father, Joe (Big Joe), was a truck driver.
Dumars grew up in an athletic family, but, surprisingly, basketball was not his favorite sport as a child. Football was more popular in the region and all five of his brothers were defensive standouts at Natchitoches Central High School. His brother David later played professional football in the USFL. Dumars followed in his brothers’ footsteps playing defensive back on the football team until junior high school when a big hit on the field directed him toward basketball. Ever the supportive father, Big Joe built a hoop, made of an old bicycle wheel and half of a wooden door, in the Dumars' backyard where Little Joe spent hours practicing his jumper.

McNeese State University became the beneficiary of the bicycle hoop. During his four years in college, Dumars averaged 22.5 points per game, including 25.8 ppg as a senior - good for sixth in the nation. He finished his college career as the 11th leading scorer in NCAA history.
Drafted 18th overall in the first round of the 1985 NBA Draft, he played guard for the Detroit Pistons for his entire career, from 1985 to 1999. He won two championships as a player in 1989 and 1990, and was voted the 1989 Finals MVP, averaging 27.3 points per game as the Pistons swept the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The following year, he won accolades during the Eastern Conference Finals when, with Dennis Rodman, he was a cornerstone of coach Chuck Daly's "Jordan Rules" defensive playbook, which forced the Chicago Bulls to change their offensive strategy to include less of Michael Jordan and more of the other members of the team. According to Jordan, Dumars was the best defender he faced in the NBA.
During his career, he was selected to the All-Star team six times, and to the All-Defensive first team four times. In 14 seasons, all with the Pistons, Dumars scored 16,401 points, handed out 4,612 assists, grabbed 2,203 rebounds and recorded 902 steals.
Although he was a member of the famed "Bad Boys" teams known for their aggressive play and demeanor, he became personally known for his quiet and upstanding behavior. He was the first recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award which has been named the "Joe Dumars Trophy".
His #4 jersey was retired by the Pistons in March 2000. He has the distinction as being the only Pistons player to ever wear this number.
He played for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.

Dumars became the Pistons' President of Basketball Operations prior to the 2000–01 season. He was voted the league's Executive of the Year for the 2002-03 season and quietly went on to build the team that won the 2004 NBA Championship and became the 2005 NBA Eastern Conference Champions—doing so largely with players who had been discarded by other franchises. The Pistons made it to the Eastern Conference Finals six straight years (2003–2008) under Dumars' watch. This streak would come to an end in the 2008–09 season. The Pistons would get swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
No. 4
Shooting guard
Personal information
Date of birth May 24, 1963 (age 48)
Place of birth Shreveport, Louisiana
Nationality American
High school Natchitoches Central
(Natchitoches, Louisiana)
Listed height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight 195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College McNeese State (1981–1985)
NBA Draft 1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Pro career 1985–1999
Career history
1985–1999 Detroit Pistons
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA Champion (1989–1990)
NBA Finals MVP (1989)
6× NBA All-Star (1990–1993, 1995, 1997)
All-NBA Second Team (1993)
2× All-NBA Third Team (1990–1991)
4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1989–1990, 1992–1993)
NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1991)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1986)
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (1994)
NBA Sportsmanship Award (1996)
NBA Executive of the Year (2003)
#4 Retired by the Detroit Pistons

Rick Fox

Rick Fox
Ulrich Alexander "Rick" Fox (born July 24, 1969) is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.
Fox was born in Toronto, the son of Dianne Gerace, who was an Olympic high jumper and women's pentathlete, and Ulrich Fox.[1] His father is Bahamian and his mother is Italian Canadian. Fox's family moved to his father's native Bahamas when Fox was three. He attended Kingsway Academy in Nassau, where he was a member of the high school's basketball team, the "Saints." Fox also played high school basketball in Warsaw, Indiana. After two seasons (1984–1986) at Warsaw, Fox was projected to have a monster senior season. Just prior to his senior season, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) ruled that he had no more high school eligibility left (due to completing eight semesters in the Bahamas) and was not allowed to participate in any IHSAA games.[2] Despite not playing his senior season, Fox was voted onto the Indiana All-Star team in 1987.
He then went on to star collegiately at the University of North Carolina where his highlights included leading the Tar Heels to the 1991 NCAA Final Four.

Fox began his pro basketball career when he was selected by the Boston Celtics in the first round (24th pick overall) of the 1991 NBA Draft. As a member of the Celtics, Fox became the first rookie starter on opening night since Larry Bird in 1979.[3] Fox played for thirteen seasons in the NBA (from 1991–1997 with Boston and from 1997–2004 with the Los Angeles Lakers). With the Lakers, Fox won three NBA championships: in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and played in the 2004 NBA Finals.
On April 5, 1999, Fox scored his 6,000th career point in the Lakers' 117-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets. In 56 career NBA Playoff games, he averaged 6.1 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.[3]
Fox played internationally for Canada once, at the 1994 FIBA Basketball World Championship held in Toronto.

