Wesley Joel Matthews Sr. (born August 24, 1959) 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 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). He won two

NBA championships The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...

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 ...

. He is the father of current NBA player

Wesley Matthews Wesley Joel Matthews Jr. (born October 14, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He is the son of ...

Basketball career

Matthews graduated from Warren Harding High School in

Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the List of cities by population in New England, fifth-most populous ...

, in 1977. A

point guard The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the five Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Point guards are expected to run t ...

at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

, he was selected by the

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...

with the 14th pick 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 ...

. He played nine seasons in the league with the Bullets,

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

(two stints),

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 ...

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...

and

. Averaging eight points and four assists per game, he scored 3,654 career points and earned

NBA Championship The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...

rings with the

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...

and

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...

Lakers. Matthews retired from professional basketball in 1996. Besides his NBA stints, he also played in the

United States Basketball League The United States Basketball League (USBL) was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985 and ceased operations in 2008. The USBL started in 1985 as one of the first basketball leagues to play a late-spring to ...

, in the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association) was a men's professional basketball m ...

and in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, spending the 1989–90 season at Ranger Varese before being called by the Hawks for one

regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of Se ...

match. He had a stint 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 ...

(PBA), winning the best import award in 1991 for

Ginebra San Miguel Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI, ) () (formerly, La Tondeña Distillers, Inc.) is a Philippines-based diversified beverage company majority-owned by San Miguel Corporation (SMC). History La Tondeña was established in 1902 by Carlos Palanca, S ...

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2", , style="text-align:left;",

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, 45 , , , , 25.8 , , .499 , , .333 , , .767 , , 1.5 , , 4.4 , , 1.0 , , 0.2 , , 12.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, 34 , , , , 32.5 , , .488 , , .000 , , .837 , , 2.1 , , 6.2 , , 1.8 , , 0.2 , , 12.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 47 , , 5 , , 17.8 , , .440 , , .250 , , .759 , , 1.2 , , 3.0 , , 1.1 , , 0.0 , , 6.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 64 , , 0 , , 18.5 , , .403 , , .292 , , .768 , , 1.4 , , 3.9 , , 0.9 , , 0.1 , , 6.9 , - , style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2", , style="text-align:left;",

, 6 , , 0 , , 16.0 , , .533 , , .000 , , .818 , , 0.7 , , 3.5 , , 0.8 , , 0.2 , , 8.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, 14 , , 5 , , 20.9 , , .446 , , .143 , , .643 , , 1.6 , , 4.4 , , 0.8 , , 0.1 , , 7.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, 78 , , 38 , , 19.5 , , .495 , , .125 , , .694 , , 0.9 , , 4.5 , , 0.9 , , 0.2 , , 5.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

, 75 , , 46 , , 24.7 , , .531 , , .160 , , .820 , , 1.7 , , 6.3 , , 1.2 , , 0.4 , , 10.9 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

L.A. 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 ...

, 50 , , 0 , , 10.6 , , .476 , , .333 , , .806 , , 0.9 , , 2.0 , , 0.5 , , 0.1 , , 4.2 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 51 , , 8 , , 13.8 , , .460 , , .233 , , .831 , , 1.3 , , 2.7 , , 0.5 , , 0.1 , , 5.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 1 , , 0 , , 13.0 , , .333 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 0.0 , , 5.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.0 , , 4.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 465 , , 102 , , 20.0 , , .478 , , .225 , , .788 , , 1.3 , , 4.2 , , 1.0 , , 0.2 , , 7.9 , - class="sortbottom"

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 4 , , , , 14.0 , , .200 , , , , 1.000 , , 0.0 , , 2.0 , , 0.0 , , 0.5 , , 4.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 3 , , , , 12.7 , , .333 , , .000 , , .800 , , 0.0 , , 3.7 , , 0.0 , , 0.3 , , 3.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 4 , , , , 5.8 , , .500 , , .500 , , .500 , , 0.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.3 , , 0.0 , , 2.5 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

, style="text-align:left;",

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, 4 , , 4 , , 22.8 , , .344 , , .000 , , .778 , , 1.5 , , 3.0 , , 1.3 , , 0.0 , , 7.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

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 ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 3 , , 3 , , 38.7 , , .648 , , .000 , , .750 , , 2.3 , , 8.0 , , 2.0 , , 0.0 , , 25.3 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",

† , style="text-align:left;",

, 12 , , 0 , , 5.1 , , .478 , , .000 , , .857 , , 0.3 , , 0.8 , , 0.1 , , 0.0 , , 2.3 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",

† , style="text-align:left;",

, 10 , , 0 , , 2.7 , , .400 , , .000 , , .800 , , 0.1 , , 0.2 , , 0.1 , , 0.0 , , 1.2 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 38 , , 7 , , 10.1 , , .482 , , .111 , , .800 , , 0.5 , , 1.7 , , 0.4 , , 0.1 , , 4.6

Personal life

Matthews' son, Wesley, also a basketball guard, played for

Marquette University Marquette University () is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Henni, John Martin ...

,Wesley Matthews Marquette profile
/ref> and has appeared professionally for the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...

, the

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

, 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 ...

, 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 ...

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 ...

, the

, and currently 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 ...

since going

undrafted 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 ...

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

Notes

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, Wes 1959 births Living people African-American basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Brazil American expatriate basketball people in Italy American expatriate basketball people in the Philippines American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Barangay Ginebra San Miguel players Basketball players from Florida Chicago Bulls players Fort Wayne Fury players Los Angeles Lakers players Ohio Mixers players Pallacanestro Varese players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Philadelphia 76ers players Philippine Basketball Association imports Point guards Rapid City Thrillers players Rochester Renegade players San Antonio Spurs players Sportspeople from Sarasota, Florida Warren Harding High School alumni Washington Bullets draft picks Washington Bullets players Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople