Clarence Eugene "Butch" Carter Jr. (born June 11, 1958) is an American former professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player and coach. He played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universit ...
.
Early years
Carter excelled in basketball and football at
Middletown High School in
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is a city located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, about 35 miles (47 km) north of Cincinnati. The population as of the 2020 census was 50,987. It is part of the Cincinnati metropo ...
from 1973 to 1976, and was named Ohio's "Player of the Year" in 1976.
[
] Carter became the first McDonalds All-American basketball player to play in the classic in Washington D.C in 1976.
College career
Carter accepted a basketball scholarship from
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universit ...
. He broke his 5th metatarsal bone in his left foot and was physically unable to play for most of his first two years.
He played
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
at
Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universit ...
from 1976 to 1980 and graduated with a degree in marketing from the Kelley School of Business. There, he was notable for hitting the game-winning shot in the 1979
NIT championship game vs.
Purdue
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
as a junior, earning him the tournament's
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
award, alongside teammate
Ray Tolbert
Ray Lee Tolbert (born September 10, 1958) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the first round (18th pick overall) of the 1981 NBA draft. A power forward from Indiana University, Tolbert p ...
.
He also hit the free throws that tied the Championship game against Ohio State with two seconds remaining.
Carter was named co-captain as a senior and led the team to the 1980 Big Ten Championship. He was the first guard to lead the Big Ten field goal percentage at .547 and shot .511 for his college career.
Professional career
Carter was selected by the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
in the second round (37th overall) of the
1980 NBA Draft
The 1980 NBA draft was the 34th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 10, 1980, at the Sheraton Centre Hotel & Towers, before the 1980–81 season. In this draft, 23 NBA teams took turns selectin ...
. On October 15, 1981, he was traded to the
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
in exchange for a third round draft choice (#54-Willie Jones).
In 1984, the Pacers opted to go with a youth movement, keeping rookies
Vern Fleming
Vern Fleming (born February 2, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who played twelve seasons in the NBA from 1984 until 1996. Born in New York City, Fleming grew up in the Queensbridge Housing projects in the Long Island ...
and
as their shooting guards. On October 19, Carter was traded to the
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
in exchange for a second round draft choice (#27-
Dwayne McClain
Dwayne Eddie McClain (born February 7, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round (27th pick overall) of the 1985 NBA draft.
He played in the NBA for one season and was ...
).
On November 12, 1985, he was released to make room for the recently re-signed
Louis Orr
Louis McLaughlin Orr (May 7, 1958 – December 15, 2022) was an American basketball player and coach. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and became a college basketball coach. Orr was the head coach at Bowling G ...
. On December 5, he was signed as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
by the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
, to provide depth for an injured
Sedale Threatt
Sedale Eugene Threatt (born September 10, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Threatt played college basketball at the West Virginia Institute of Techn ...
. He was released on December 16.
Carter played a total of six years in the NBA with the
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
(1980–1981),
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
(1981–1984),
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
(1984–1985), and
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
(1985). He averaged 8.7
points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by nu ...
over the six seasons. He held the NBA record for most points in an overtime period (14) for twenty years until surpassed by
Earl Boykins
Earl Antoine Boykins (born June 2, 1976) is a former American professional basketball player. Standing at in height, he is the second-shortest player in NBA history behind Muggsy Bogues, who is tall. He was the head coach for the Douglas Cou ...
.
[
]
Coaching career
From 1987 to 1989, after leaving the NBA, Carter returned to his alma mater, Middletown High School. There, he improved the team from a previous losing record to an 18–3 record. He was acknowledged for this two-year turnaround by being named Ohio Basketball High School Coach of the Year. Carter is the only person to be named both Player and Coach of the Year in the state of Ohio.
Carter served as an assistant basketball coach at
Long Beach State
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is a public research university in Long Beach, California. The 322-acre campus is the second largest of the 23-school California State University system (CSU) and one of the largest universities i ...
for Joe Harrington 1989. From 1990 to 1991, he was an assistant coach at the
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton (UD) is a private, Catholic research university in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, it is one of three Marianist universities in the nation and the second-largest private university in Ohio. The univ ...