Fox's acting credits include playing prison inmate Jackson Vahue on the HBO prison drama Oz. He has also appeared in a number of basketball themed films, namely Eddie, He Got Game, and Blue Chips. Fox was a producer of The 1 Second Film, the largest collaborative nonprofit film ever created.[citation needed]
Fox has guest starred in One Tree Hill, Missing, and Shark with James Woods. He appeared in the movie Holes. [4]
In 2007, Fox signed on with the show Dirt to play a recurring role in a multi-episode storyline. He also had a lead role in Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns as Harry, Angela Bassett's love interest. He played Wilhelmina Slater's bodyguard and lover in the second season of Ugly Betty, opposite his former wife Vanessa L. Williams.
No. 44, 17
Small forward
Personal information
Date of birth July 24, 1969 (age 42)
Toronto, Ontario
Listed height 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight 230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
College North Carolina
NBA Draft 1991 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24th overall
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Pro career 1991–2004
Career history
Boston Celtics (1991–1997)
Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004)
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Team (2nd, 1992)
3× NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002)
3× NBA All-Star in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (2009-2011)

Detlef Schrempf

Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf (born January 21, 1963, in Leverkusen, West Germany) is a retired German NBA basketball player.
Schrempf moved to the United States his senior year of high school, attending Centralia High School in Centralia, Washington, for one year, leading the Tigers to the state title in his senior year in 1981 by defeating the Blazers of Timberline High School.

He played college basketball at University of Washington, where he was named to the All-Pac-10 Team and The Sporting News All-America Second Team. At college, he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and majored in International Business.

Originally selected eighth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1985 NBA Draft, Schrempf became a regular in NBA rotations after being traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for veteran center Herb Williams. With the Pacers, he won consecutive NBA Sixth Man Awards in 1990 and 1991. He finished second in the NBA with a .478 three-point percentage in 1987, and eventually worked his way into the starting lineup. In the 1992-93 season, he was selected to the first of his three National Basketball Association All-Star Games with the others being in 1995 and 1997. He was the only player in the NBA in 1992-93 to finish in the top 25 in scoring (19.1 ppg), rebounding (9.5 rpg) and assists (6.0 apg).[1]

Following the 1992-93 NBA season, Schrempf was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics for forward Derrick McKey and guard/forward Gerald Paddio. He ranked second in the NBA in three-point accuracy during the 1994-95 season with a 51.4 three-point field goal percentage. On a Sonics team that also featured Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Sam Perkins, and Hersey Hawkins, Schrempf reached the NBA Finals in 1996, where they lost to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in six games. Schrempf became the first (and one of only two, to date, along with Dirk Nowitzki) German-born NBA player to reach the NBA Finals. While with the Sonics, Schrempf played in his final two NBA All-Star games.

Schrempf was released by the Sonics in 1999 and signed the same day by the Portland Trail Blazers, with whom he played until his retirement from professional basketball in 2001, playing in a total of 1136 regular season games and 114 playoff games. On January 24, 2006, the Seattle SuperSonics hired Schrempf as an assistant coach under Bob Hill, who coached Schrempf with the Indiana Pacers.

Schrempf played for the West Germany national team in the 1984 Olympics and the 1983 and 1985 European championships. In 1992, he played for the German Olympic team.
Schrempf established the Detlef Schrempf Foundation in 1996 to benefit local charities. The foundation hosts the Detlef Schrempf Celebrity Golf Classic at McCormick Woods Golf Course in Port Orchard, Washington every summer.
Schrempf is married to Mari Schrempf. They have two sons, including one named Alex who plays basketball for UCLA.[3] As of 2010, Schrempf is the director of business development at Coldstream Capital, a wealth management firm in Seattle.
"Detlef Schrempf" is the name of a song by the Seattle-based musical group Band of Horses off their 2007 album Cease to Begin. [5]

Schrempf has appeared as himself in three episodes of the sitcom Parks and Recreation, "Telethon" (2010), "Li'l Sebastian" (2011), and "Ron and Tammys" (2011).
No. 32, 11, 12
Small forward / Power forward
Personal information
Date of birth January 21, 1963 (age 48)
Place of birth Leverkusen, West Germany
Nationality German
High school Centralia (Centralia, Washington)
Listed height 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight 235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College Washington (1981–1985)
NBA Draft 1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks
Pro career 1985–2001
Career history
1985–1989 Dallas Mavericks
1989–1993 Indiana Pacers
1993–1999 Seattle SuperSonics
1999–2001 Portland Trail Blazers