Mark Edward Eaton (January 24, 1957 – May 28, 2021) was an American professional basketball player who List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire career (1982–1993) with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Named an NBA All-Star Game, NBA All-Star in 1989, he was twice voted the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 1989) and was a five-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. Though limited offensively, the Eaton became one of the best defensive center (basketball), centers in NBA history. He led the league in block (basketball), blocks four times and holds the NBA single-season records for blocks (456) and blocked shots per game average (5.6), as well as career blocked shots per game (3.5). His No. 53 was retired number, retired by the Jazz. Eaton was a Substitution (sport), reserve on his high school basketball team before graduating and working as an auto mechanic. He was discovered by an assistant coach at Cypress College, who persuaded Eaton to enroll at the community college and play basketball. Eaton transferred to play college basketball for the UCLA Bruins men's basketball, UCLA Bruins, but he was used sparingly. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1982 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz as a long-term project. Eaton helped transform the Jazz from a last-place team into a perennial NBA playoff, playoff team. When he retired from playing in 1994, he ranked second in the NBA in List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders, career blocks behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Early life

Eaton was born in Inglewood, California, and grew up in Southern California. His father, Bud, was a diesel mechanic instructor and stood tall, while Eaton's mother, Delores, was . Despite his height, Eaton was more interested in playing water polo than basketball. As a senior at Westminster High School (Westminster, California), Westminster High School in Orange County, California, Orange County, he stood and weighed but was uncoordinated, not very muscular, and relegated to a Substitution (sport), reserve role on the basketball team. "The coaches didn’t know how to teach me to play big, and I didn’t know how to play big," said Eaton.

College career

After graduating in 1975, Eaton attended the Arizona Automotive Institute in Glendale, Arizona, Glendale and graduated as an automotive service technician. He returned to Orange County and worked as an auto mechanic, making $20,000 a year, when he was eventually discovered by Tom Lubin while repairing cars in Anaheim, California, Anaheim in April 1977. Lubin, a chemistry professor, was an assistant basketball coach at Cypress College. He had discovered Swen Nater, who did not play in high school but went on to a long, pro career. His uncle, Frank Lubin, played on the 1936 United States men's Olympic basketball team, 1936 U.S Olympic basketball team. Lubin's encouragement led Eaton to enroll at the community college in 1978 and try out for the basketball team. After his freshman year at Cypress, Eaton was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the fifth round of the 1979 NBA draft with the 107th pick. He was eligible to be drafted because he was already four years removed from high school. However, he opted to return to college basketball. Eaton developed into a solid junior college player. He averaged 14.3 points per game in two seasons at Cypress, and led the school to the California junior college title as a sophomore in 1980. Eaton transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1980, but did not see much action in his two seasons with the UCLA Bruins men's basketball, Bruins. He played sparingly under head coach Larry Brown (basketball), Larry Brown in 1980–81 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team, 1980–81. The tallest players in the starting lineup were Darren Daye and Cliff Pruitt at , but Eaton was too slow for the team's fast-paced offense. In Eaton's senior year in 1981–82 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team, 1981–82, new coach Larry Farmer (basketball), Larry Farmer vowed to give him a shot to start, but heralded freshman Stuart Gray (basketball), Stuart Gray got the nod instead. Eaton played just 41 total minutes that season, averaging 1.3 points and 2.0 rebound (basketball), rebounds in 11 games. Farmer did not play him at all towards the end of the season and did not allow him to travel with the team on their last road trip to Oregon Ducks men's basketball, Oregon and Oregon State Beavers men's basketball, Oregon State. "If I ever felt cheated, that was the time I felt the worst,” recalled Eaton in 1985. "I had worked so hard and it wasn't like I was causing any problems." Eaton was initially disappointed with his inability to play effectively in college. At a summer pickup game, Wilt Chamberlain saw his frustration, and encouraged Eaton to focus on protecting the basket, getting rebounds, and passing the ball to quicker guard (basketball), guards, rather than trying to compete with smaller, quicker players in scoring. Eaton cited Chamberlain's advice as the turning point in his basketball career.

