Devean Jamar George (born August 29, 1977) 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 who played 11 seasons in the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA), mostly as a backup small forward. He won three NBA championships during his time 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 ...
. Since completing his basketball career George has become a real estate developer in his home state of Minnesota.
Early life and college
He attended high school at
Benilde-St. Margaret's School
Benilde-St. Margaret's is a Catholic, co-educational private prep school for grades 7–12 located in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, that draws its over one thousand students from throughout the Twin Cities Metro Area. It is located in the Roman ...
in
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
St. Louis Park is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 50,010 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a first-ring suburb immediately west of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Min ...
, where he played basketball. During his college career at
Augsburg College, George was named
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player two consecutive years (1997–98 and 1998–99), and set school records as a senior by scoring 770 points and averaging 27.5 ppg in leading Augsburg to 24–4 record and the
NCAA Division III tournament for the second year in a row.
George grew up in
Near North, Minneapolis.
Professional career
Los Angeles Lakers (1999–2006)
George was taken 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 ...
with the 23rd overall pick of the
1999 NBA Draft, and showed considerable promise, especially by his third season where his hustle, outside shooting, and defense made him a key substitute and he appeared in every single game. George was a contributor to the Los Angeles Lakers three straight championship seasons, playing a solid role as a reserve behind
Rick Fox. The Lakers gave him a contract extension in 2002 as a result and over the years, his effort, defensive activity, three-point shooting, and willingness to do what the Lakers required of him endeared him to many Laker fans.
Dallas Mavericks (2006–2009)
George signed a two-year $4.2 million contract with the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conferenc ...
as a
free agent in August 2006 and as the season continued he gained coach
Avery Johnson's trust and became more integral to the Mavericks' gameplan.
After the end of the
2006–07 NBA season
The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The San Antonio Spurs were crowned the champions after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
Notable occurrences
*The first NBA draft under the ne ...
, George became an unrestricted free agent. The Mavericks gave him and his agent a chance to opt in or opt out of a possible second season with the Mavericks at $2.16 m. As of June 30, George decided to opt out of a second season with the Mavericks but eventually, with no other choices, re-signed on July 9 to a $2.5 million deal.
In February 2008, George received a lot of publicity when he refused to be included as part of a larger trade which would have sent
Jason Kidd to the Mavericks and George to the
New Jersey Nets. The trade was ultimately completed without George being part of it.
On March 11, 2009, George injured his right knee in a game against the
Portland Trail Blazers. On March 27, George had
arthroscopic surgery to remove loose fragments of cartilage from the injured knee. George had the option to become a free agent at the end of the season, but chose to exercise his player option to remain with the team.
Golden State Warriors (2009–2010)
On July 8, 2009, George was a part of a three-team trade that sent him and
Antoine Wright to the
Toronto Raptors,
Shawn Marion and
Kris Humphries
Kristopher Nathan Humphries (born February 6, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA for the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, New Je ...
to the Mavericks and
Jerry Stackhouse
Jerry Darnell Stackhouse (born November 5, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is the head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores men's team. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and ...
to the
Memphis Grizzlies. George was later traded to the
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
along with cash considerations on July 30, 2009 for
Marco Belinelli.
George tried out for his hometown
Minnesota Timberwolves in December 2011 after the NBA lockout of that year ended. He did not make their final roster.
After basketball
In 2012, George announced a proposal for an affordable apartment project in
Minneapolis. George has developed two affordable housing projects in North Minneapolis, where he grew up.
In 2022 he proposed a modular housing manufacturing facility in the
North Loop of Minneapolis.
On September 7, 2014, Devean and three former Augsburg teammates captured the Gus Macker 3-on-3 "Next Step Down" bracket, championship in
St. Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...
.
NBA career statistics
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", †
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 49 , , 1 , , 7.0 , , .389 , , .340 , , .659 , , 1.5 , , .2 , , .2 , , .1 , , 3.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", †
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 59 , , 1 , , 10.1 , , .309 , , .221 , , .709 , , 1.9 , , .3 , , .2 , , .2 , , 3.1
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", †
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 82 , , 1 , , 21.5 , , .411 , , .371 , , .675 , , 3.7 , , 1.4 , , .9 , , .5 , , 7.1
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 71 , , 7 , , 22.7 , , .390 , , .371 , , .790 , , 4.0 , , 1.3 , , .8 , , .5 , , 6.9
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 82 , , 48 , , 23.8 , , .408 , , .349 , , .760 , , 4.0 , , 1.4 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , 7.4
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 15 , , 3 , , 20.4 , , .356 , , .362 , , .750 , , 3.5 , , .9 , , .5 , , .1 , , 7.3
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 71 , , 5 , , 21.7 , , .400 , , .313 , , .674 , , 3.9 , , 1.0 , , .9 , , .5 , , 6.3
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Dallas
, 60 , , 17 , , 21.4 , , .395 , , .353 , , .750 , , 3.6 , , .6 , , .8 , , .4 , , 6.4
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Dallas
, 53 , , 4 , , 15.5 , , .357 , , .324 , , .706 , , 2.6 , , .7 , , .4 , , .2 , , 3.7
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Dallas
, 43 , , 17 , , 16.5 , , .380 , , .289 , , .773 , , 1.8 , , .3 , , .5 , , .3 , , 3.4
, -
, align="left" ,
, align="left" ,
Golden State
, 45 , , 4 , , 16.9 , , .432 , , .390 , , .696 , , 2.5 , , .7 , , .9 , , .2 , , 5.4
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 630 , , 108 , , 18.5 , , .392 , , .343 , , .721 , , 3.1 , , .9 , , .7 , , .4 , , 5.6
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
†
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 9 , , 0 , , 5.0 , , .368 , , .200 , , .545 , , 1.1 , , .2 , , .1 , , .0 , , 2.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
†
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 7 , , 0 , , 3.9 , , .500 , , .500 , , .500 , , .7 , , .1 , , .0 , , .0 , , 2.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
†
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 19 , , 0 , , 17.2 , , .365 , , .229 , , .733 , , 3.6 , , .6 , , .6 , , .5 , , 5.0
, -
, align="left" ,
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 11 , , 7 , , 28.9 , , .449 , , .333 , , .889 , , 4.5 , , 2.2 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 8.0
, -
, align="left" ,
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 22 , , 19 , , 21.4 , , .430 , , .373 , , .650 , , 2.3 , , .5 , , .9 , , .4 , , 5.5
, -
, align="left" ,
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, align="left" ,
L.A. Lakers
, 7 , , 0 , , 17.3 , , .382 , , .429 , , .400 , , 2.3 , , .6 , , .6 , , .1 , , 5.3
, -
, align="left" ,
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, align="left" ,
Dallas
, 6 , , 1 , , 18.2 , , .200 , , .250 , , .800 , , 3.0 , , .7 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 3.5
, -
, align="left" ,
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, align="left" ,
Dallas
, 5 , , 0 , , 12.4 , , .393 , , .333 , , .600 , , 3.0 , , .0 , , .4 , , .4 , , 5.8
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 86 , , 27 , , 17.2 , , .395 , , .326 , , .675 , , 2.7 , , .7 , , .6 , , .3 , , 5.0
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Devean
1977 births
Living people
African-American basketball players
American men's basketball players
Augsburg Auggies men's basketball players
Basketball players from Minneapolis
Dallas Mavericks players
Golden State Warriors players
Los Angeles Lakers draft picks
Los Angeles Lakers players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American sportspeople