|
1995–96 Minnesota Timberwolves Season
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 7th season in the National Basketball Association. This season is most memorable when the Timberwolves selected high school basketball star Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft. The team also signed free agent All-Star guard Terry Porter, and re-signed former T-Wolves forward Sam Mitchell during the off-season. The Timberwolves got off to a bad start losing nine of their first ten games, as head coach Bill Blair was fired after a 6–14 start and was replaced with Flip Saunders, while Michael Williams was out for the rest of the season with a left heel injury after just nine games. At midseason, the team traded Christian Laettner and Sean Rooks to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Andrew Lang and Spud Webb, as the team re-acquired second-year guard Darrick Martin after a brief stint with the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies. After holding a 13–32 record at the All-Star break, and despite posting an 8–8 r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Blair (basketball)
William Henry Blair Jr. (born May 17, 1942) is an American retired basketball coach. Blair worked twenty seasons in the National Basketball Association, beginning in New Jersey with the New Jersey Nets, and continuing to the Chicago Bulls, under Kevin Loughery, helping to draft Michael Jordan. He then moved to the Washington Bullets under Wes Unseld, and next the Indiana Pacers under Larry Brown—coaching spectacular teams with Reggie Miller at the helm. In 1993, he became the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, then returned to the Pacers, and finally finished his career under Randy Whitman at the Cleveland Cavaliers. Blair is a 1960 graduate of Randolph-Macon Academy where he starred on the best basketball team the school ever had. He made the starting five as a sophomore and was the high scorer his senior year in a season when they lost only one game which he and three other starters missed. When next they played the same school they doubled their opponent's point tota ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sean Rooks
Sean Lester Rooks (September 9, 1969 – June 7, 2016) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1992 to 2004, and was an Assistant for Player Development for the Philadelphia 76ers. He played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats, earning all-conference honors in the Pac-10 (known later as the Pac-12) as a senior. Rooks died of heart disease on June 7, 2016. Early life Rooks was born in New York, New York and attended Fontana High School in Fontana, California. He played college basketball at the University of Arizona with Brian Williams and Ed Stokes. Rooks was an All-American honorable mention. Playing career The 6'10" center was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round (30th overall pick) in the 1992 NBA Draft. He was a starter for the Mavericks in his rookie season and then again in 1995 for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also played for the Atlanta Hawks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Ang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Clippers' 27th season in the National Basketball Association, 13th in Los Angeles and 3rd in which they played occasional home games in Anaheim. The Clippers had the seventh pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected Lorenzen Wright from the University of Memphis. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Darrick Martin, and former All-Star center Kevin Duckworth. With the loss of Brian Williams to free agency, the Clippers were expected to sink in the bottom of the NBA again. After a 6–4 start to the season, the team lost ten of their next eleven games, as Duckworth only played just 26 games due to a sore heel injury, and Stanley Roberts only played just 18 games due to a herniated disk injury. However, with the continued solid play of Loy Vaught, who once again led the team in scoring and rebounding, the Clippers managed to slip into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a below .500 record of 36–46, fifth in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Milwaukee Bucks Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Bucks' 29th season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1996 NBA draft, the Bucks selected point guard Stephon Marbury out of Georgia Tech with the fourth overall pick, but soon traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for top draft pick shooting guard Ray Allen from the University of Connecticut. In the off-season, the team signed free agent Armen Gilliam, acquired Andrew Lang from the Timberwolves, and acquired Elliot Perry from the Phoenix Suns. Under new head coach Chris Ford, along with the new trio of Allen, Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson, the Bucks appeared to be on their way breaking out of the gate with a 15–11 start. However, they could not maintain that momentum as they slipped under .500, holding a 21–26 record at the All-Star break, then losing eight straight games between February and March, missing the playoffs again by finishing seventh in the Central Division with a 33–49 record. Baker averaged 21.0 poi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Portland Trail Blazers Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 27th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Blazers signed free agent Kenny Anderson (basketball), Kenny Anderson, acquired Isaiah Rider from the 1995–96 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota Timberwolves, and acquired second-year forward Rasheed Wallace and Mitchell Butler from the 1995–96 Washington Bullets season, Washington Bullets. This season is also notable for the team drafting high school basketball star Jermaine O'Neal with the 17th pick in the 1996 NBA draft. The Blazers would hover around .500 for most of the first half of the season, holding a 25–23 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team traded Aaron McKie to the 1996–97 Detroit Pistons season, Detroit Pistons in exchange for Stacey Augmon. The Blazers then posted a 13–2 record in March, which included an 11-game winning streak, then won their final four games of the season. The Blazers finished ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doug West