Professional career

Because of his lack of playing time at UCLA, few National Basketball Association, NBA teams had interest in Eaton after he finished his college career. He paid for two tryout camps, but only received an offer of $15,000 to play in Israel and another for $25,000 in Monte Carlo. However, the Utah Jazz, who finished in last place 1981–82 Utah Jazz season, the prior season, saw him as a potentially dominant defender and selected him as a long-term project in the fourth round of the 1982 NBA draft with the 72nd overall pick. Utah coach Frank Layden quipped, "Like [former University of Utah coach] Jack Gardner (basketball), Jack Gardner said, 'You can't teach height.'" Also the team's general manager, Layden discouraged him from playing in Europe and signed him to a five-year contract, with the first season guaranteed at $45,000, for a total $570,000. Eaton had worn No. 35 at UCLA, but the number was already taken on the Jazz by Darrell Griffith, prompting Eaton to choose the reversed No. 53. Entering the NBA, Eaton's goal was to become a journeyman backup. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, starting 32 games and replacing Danny Schayes after the cash-strapped Jazz traded the center mid-season. Eaton finished the season with a then-franchise record 275 blocked shots while averaging only 19 minutes per game. His 3.4 blocks per game ranked third in the NBA, behind Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta's Tree Rollins and Los Angeles Clippers, San Diego's Bill Walton. The Jazz placed Eaton on a six-day-a-week program in the offseason. Layden said they treated him "like a high school kid as far as basketball skills are concerned". Eaton continued to improve in his second season. In 82 games in 1983–84 Utah Jazz season, 1983–84, he grabbed a team-leading 595 rebounds and blocked 351 shots (breaking his own franchise record). His 4.28 List of National Basketball Association annual blocks leaders, blocks per game led the NBA, well ahead of Rollins (who finished second with 3.60 blocks per game). During the season, he failed in his attempt to block the hook shot which gave Kareem Abdul-Jabbar his 31,421st point to break the NBA career scoring record held by Chamberlain. Eaton's strong defense helped the Jazz improve from 30–52 in his rookie season to 45–37, winning their first Midwest Division (NBA), Midwest Division title and making their first playoff appearance. In Eaton's third season in 1984–85 Utah Jazz season, 1984–85, he blocked 456 shots, shattering the NBA record for most blocked shots in a single season set during the 1973–74 NBA season, 1973–74 season by Elmore Smith, who had blocked 393 shots for the Los Angeles Lakers. Eaton averaged 5.56 blocks per game, an NBA single-season record that was more than double the league's second-ranked shot-blocker that season (Houston Rockets, Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon with 2.68 blocks per game). In addition, Eaton averaged 11.3 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the league in that category. "We had no idea that he would develop the way he has," said Layden during the season. He was not on the NBA All-Star, All-Star ballot that year after being one of the final cuts. For his efforts, Eaton was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and was honored as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. On April 26, 1985, Eaton made ten blocks in a 96–94 loss to the Rockets, becoming the first NBA player to record ten blocks in a playoff game (later tied by Olajuwon and Andrew Bynum). Although he was not a significant offensive contributor, the Jazz relied heavily on Eaton for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and occasional "tippy toe" dunks. With the emergence of superstars Karl Malone and John Stockton, the Jazz became one of the best teams in the NBA. Eaton's stifling defense was a major factor in Utah's success. He continued to rank among NBA leaders in blocked shots, leading the league in 1986–87 Utah Jazz season, 1986–87 and 1987–88 Utah Jazz season, 1987–88. On November 17, 1987, Eaton set a career high with 25 rebounds in a 120-110 win over the Denver Nuggets. In 1988–89 Utah Jazz season, 1988–89, he averaged 10.3 rebounds per game (seventh in the NBA) and 3.84 blocks per game (second behind Golden State Warriors, Golden State's Manute Bol). He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career, and was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team (for the third time in his career). In addition, he was chosen to play in the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, joining teammates Malone and Stockton on the Western Conference team. It was the first time that the Jazz had three players in the All-Star Game. In the 1989 playoffs, the second-seeded Jazz were upset in the first round 3–0 by the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors, Warriors. Golden State coach Don Nelson spread out his offense and avoided going inside against Eaton, and they played most of the series with a small ball (basketball), small lineup in which their tallest players on the court were Larry Smith (basketball, born 1958), Larry Smith or Ben McDonald (basketball), Ben McDonald or even Rod Higgins. Opponents were increasingly playing with smaller lineups, forcing Eaton to guard a quicker player who would draw him out to the perimeter and seek to drive past him. Utah coach Jerry Sloan countered by decreasing Eaton's playing time and employing his own small lineup with backup center Mike Brown (basketball, born 1963), Mike Brown. In 1991–92 Utah Jazz season, 1991–92, there was speculation that the more offensive-minded Brown would start the season at center, but Sloan stuck with Eaton. However, Eaton's playing time dropped to 25 minutes per game from 32 minutes in 1990–91 Utah Jazz season, 1990–91. After missing just nine games in his first 10 seasons, Eaton was hindered by knee and back injuries late in his career. His rebounding and shot-blocking averages declined. During the 1992–93 Utah Jazz season, 1992–93 season, knee surgery and back problems limited him to 64 games, where he averaged 17.3 minutes per game, both career lows. A degenerative back ailment forced him to drop out of training camp and miss the 1993–94 Utah Jazz season, 1993–94 season; his contract expired at the end of the season. After therapy failed to correct the problem, he announced his retirement from basketball in September 1994.

