Donnie Ray Koonce (born June 13, 1959) is a retired American basketball player. He was drafted in the fourth round of the

1981 NBA Draft The 1981 NBA draft was the 35th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the 1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft, 23 NBA te ...

by the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Li ...

. Koonce was a member of the Pistons' runner-up entry in the 1981 Southern California Summer Pro league, appearing in all 13 contest. He played 3 seasons in the

Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...

from 1982–83 and 1986.

PBA stint

Koonce played a total of 62 games for

Toyota Super Corollas The Toyota Super Corollas were a multi-titled basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from 1975 PBA season, 1975 to 1983 PBA season, 1983. Founded in 1973 by businessman and sportsman Dante Silverio, the team - formally na ...

in all three conferences of the 1982 season, averaging 26.37 points per game. In the season-ending Open Conference, he won Best Import honors, edging his Toyota teammate and resident import

Andrew Fields Andrew S. Fields (born January 10, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. As a player, he led Cheyney State to the 1978 NCAA Division II championship, where he was named playoff MVP. His success led him to be drafted ...

by one point in the balloting. With Toyota under the "handicap rule" the following season, Koonce signed with the

San Miguel Beermen The San Miguel Beermen are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It is one of three PBA clubs owned by the San Miguel Corporation group of companies along with the Magnolia Hotshots and Barangay Ginebra ...

and raised his average to 36.78 points a game in 46 outings with the Beermen. Koonce returned in

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

to play for newcomer Alaska Milk. In the Reinforced (first) Conference that year, he teamed up with Jerry Lee Eaves to lead the newest PBA franchise to a strong fourth-place finish. However, in the second round eliminations of the same conference, Koonce suffered a serious knee injury after a nasty fall. In the Open (third) Conference, he would return to play alongside another Best Import awardee and PBA veteran Norman Black, but it became obvious that the injury took its toll on his game prompting management to replace him after five games with Mike Morrison. This was to be his final appearance in the PBA.

Post-basketball career

After his PBA stint, Koonce earned his MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and became a banking executive.

References

External links

www.basketball-reference.com

ex-import revisits Manila@philstar.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koonce, Donnie Ray 1959 births Living people American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines Basketball players from North Carolina Charlotte 49ers men's basketball players Detroit Pistons draft picks Shooting guards Philippine Basketball Association imports Toyota Super Corollas players San Miguel Beermen players Alaska Aces (PBA) players American men's basketball players