Jeffery Douglas West (born May 27, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player. A shooting guard/small forward from Villanova University, West was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 1989 NBA draft. An athletic, well-rounded player who could score as well as defend, West was an "original" Timberwolf, being drafted by the team in its first year of existence. He was the last of the original roster to remain on the team. High school career West attended Altoona Area High School where he became a Parade All-American. West was a highly touted recruit by Villanova's head coach Rollie Massimino after their 1985 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 1985 NCAA Championship run. College career At Villanova University, West proved to be a smart player, gifted shooter with driving ability and a great leaping talent. He was consistently productive in his four-year college career with an average of 15 points per game, becoming one of the most ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NBA Rookie Of The Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, named after the former Philadelphia Warriors head coach. Starting with the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy, named after the former Rookie of the Year winner. The winner is selected by a panel of United States and Canadian sportswriters and broadcasters, each casting first-, second-, and third-place votes (worth five points, three points, and one point, respectively). The player(s) with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. The most recent Rookie of the Year winner is Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors. Twenty-one winners were drafted first overall. Sixteen winners have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in their careers wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tom Gugliotta
Thomas James Gugliotta (born December 19, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player who played thirteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Early life The youngest of seven children, Gugliotta has far Italian descents (from Sicily), and attended Walt Whitman High School. His two older brothers, Frank Jr. and Charlie, both enjoyed limited collegiate success on the hardwood and played professionally in Europe. His father called an old friend, Jim Valvano at North Carolina State University during his senior season and told Valvano that his youngest son was going to be a special basketball player. Valvano took a chance on Gugliotta and brought him to Raleigh. College career During his freshman season, "Googs" was limited by a knee injury. However, he emerged in the second half of the ACC season as a member of the rotation for the Wolfpack and appeared in 28 games, averaging two points and 1.3 rebounds per game. During the offseason, Valvano bega ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isaiah Rider
Isaiah Rider Jr., nicknamed J.R. (born March 12, 1971), is an American former professional basketball player who played 9 seasons in the NBA. Rider was born in Oakland, California, and was raised in nearby Alameda. He starred in both baseball and basketball at Encinal High School before going on to a college career with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and a professional career in the National Basketball Association. Early life and college career The 6'5" (1.96 m) Rider was a prep star at Encinal High School in Alameda, California (just outside Oakland) and was one of the top rated players in the state. Rider attended two junior colleges, Allen County Community College in Iola, Kansas, where he averaged just over 30 points per game; and Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California (33 points per game), before finding a home at UNLV. During the 1991–1992 season, Rider led the Runnin' Rebels to a 26-2 record (18-0 in conference) and a number 7 ranking in the final ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996 NBA Playoffs
The 1996 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995–96 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 2. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for a then record fourth time. By winning their fourth title, the Bulls capped what many consider to be the greatest season in NBA history, as they finished a record 72–10 in the regular season, eclipsing the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers record of 69–13, helped by the addition of another future Hall of Famer to the Bulls, Dennis Rodman. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs in 1995 and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to the Orlando Magic, a team that would be swept in the NBA Finals. With him leading the way, the Bulls swept the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1995–96 Vancouver Grizzlies Season
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Grizzlies' first season in the National Basketball Association. The Vancouver Grizzlies, along with the Toronto Raptors became expansion NBA franchises in 1995. They were the first NBA teams to play in Canada since the 1946–47 Toronto Huskies. The Grizzlies revealed a new primary logo of a grizzly bear holding a basketball, and got new uniforms with Native American markings on the trims of their jerseys, adding turquoise and brown to their color scheme. In the 1995 NBA expansion draft, the team selected veteran players like Greg Anthony, Blue Edwards, Byron Scott, Benoit Benjamin, Gerald Wilkins and Kenny Gattison. The team also signed free agents Chris King and undrafted rookie forward Ashraf Amaya, and acquired Anthony Avent from the Orlando Magic. The Grizzlies received the sixth overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected center Bryant Reeves out of Oklahoma State. The team also hired Brian Winters as their first head coach. In their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Darrick Martin
Darrick David Martin (born March 6, 1971) is an American basketball coach, most recently head coach for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. He played basketball for more than a decade, shuttling between the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where he won the 2003 CBA Playoffs MVP, and the NBA. In 2003, he even played for the Harlem Globetrotters. He then went on to play for the Los Angeles Lightning of the Independent Basketball Association (IBL). He was named the head coach of Reno in June 2016. High school honors and collegiate history As a senior at St. Anthony High School, Martin was a Parade First-Team All-American and named to the McDonald's High School All-American team. Martin received a full scholarship from UCLA and played on a Bruins squad with future NBA players Don MacLean, Tracy Murray and Mitchell Butler. As a quick point guard, he completed his college career at UCLA in 1992 ranked second in school history in both assists (636) and steals (179) behind J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