Legacy

Eaton List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, spent his entire 11-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz, helping transform the franchise from perennial 50-game losers to perennial 50-game winners. After going 30–52 in his first year, they made the playoffs in each of his 10 other seasons, beginning a run of 20 straight postseason appearances for the Jazz. In 875 games, he scored 5,216 points, grabbed 6,939 rebounds, and blocked 3,064 shots. At the time of his retirement, he ranked second all-time in List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders, league history in total blocked shots, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's career total of 3,189. Blocks were not recorded as an official statistic until Abdul-Jabbar's fifth NBA season in 1973–74 NBA season, 1973–74. Eaton is the NBA's all-time leader in blocks per game, with a career average of 3.50. In a six-season span from his second season through his seventh (1983–1989), he led the league in blocks four times and was the runner-up twice while averaging 4.3 blocks per games over 488 contests. He never averaged more than 10 points per game in a season, which frustrated Utah fans after his scoring tapered off after a career high of 9.7 in 1984–85. To honor his contributions to the team, the Utah Jazz retired number, retired Eaton's number 53 in 1996. In 2010, he was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame along with former Jazz player Tom Chambers (basketball), Tom Chambers. In 2014, Eaton had his jersey retired at Westminster High School and also at Cypress College, along with Swen Nater and head coach Don Johnson.

Career statistics

NBA

Regular season

Source: , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1982–83 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 81 , , 32 , , 18.9 , , .414 , , .000 , , .656 , , 5.7 , , 1.4 , , .3 , , 3.4 , , 4.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1983–84 Utah Jazz season, Utah , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 78 , , 26.1 , , .466 , , .000 , , .593 , , 7.3 , , 1.4 , , .3 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 4.3* , , 5.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1984–85 Utah Jazz season, Utah , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 34.3 , , .449 , , , , .712 , , 11.3 , , 1.5 , , .4 , , style="background:#e0cef2;", 5.6 , , 9.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1985–86 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 80 , , 80 , , 31.9 , , .470 , , , , .604 , , 8.4 , , 1.3 , , .4 , , 4.6 , , 8.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1986–87 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 79 , , 79 , , 31.7 , , .400 , , , , .657 , , 8.8 , , 1.3 , , .5 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 4.1* , , 7.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1987–88 Utah Jazz season, Utah , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 33.3 , , .418 , , , , .623 , , 8.7 , , .7 , , .5 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.7* , , 7.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1988–89 Utah Jazz season, Utah , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 35.5 , , .462 , , , , .660 , , 10.3 , , 1.0 , , .5 , , 3.8 , , 6.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1989–90 Utah Jazz season, Utah , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , style="background:#cfecec;", 82* , , 27.8 , , .527 , , , , .669 , , 7.3 , , .5 , , .4 , , 2.5 , , 4.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1990–91 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 80 , , 80 , , 32.3 , , .579 , , , , .634 , , 8.3 , , .6 , , .5 , , 2.4 , , 5.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1991–92 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 81 , , 81 , , 25.0 , , .446 , , , , .598 , , 6.1 , , .5 , , .4 , , 2.5 , , 3.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 1992–93 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 64 , , 57 , , 17.3 , , .546 , , , , .700 , , 4.1 , , .3 , , .3 , , 1.2 , , 2.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 875 , , 815 , , 28.8 , , .458 , , .000 , , .649 , , 7.9 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , style="background:#e0cef2;", 3.5 , , 6.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 1 , , 0 , , 9.0 , , , , , , , , 5.0 , , , , , , 2.0 , , —