.
Milwaukee Bucks
Carter served as an assistant coach with the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
from 1991 to 1996 under
Frank Hamblen
Frank Alan Hamblen II (April 16, 1947 – September 30, 2017) was an American basketball coach and scout. He played college basketball at Syracuse. He died in San Diego on September 30, 2017.
Early life
Born in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1947, Hambl ...
(1991) and
Mike Dunleavy (1992–1996). He was promoted to the position of the Bucks
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
**Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
**Scouts BSA, sectio ...
in 1996–1997.
Toronto Raptors
During the 1997–1998 season, Carter served as an assistant coach for the
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...
under
Darrell Walker
Darrell Walker (born March 9, 1961) is an American college basketball coach and retired professional player. He is currently head men's coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. At 6'4" (1.93 m) and 180 lb (82 kg), he played as ...
. He was promoted to
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
midway through the 1997–1998 season after Walker resigned from the team with a franchise low 11–38 record. Carter finished the remainder of the season as interim Coach with a 5–28 record.
During the
shortened 1998–99 NBA season, Carter coached the Raptors to a 23–27 record, improving the team's winning percentage by .308 from the all-time franchise low 16–66 season. Carter developed a reputation for developing young players, such as Rookie of the Year and NBA All-Star
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. (born January 26, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN. He primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions, but occasionally played Powe ...
, and eventual NBA All-Star
Tracy McGrady
Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr. (born May 24, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player, best known for his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). McGrady is a seven-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, two- ...
.
In the
1999–2000 season, Carter coached the Raptors to their first winning season (with a 45–37 record), resulting in the team's first
playoff
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
appearance. He became the first coach in NBA history to take a team from less than 20 wins to the playoffs in less than two years. However, the playoff berth was short-lived as the Raptors were eliminated in the first round by the
Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. On June 14, 2000, Carter was fired.
Richard Peddie
Richard A. Peddie (born January 1947) is a Canadian businessman. He is the former president and CEO of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment.
Career
Peddie was president and CEO of SkyDome from August 1989 to 1994. In 1993, he took a leave of a ...
, then president and CEO of the owner of the Raptors, accused Carter of trying to take general manager
Glen Grunwald
Glen Grunwald (born June 13, 1958) is an attorney and basketball executive who serves as the Executive Advisor of Canada Basketball and as a Senior Advisor of the Memphis Grizzlies.
He previously served as President and CEO of Canada Basketball ...
's job, which Carter denied, saying he only asked for the assistant general manager position.
Post-coaching career
After his coaching career ended, Carter went into business, owning a car parts manufacturer and car dealership.
Head coaching record
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Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, align="left",
, 33 , , 5 , , 28 , , , , align="center", 8th in Central, , – , , – , , – , ,
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Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, align="left",
, 50 , , 23 , , 27 , , , , align="center", 6th in Central, , – , , – , , – , ,
, align="center", Missed playoffs
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, align="left",
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, align="left",
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, align="center", Lost in
First Round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
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Personal life
He is the older brother of
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
wide receiver Cris Carter
Graduel Christopher Darin Carter (born November 25, 1965) is an American former American football, football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987–1989), the Minnesota Vikings (1990†...
.
References
External links
Team FanClubWebsite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Butch
1958 births
Living people
African-American basketball coaches
African-American basketball players
American expatriate basketball people in Canada
American men's basketball players
Basketball coaches from Ohio
Basketball players from Ohio
Cincinnati Slammers players
Dayton Flyers men's basketball coaches
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball players
Indiana Pacers players
Los Angeles Lakers draft picks
Los Angeles Lakers players
New York Knicks players
Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)
Philadelphia 76ers players
Shooting guards
Sportspeople from Middletown, Ohio
Sportspeople from Springfield, Ohio
Sportspeople from the Cincinnati metropolitan area
Toronto Raptors assistant coaches
Toronto Raptors head coaches
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American sportspeople