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1996–97 Phoenix Suns Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 29th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. This season is notable for the Suns drafting point guard Steve Nash out of Santa Clara Broncos men's basketball, Santa Clara University with the fifteenth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. During the off-season, the team acquired Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, Mark Bryant (basketball), Mark Bryant and Chucky Brown from the 1995–96 Houston Rockets season, Houston Rockets, and signed free agent Rex Chapman. However, the Suns struggled losing their first 13 games of the regular season, as Kevin Johnson (basketball), Kevin Johnson missed the first eleven games due to a hernia injury. After an 0–8 start, head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons resigned and was replaced by former Suns guard Danny Ainge. Along the way, there were many in-season moves such as trading Cassell, second-year star Michael Finley and A.C. Green, to the 1996–97 Dallas Mavericks season, Dallas Mavericks in exchan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cotton Fitzsimmons
Lowell Gibbs "Cotton" Fitzsimmons (October 7, 1931 – July 24, 2004) was an American college and NBA basketball coach. A native of Bowling Green, Missouri, he attended and played basketball at Hannibal-LaGrange Junior College in Hannibal, Missouri and Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. He coached the Phoenix Suns three times, was named the NBA Coach of the Year twice, and is often credited as the architect of the Suns' success of the late 1980s and early to middle 1990s. Fitzsimmons won 1,089 games in his coaching career: 223 games at the junior college level, 34 at the Division I college level and 832 in the NBA. On May 16, 2021, it was announced that Fitzsimmons was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2021 enshrinement ceremony occurred on September 11, 2021. Early life Lowell Gibbs "Cotton" Fitzsimmons was born on October 7, 1931, in Hannibal, Missouri, to Clancy and Zelda Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons was raised in Bowling Green, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sam Cassell
Samuel James Cassell Sr. (born November 18, 1969) is an American professional basketball coach and former point guard who serves as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Drafted 24th overall in the 1993 NBA draft out of Florida State Seminoles men's basketball, Florida State, Cassell played for eight different teams during his 15-year career. He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game and All-NBA Team once, both in the 2003–04 NBA season, 2003–04 season. In his first two seasons, he helped the Houston Rockets win back to back List of NBA champions, championships, in 1994 and 1995, and won a third with the Boston Celtics in 2008 NBA Finals, 2008, his last season. He also helped the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves reach the Conference Finals of the playoffs in 2001 and 2004 respectively, the latter's first-ever in franchise history, and helped the Los Angeles Clippers to their first-ever playoff series victory in 2006. K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Los Angeles Lakers Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 49th season for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, and their 37th season in Los Angeles, California. This season was mostly remembered for the Lakers signing free agent All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal to a seven-year, $120 million deal, and acquiring shooting guard, and high school basketball star Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets, who selected him with the thirteenth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft during the off-season. The team also signed former Lakers guard Byron Scott from the "Showtime" era, signed free agents Jerome Kersey, and Sean Rooks, and acquired rookie center Travis Knight from the Chicago Bulls. In January, they traded Cedric Ceballos back to his former team, the Phoenix Suns, in exchange for Robert Horry, who won two championships with the Houston Rockets. The Lakers played strong basketball as they had the best record in the Western Conference at the All-Star break with a 35–13 r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Kleine
Joseph William Kleine (born January 4, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and for the US national team. He won a gold medal as a member of the United States men's basketball team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In 1998, he won the NBA championship as a member of the Chicago Bulls. Kleine is now a restaurant proprietor, owning a number of successful Corky's Ribs & BBQ restaurants. College career Kleine, a seven-foot center, graduated from Slater High School in Slater, Missouri and originally enrolled to play basketball at the University of Notre Dame. After his freshman season, Kleine transferred to the University of Arkansas where he played alongside Darrell Walker and Alvin Robertson, who, like Kleine, would go on to have productive professional careers. Kleine's first season at Arkansas, he helped the Razorbacks to a 26–4 record, finish second in the South ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Dumas
Tony Dumas (born August 25, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. College career Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dumas played collegiately at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), whose athletic program is now known as the Kansas City Roos. He was the all-time leading scorer in UMKC history upon the completion of his career, with 2,459 career points. His senior season, he finished seventh in the NCAA in scoring at 27.0 points per game. He is also the only player in Kansas City history to be drafted into the NBA and the first Dallas Maverick to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend's Dunk-Championship where he finished 6th place. In May 2021 with a 3.9 G.P.A. Tony returned to The University of Missouri-Kansas City (2021) and completed his bachelor's degree in Science with a Minor in Communication Studies. Tony also received the UMKC Chancellor's Historically Under-Represented Minority Award and Scholarship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loren Meyer