Playoffs

Source: , - , style="text-align:left;", 1984 NBA playoffs, 1984 , style="text-align:left;", 1983–84 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 11 , , , , 23.1 , , .512 , , , , .471 , , 6.9 , , .8 , , .5 , , 3.1 , , 4.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1985 NBA playoffs, 1985 , style="text-align:left;", 1984–85 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 5 , , 5 , , 31.6 , , .353 , , , , .714 , , 9.0 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 5.8 , , 5.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1986 NBA playoffs, 1986 , style="text-align:left;", 1985–86 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 4 , , 4 , , 39.3 , , .491 , , , , .667 , , 9.0 , , 2.5 , , .3 , , 4.5 , , 14.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1987 NBA playoffs, 1987 , style="text-align:left;", 1986–87 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 5 , , 5 , , 38.6 , , .463 , , , , .640 , , 11.0 , , .6 , , .2 , , 4.2 , , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1988 NBA playoffs, 1988 , style="text-align:left;", 1987–88 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 11 , , 11 , , 41.9 , , .477 , , , , .639 , , 9.4 , , 1.2 , , 1.1 , , 3.1 , , 7.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1989 NBA playoffs, 1989 , style="text-align:left;", 1988–89 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 3 , , 3 , , 33.0 , , .471 , , , , .818 , , 11.0 , , .3 , , .3 , , .7 , , 8.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1990 NBA playoffs, 1990 , style="text-align:left;", 1989–90 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 5 , , 5 , , 25.6 , , .529 , , , , .200 , , 6.0 , , .0 , , .6 , , 2.8 , , 3.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1991 NBA playoffs, 1991 , style="text-align:left;", 1990–91 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 9 , , 9 , , 28.3 , , .516 , , , , .583 , , 6.2 , , .6 , , .1 , , 1.4 , , 4.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1992 NBA playoffs, 1992 , style="text-align:left;", 1991–92 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 16 , , 16 , , 29.6 , , .565 , , , , .778 , , 5.6 , , .3 , , .4 , , 2.3 , , 4.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1993 NBA playoffs, 1993 , style="text-align:left;", 1992–93 Utah Jazz season, Utah , 5 , , 5 , , 23.4 , , .526 , , , , .500 , , 6.6 , , .4 , , .0 , , 1.8 , , 4.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 74 , , 63 , , 31.0 , , .489 , , , , .639 , , 7.5 , , .7 , , .5 , , 2.8 , , 6.1

College

Source: , - , style="text-align:left;", 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, 1980–81 , style="text-align:left;", 1980–81 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team, UCLA , 19 , , 0 , , 8.2 , , .459 , , – , , .294 , , 2.6 , , .2 , , .2 , , 1.1 , , 2.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, 1981–82 , style="text-align:left;", 1981–82 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team, UCLA , 11 , , 0 , , 3.7 , , .417 , , – , , .800 , , 2.0 , , .1 , , .1 , , .5 , , 1.3 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 30 , , 0 , , 6.5 , , .449 , , – , , .409 , , 2.4 , , .1 , , .1 , , .9 , , 1.8

Later years

After his retirement, Eaton worked for KJZZ-TV in Salt Lake City, Utah, Salt Lake City, providing color commentary and analysis for television broadcasts of Utah Jazz and University of Utah basketball games. He also hosted a radio talk show before Jazz games. Eaton was a partner in a Salt Lake City-area restaurants Tuscany and Franck’s. He was a president/board member of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) from 1997 to 2007. He was also a founder and chairman of the Mark Eaton Standing Tall for Youth organization, which provided sports and outdoor activities for at-risk children in Utah. He was also a motivational speaker, and published the book ''The Four Commitments of a Winning Team''. In the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Jazz player Jeremy Evans jumped over a seated Eaton to dunk the ball. In later years, Eaton became a mentor to Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who joined him as the only other player in the franchise's history to be named defensive player of the year.

Personal life

Eaton married in 1980 to his first wife, Marci, a registered nurse who trained in Los Angeles. She worked as a nurse in Santa Monica to support him while he was going to college. They had two sons, Nicolas and Douglas. While living in Utah in Jeremy Ranch, Utah, Jeremy Ranch in the 1980s, Eaton ordered a mountain bike suitable for his body frame, and he biked a number of the region's first mountain bike trails. Around 2016, he began riding a custom French-built road bike for tall cyclists, which came outfitted with wheels. On May 28, 2021, Eaton biked with a neighbor to lunch. A few hours after returning home, Eaton told his wife, Teri, that he was going for a short ride in the neighborhood. He died after a bicycle accident about a block from his home in Park City, Utah. He was found unresponsive by a passerby and was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was 64 years old.

Publications

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Eaton, Mark 1957 births 2021 deaths American men's basketball players Basketball players from Inglewood, California Basketball players from Salt Lake City Centers (basketball) Cycling road incident deaths Cypress Chargers men's basketball players National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association players with retired numbers People from Westminster, California Phoenix Suns draft picks Road incident deaths in Utah Sportspeople from Orange County, California UCLA Bruins men's basketball players Utah Jazz draft picks Utah Jazz players