Austin George Carr (born March 10, 1948) 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 for the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central ...

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 Southwest Division. Th ...

, and

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 ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, 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 i ...

(NBA). He is known by Cleveland basketball fans as "Mr. Cavalier". He was part of the Notre Dame team which defeated the UCLA Bruins on January 19, 1971, which was UCLA's last defeat until being beaten by Notre Dame exactly three years later, breaking the Bruins' NCAA men's basketball record 88-game winning streak.

Early career

Carr grew up in Washington, D.C., and attended Holy Redeemer School, and later Mackin Catholic High School. At Mackin, Carr teamed with All-City guard Tom Little, who made some national All-American teams before starring at the University of Seattle. As a Junior All Met, Carr scored 475 points in 24 games. During Carr's All Met senior season, he scored 600 points and along with Sterling Savoy, led the Paul Furlong coached Trojans to the Catholic League title over DeMatha. Carr was named

Parade All-American ''Parade'' was an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 700 newspapers in the United States until 2022. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., ''Parade'' had a circulation of 32 million and a readership of 5 ...

along with other 1967 seniors such as Artis Gilmore, Howard Porter, Jim McDaniels, and Curtis Rowe, all of whom became major college stars.

College career

The 6-foot 4-inch (1.93 m), 200 lb (91 kg)

shooting guard The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...

first came to prominence as a highly recruited player for the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main c ...

, arriving after having scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career. Carr lived up to his lofty billing by ending his three-year career at Notre Dame with 2,560 points (an average of 34.5 points per game), ranking him fifth all-time in college basketball history at the time of his departure. During his final two seasons, Carr became only the second college player ever to tally more than 1,000 points in a season, joining Pete Maravich in that select group. Carr holds NCAA tournament records for most points in one game (61 vs. Ohio in 1970), most field goals in one game (25), and most field goals attempted in one game (44). His record scoring average of 50 points per game in seven NCAA playoff games may never be broken. Carr has been featured in several "all-time best" lists for his successful college career at Notre Dame. In 2008,

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

named Carr the 22nd greatest college basketball player of all time. In 2010,

Bleacher Report Bleacher Report (often abbreviated as B/R) is a website that focuses on sport and sports culture. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and London. Bleacher Report was acquired by Turner Broadcasting System in ...

listed Carr as the 21st greatest college basketball player of all time. Carr was featured in another Bleacher Report article in 2013, this time being named the 12th most dominant college basketball player in history. In March 2020, Carr was featured on ESPN's "SportsCenter Special: College Basketball's Greatest of All Time" 64-player bracket, which celebrated the best men's and women's college basketball players ever. A March Madness styled bracket that was voted on by fans, Carr was listed as a 16 seed, with his career accomplishments at Notre Dame being pit against those of

Breanna Stewart Breanna Mackenzie Stewart (born Baldwin; born August 27, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player o ...

from

UConn The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from ...

. In November 2020,

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published their list of the 25 greatest college players of all time, with Carr listed as the 20th best player of all time.

NBA career

NBA draft

Carr moved onto the professional ranks as the first overall selection of the

in the 1971 NBA draft. Carr was also selected in the 1971 ABA Draft by the

Virginia Squires The Virginia Squires were a basketball team based in Norfolk, Virginia, and playing in several other Virginia cities. They were members of the American Basketball Association from 1970 to 1976. The team originated in 1967 as the Oakland Oaks, ...

, but signed with the Cavaliers on April 5, 1971.

Rookie season and early NBA career

Carr's first season in the NBA was marred by a series of injuries that limited his output. During the 1971 preseason, he broke his foot and missed the first month of the season. Less than one month after returning to the court, he was sidelined again by another foot injury, missing another seven weeks. Upon his return, he began to display the skills which made him the top selection in the NBA draft and was named to the 1972

NBA All-Rookie Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for player ...

. Following the conclusion of his first season, Carr had surgery to clear up any lingering foot problems. The arrival of Lenny Wilkens prior to the start of the 1972–73 campaign gave Carr a solid partner in the backcourt, helping the Cavaliers improve by nine games in the win column. Carr's best statistical season came the following year, when he averaged a career-best in points (21.9), assists (3.8), free-throw percentage (85.6%), and minutes per game (38.3), while also averaging 3.6 rebounds and appearing in 81 games. Carr's performance on the court resulted in him being selected to the 1974 Eastern Conference All-Star team, his only All-Star Game appearance. Two months into the 1974–75 season, Carr suffered a knee injury that put him out of the lineup indefinitely. His absence in the lineup likely prevented the Cavaliers' from capturing their first-ever playoff berth, as they finished with a 40–42 record and fell just one game short of qualifying for the 1975 playoffs.