Loren Henry Meyer (born December 30, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player who played three seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round (24th pick overall) of the 1995 NBA draft. Biography Meyer was born in Emmetsburg, Iowa. He attended Ruthven-Ayrshire High School in Ruthven, Iowa. A 6'10", 257-pound center who played college basketball at Iowa State University, Meyer played in three NBA seasons for the Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. In his NBA career, Meyer played in a total of 140 games and scored a total of 645 points, averaging 4.6 points per game. Meyer was inducted into the Iowa High School Basketball Hall of Fame in March 2009. Meyer currently resides in his hometown of Ruthven, Iowa where he owns farmland. Professional career Dallas Mavericks (1995–1996) Meyer was selected with 24th overall pick in the first round of the 1995 NBA draft. He was drafted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the List of current NBA head coaches, head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the most versatile point guards ever, Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a six-time All-NBA Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Basketball at the Summer Olympics, Olympics with the United States men's national basketball team, U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. In 2018, he was inducted as a player into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Steve Nash and Grant Hill. In 2021, Kidd was honored as one of the league's greatest players by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Kidd played college basketball for the California Golden Bears men's basketball, California G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Dallas Mavericks Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 17th season for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. The Mavericks received the ninth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected power forward Samaki Walker from the University of Louisville. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Chris Gatling, Oliver Miller, and former Mavericks guard Derek Harper, and acquired Eric Montross from the Boston Celtics, and signed undrafted rookie guard Erick Strickland. Under new head coach Jim Cleamons, the Mavericks continued to struggle with a 4–10 start to the regular season in November. With the team not showing any improvement, they traded All-Star guard Jason Kidd along with Tony Dumas, and second-year center Loren Meyer to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for second-year star Michael Finley, Sam Cassell and A.C. Green in late December. The Mavericks held a 16–28 record at the All-Star break. Gatling played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 19.1 points ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley (born March 6, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who is the assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 15 seasons in the NBA, predominantly with the Mavericks, but also for the Phoenix Suns (who drafted him in 1995 NBA draft, 1995), the San Antonio Spurs, and the Boston Celtics. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2007 NBA Finals, 2007. Early life Finley attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, graduating in 1991. In Finley's senior season, Proviso East won the 1991 IHSA class AA boys basketball tournament, and Finley was named to the all-tournament team. Finley's teammates, known collectively as the "Three Amigos", included future NBA draftees Sherrell Ford and Donnie Boyce. In response to winning the state championship, Finley was invited to travel to Deerfield, Illinois, wher ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kevin Johnson (basketball)
Kevin Maurice Johnson (born March 4, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player and politician who served as the 55th mayor of Sacramento, California, from 2008 to 2016. Elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, Johnson is the first African American to serve as mayor of Sacramento. Before entering politics, Johnson was a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers during a portion of his rookie year, the point guard played as a member of the Phoenix Suns for the remainder of his NBA career. During his 12-year playing career, Johnson was a three-time NBA All-Star as well as four-time second team All-NBA selection and held numerous records for the Phoenix Suns organization. At the University of California, Berkeley, Johnson was named a two-time All-Pac-10 Conference player and an honorable-mention All-American by the Associated Press. Johnson holds a B.A. in political science from U. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rex Chapman
Rex Everett Chapman (born October 5, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player and social media influencer, mostly known for his time with the Charlotte Hornets from 1988 to 1992 and for his time with the Phoenix Suns from 1996 to 2000. Chapman was a high school star in Kentucky, winning many awards for his play. In two seasons at the University of Kentucky, he won further awards and scored more than 1,000 points. Chapman was the first draft pick of the expansion Charlotte Hornets and played on four National Basketball Association (NBA) teams. Over his 12-year career, he averaged 14.6 points per game and appeared in two slam dunk competitions. Injuries sustained on NBA courts led Chapman to an addiction to opioids. Following an arrest for shoplifting, he entered drug rehab for the third time and was able to overcome his addiction. After retiring, Chapman held several jobs with NBA teams, culminating in being the vice president of player personnel with the Denve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1995–96 Houston Rockets Season
The 1995–96 NBA season was the 29th season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 25th season in Houston, Texas. During the off-season, the Rockets signed free agents Mark Bryant and Eldridge Recasner. After two straight NBA championships, the team changed their primary logo, which showed a light blue rocket flying past a red basketball with the team name "Rockets", and added new pinstripe uniforms adding dark navy blue to their color scheme. The Rockets got off to a fast start by winning ten of their first eleven games of the regular season. However, injuries would be an issue all year, as Clyde Drexler only played 52 games due to knee and ankle injuries, while Sam Cassell only played 61 games due to elbow and foot injuries, and Mario Elie only played just 45 games due to wrist and arm injuries. At mid-season, the Rockets signed free agent Sam Mack, who previously played in the Continental Basketball Association, as the team held a 31–18 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