"Miracle of Richfield" and other playoff years (1975–1978)

The following season during the 1975–76 campaign, Carr helped lead the Cavaliers to their first winning season, Central Division title and playoff appearance in franchise history. This marked the first of three straight playoff appearances for the team, with Carr playing a key role in the team's success throughout this period. In the 1976 Eastern Conference Semifinals, their first playoff series in franchise history, the Cavaliers defeated the

4–3 in a close, back-and-forth seven game series. Cleveland won Game 7 by a score of 87–85, after Cavaliers guard

Dick Snyder Richard J. Snyder Jr. (born February 1, 1944) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the St. Louis Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Snyd ...

hit a go-ahead shot with 4 seconds left in the game. The Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history, where they would lose to the eventual NBA champion

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

in six games. Although the Cavaliers didn't advance past the second round of the playoffs, the 1975–76 team became revered throughout Northeast Ohio and is hailed as one of the most notorious teams in Cleveland sports history. The Cavs run to the playoffs and series win over the Washington Bullets became known locally as "The Miracle of Richfield." Carr averaged 11.8 points in 13 games during the 1976 playoffs. After appearing in just 41 and 65 games the previous two years, Carr played in all 82 games in the 1976–77 season for the first time since his second NBA season. He averaged 16.2 points per game, an increase of 6.1 points from the previous season. Carr's strong play helped lead the Cavaliers back to the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round by the Washington Bullets in a close three-game series. Carr once again played in all 82 games in the 1977–78 season, helping the Cavaliers reach the playoffs for a third consecutive year. They faced off against 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 the 1978 playoffs, losing in two games. Carr averaged playoff career-bests in points (17.5), rebounds (4.0), steals (1.0) and minutes per game (34.5).

Later career

Carr played two more seasons with the Cavaliers. He had a strong 1978–79 campaign, averaging 17 points per game and shooting a career best 47.5% from the field in 82 games. However, the Cavaliers would finish with a 30–52 record and fail to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1975. The Cavaliers also failed to reach the playoffs the following year in 1980, Carr's final season with the team. Throughout his 9 year tenure with Cleveland, Carr averaged 16.2 points, 3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. The 1980–81 season would be Carr's last as an NBA player. He played with the

and Washington Bullets, appearing in 47 total games. He retired in 1981, finishing with career averages of 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

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Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

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Playoffs

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1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democrat ...

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Post-playing career

Broadcasting career and other milestones

Today, Carr serves as the Director of Community Relations for the Cavaliers and is also a

color commentator A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main ( play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The phrase "colour commentator" is primarily used in Canadian English and ...

on the team's broadcasts on Bally Sports Ohio. Carr's #34 is one of seven jerseys retired by the Cavaliers. It was announced on April 2, 2007, that Carr was inducted to the second class of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, along with

Dick Groat Richard Morrow Groat (born November 4, 1930) is a former professional baseball and basketball player who was an eight-time All-Star shortstop and two-time World Series champion in Major League Baseball. He rates as one of the most accomplished t ...

, Dick Barnett and numerous coaches. On February 21, 2008, Notre Dame recognized Carr, their all-time leading scorer, during the

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

– Notre Dame men's basketball game.

Signature calls

* ''He throws the hammer down!'' – for a Cavs slam dunk * ''He hits it deep in the Rock (or name of the arena for road games)!'' – for a Cavs three-pointer * ''Get that weak stuff outta here!'' – for a Cavs blocked shot * ''He got him a bird'' – When a Cavs player gets an opponent to bite on a pump-fake * ''Mouse in the house'' – When a Cavs player is being guarded by a much smaller defender * ''There's a breeze in the building'' – When an opponent air balls a shot * ''He dots the i'' – When a Cavs player hits a mid-range jumper * ''Too much pressure bursts the pipe'' – When the Cavs defense is wreaking havoc on the opposition * ''Right back in your face'' – When the Cavs score after the other team * ''Pressure will crack the Liberty Bell'' – When the Cavs are playing lockdown defense against the Philadelphia 76ers

Awards and honors

College

* 1971 Naismith College Player of the YearCarr's stats – Sports Reference.com
/ref> * 1971

Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year The Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year award was established in 1961 to recognize the best men's college basketball player of the year, as voted upon by the Associated Press (AP). The only three-time winner is Ralph Sampson o ...

* 1971 First Team All-American * College Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (class of 2007) * Notre Dame Basketball Ring of Honor (class of 2011)

Professional

* 1972 NBA All-Rookie First Team * 1974

NBA All-Star Game The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is a basketball exhibition game hosted every February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's star players. It is the featured event of NBA All-Star Weekend, ...

Selection * 1980 recipient –

J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award was an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given from 1975 to 2020 to a player, coach, or staff member who showed "outstanding service and dedication to the community." The award was named i ...

* Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (class of 1992) * 2011 Greater Cleveland Sports Commission Lifetime Achievement Award * Number retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers (#34) * Cavaliers Wall of Honor

Broadcasting

* Four-time Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award recipient as a member of the

Fox Sports Ohio Bally Sports Ohio is an American regional sports network owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and is operated as an affiliate of Bally Sports. The channel broadcasts regional coverage of sports events in the state of Ohio, with a focus on profess ...

Cavaliers broadcast team - 2014, 2017, 2018, 202253rd Annual CGL Emmy Awards recipients - Great Lakes Emmy Awards
/ref>

References

External links

Career Stats
@ databasebasketball.com
Where Are They Now? – Austin Carr
@ nbrpa.com
Interview with Austin Carr
recorded July 22, 2014, at

Cleveland Public Library Cleveland Public Library, located in Cleveland, Ohio, operates the Main Library on Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland, 27 branches throughout the city, a mobile library, a Public Administration Library in City Hall, and the Ohio Library for th ...

's Sports Research Center by Dan Coughlin. {{DEFAULTSORT:Carr, Austin 1948 births Living people African-American basketball players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Archbishop Carroll High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni Basketball players from Washington, D.C. Cleveland Cavaliers announcers Cleveland Cavaliers draft picks Cleveland Cavaliers executives Cleveland Cavaliers players Dallas Mavericks expansion draft picks Dallas Mavericks players National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association players with retired numbers National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Shooting guards Virginia Squires draft picks Washington Bullets players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople