1.
LeBron James
–
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. James has won three NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, three NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, an NBA scoring title, and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He has also selected to 13 NBA All-Star teams,12 All-NBA teams, and six All-Defensive teams. James played high school basketball at St. Vincent–St, mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar. After graduating, he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft, James led Cleveland to the franchises first Finals appearance in 2007, losing to the San Antonio Spurs. In 2010, he left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in a highly publicized ESPN special titled The Decision, James played four seasons with the Heat, reaching the Finals all four years and winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. In 2013, he led Miami on a 27-game winning streak, following his final season with the Heat, James opted out of his contract and returned to the Cavaliers. Off the court, James has accumulated wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts. His public life has been the subject of scrutiny, and he has been ranked as one of Americas most influential. He has been featured in books, documentaries, and television commercials and he also hosted the ESPY Awards, Saturday Night Live, and appeared in the 2015 film Trainwreck. James was born on December 30,1984 in Akron, Ohio to a 16-year-old mother, Gloria Marie James, who raised James on her own. Growing up, life was often a struggle for the family, as a youth, James played Amateur Athletic Union basketball for the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. The team enjoyed success on a local and national level, led by James and his friends Sian Cotton, Dru Joyce III, the players were inseparable and dubbed themselves the Fab Four, promising each other that they would attend high school together. In a move that stirred controversy, they chose to attend St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, a predominately white private Catholic school, as a freshman, James averaged 21 points and 6 rebounds per game for the St. Vincent-St. The Fighting Irish finished the year 27–0, winning the Division III state title, as a sophomore, he averaged 25.2 points and 7.2 rebounds with 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game. For some home games during the season, St. Vincent-St, mary played at the University of Akrons 5, 492-seat Rhodes Arena to satisfy ticket demand from alumni, fans, and college and NBA scouts who wanted to see James play. The Fighting Irish finished the season 26–1 and repeated as state champions, for his outstanding play, James was named Ohios Mr. Basketball and was selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team, becoming the first sophomore to do either
LeBron James
–
James with the Cavaliers in November 2014
LeBron James
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James picks up his dribble against the
Washington Wizards in November 2006.
LeBron James
–
James engages in his pre-game ritual of tossing crushed chalk into the air in March 2008. The routine was retired from 2011 to 2014.
LeBron James
–
James and
DeShawn Stevenson in April 2008. The two had a short feud after Stevenson called James "overrated".
2.
Cleveland Cavaliers
–
The Cleveland Cavaliers, also known as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavs compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the leagues Eastern Conference Central Division, the team began play in 1970. Many past and present top NBA players, including LeBron James, Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, the franchise has won five Central Division championships, three Eastern Conference championships, one NBA championship, and have reached the playoffs 20 times in their 46-year history. The 2016 NBA Finals victory over the Golden State Warriors marked the first time in Finals history a team had come back to win the series after trailing three games to one, the Cavaliers began play in 1970 as an expansion team. Their 46-year history has been marked by stretches of strong play and periods of poor play. In the 1970s, under the ownership of Nick Mileti, the team won its first division title in 1976 and they won Game 7, 87–85, on a shot by Snyder with four seconds to go. Injuries, particularly an ankle injury to Chones, led to this teams demise, as the Cavaliers would lose the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics, 4–2. It is widely believed among both Cavaliers fans and players that the Miracle team would have won the 1976 NBA Championship had Chones stayed healthy, the remainder of the 1970s were marked by early playoff losses and eventually Fitchs resignation. The early 1980s were marked by Ted Stepiens ownership, Stepien also oversaw the hiring and firing of a succession of coaches and was involved in making a number of poor trade and free agent signing decisions. The ensuing chaos had an effect on both the Cavaliers on-court performance and lack of local support, losing over 50 games in three straight years. The 1981–82 and 1982–83 combined to lose 24 straight games, which at the time was the NBAs all-time longest losing streak, george and Gordon Gund purchased the Cavaliers from Stepien in 1983. The team was in a transition as they went through nine head coaches from 1980 to 1986, during the 1986 offseason, the Cavaliers acquired Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, Ron Harper and Larry Nance. The Cavaliers entered into a period of decline from the mid-1990s through the early 2000s, the team appeared in the playoffs the next two years, but could not get past the first round. In the 1997 off-season, the team added Shawn Kemp and Wesley Person, as well as a class that included Derek Anderson, Cedric Henderson, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas. This team lost in the first round of the playoffs in 1998, in the early 2000s, the team added Andre Miller, Lamond Murray, Chris Mihm and Carlos Boozer, but could not make it to the playoffs. The 2002–03 season saw the Cavaliers finish 17–65, tied for the worst record in the NBA, the Cavaliers luck changed as they landed the number 1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft. With it, the team selected heralded forward and future NBA MVP LeBron James, in 2005, the team would be sold to businessman Dan Gilbert. That year, the team also hired head coach Mike Brown, over the next few years, the Cavaliers built a team around James and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas by adding players including Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, and Anderson Varajao
Cleveland Cavaliers
–
Austin Carr —the first overall pick in the
1971 NBA draft, a 1974
NBA All-Star, and longtime TV color analyst for the Cavs
Cleveland Cavaliers
–
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
–
Brad Daugherty, the first overall pick in the
1986 NBA draft and a five-time
NBA All-Star for the Cavs
Cleveland Cavaliers
–
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, a Cavs
1996 first-round draft pick, a two-time
NBA All Star for the Cavs, and the team's all-time leader in games played, rebounds, and blocked shots. He is currently a Special Advisor for the Cavaliers.
3.
Harrison Barnes
–
Harrison Bryce Jordan Barnes is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels before being selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft with the seventh overall pick, Barnes won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015. Harrison Barnes was rated as the number 1 player in the class of 2010 by Scout. com and he was rated as the number 2 player by Rivals. com. In his junior year, Barnes and teammate Doug McDermott led Ames High School to an Iowa 4A state championship where he had 24 points and 8 rebounds in the final, in the finals he scored 19 points against Southeast Polk. He averaged 27.1 points,10.4 rebounds,4.0 steals and 4.0 assists during his year and was selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team. Barnes capped off his Ames High School career as their leading scorer with 1,787 points. Barnes played in the 4th annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic where he scored 18 points for Skip To My Lou, on January 20,2010, it was announced that Barnes was selected to the 2010 Junior National Select Team. The team played at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit at the Rose Garden in Portland and he was also selected to play in the 2010 McDonalds All-American Game where he led the West team to a 107-104 victory. He scored a team high 18 points and was named co-MVP with Jared Sullinger and he also played in the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic where he was named co-MVP with Kyrie Irving. On March 10,2010, Barnes won the Morgan Wootten Player of the Year Award, Barnes completed nine advanced placement credits before graduating high school. AAU Barnes played for All Iowa Attack and Howard Pulley Panthers on the AAU Circuit, Barnes considered offers from Duke, Iowa State, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and UCLA. Barnes unofficially visited Kansas twice, for Late Night in the Phog in October 2008, on November 13,2009, Barnes Skyped coach Roy Williams of North Carolina to announce his decision to join the Tar Heels. Barnes had 21 points in his North Carolina debut in a game in the Bahamas against the Commonwealth Bank Giants. Overall, Barnes averaged 22 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for UNC in the Bahamas, on November 1,2010, Barnes was named a preseason All-American by the AP. Barnes had 14 points and 4 rebounds in his North Carolina debut vs. Lipscomb. He recorded his first career double on December 11,2010, scoring 19 points. Barnes made the game winning, three-point shot against Miami to give the Tar Heels the lead with 6.6 seconds remaining in the game. Just weeks later in the Tar Heels game at Florida State, Barnes set a career high of 26 points came against Boston College on February 1,2011. He surpassed this mark on March 12,2011, in an ACC tournament game against Clemson, additionally, Barness 40 point performance set the record for points by a freshman in an ACC Tournament game
Harrison Barnes
–
Barnes warming up as a member of the Warriors in 2013
Harrison Barnes
–
Barnes (right) with
Kyrie Irving while playing for the
United States.
Harrison Barnes
–
Barnes playing in the Carrier Classic game in November 2011
4.
Golden State Warriors
–
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Western Conference Pacific Division. The team was established in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1962, the franchise relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and was renamed the San Francisco Warriors. In 1971, the changed its geographic moniker to Golden State. Since 1972, the home court has been the Oracle Arena in Oakland. The team is nicknamed the Dubs, the Warriors have reached eight NBA Finals, winning four NBA championships in 1947,1956,1975 and most recently in 2015 when they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden States four NBA championships are the fifth most in history only the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls. Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry have both named the NBAs Most Valuable Player while playing for the Warriors, for a total of three MVP awards. Golden State holds the NBA record for best regular season with 73–9, the Warriors were founded in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, a charter member of the Basketball Association of America. They were owned by Peter A. Tyrrell, who owned the Philadelphia Rockets of the American Hockey League. Tyrrell hired Eddie Gottlieb, a longtime basketball promoter in the Philadelphia area, as coach, the owners named the team after the Philadelphia Warriors, an old basketball team who played in the American Basketball League in 1925. Led by early scoring sensation Joe Fulks, the won the championship in the leagues inaugural 1946–47 season by defeating the Chicago Stags. The NBA, which was created by a 1949 merger, officially recognizes that as its own first championship, Gottlieb bought the team in 1951. The Warriors won its championship in Philadelphia in the 1955–56 season. The Warrior stars of this era were future Hall of Famers Paul Arizin, Tom Gola, in 1959, the team signed draft pick Wilt Chamberlain. Known as Wilt the Stilt, he led the team in scoring six times, quickly began shattering NBA scoring records, in 1962, Franklin Mieuli purchased the majority shares of the team and relocated the franchise to the San Francisco Bay Area, renaming them the San Francisco Warriors. Prior to the 1963–64 NBA season, the Warriors drafted big man Nate Thurmond to go along with Chamberlain, the Warriors won the Western Division crown that season, but lost the 1964 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics, four games to one. In the 1964–65 season, the Warriors traded Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers for Connie Dierking, Lee Shaffer, Paul Neumann and $150,000 and won only 17 games
Golden State Warriors
–
The Warriors' 1974-75 championship banner.
Golden State Warriors
–
Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
–
A ticket for a
1988-89 game between the Warriors and the
Jazz.
Golden State Warriors
–
The Warriors gathered together during the team's starting lineup ceremony prior to their
2011-12 exhibition opener against the Sacramento Kings.
5.
Oracle Arena
–
Oracle Arena is an indoor arena located in Oakland, California, United States, that is the home of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. The arena opened in 1966 and is the oldest arena in the NBA, from its opening until 1996 it was known as the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. After a major renovation completed in 1997, the arena was renamed The Arena in Oakland until 2005 and it is often referred to as the Oakland Coliseum Arena as it is located adjacent to the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. Oracle Arena seats 19,596 fans for basketball and 17,200 for ice hockey, the arena has been the home to the Golden State Warriors since 1971, except the one-year hiatus while the arena was undergoing renovations. It had been used by the Warriors intermittently as early as 1966, the California Golden Bears of the Pac-10 played the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons at the arena while their primary home, Harmon Gym, was being renovated into Haas Pavilion. For some years before then, the Bears played occasional games against popular non-conference opponents at the arena, the arenas first tenants were the California Seals of the Western Hockey League, who moved across the bay from the Cow Palace in 1966. The owners of the San Francisco Seals had been awarded a franchise in the National Hockey League on the condition they move out the Cow Palace. The team changed its name from San Francisco Seals to California Seals in order to draw fans from both San Francisco and Oakland. The Seals franchise continued to play at the arena after having transferred to the NHL, the Coliseum also hosted the American Basketball Associations Oakland Oaks, a charter member of the new ABA in 1967. The Oaks signed San Francisco Warriors star Rick Barry away from the rival National Basketball Association in 1968, the team was owned by entertainer Pat Boone and also had stars Larry Brown and Doug Moe on its roster. Brown and Barry are in the Basketball Hall of Fame, after a 22–56 record in their first season, the Oaks went 60–18 during the regular season in 1968–69. The Oaks then defeated the Denver Rockets, New Orleans Buccaneers, however, the team was plagued by poor attendance and Boone sold the team following their ABA Championship. They were relocated to Washington and became the Washington Caps, the Bay Bombers as well as the Golden Bay Earthquakes of the original MISL during the 1982–83 season and the Oakland Skates, a professional roller hockey team, all played there from 1993 to 1995. Over the years, the arena became increasingly outdated, lacking the luxuries of newer ones, with just over 15,000 seats, it was one of the smallest arenas in the league. The original arenas external walls, roof and foundation remained intact, the renovation began in mid-1996 and was completed in time for the Warriors to return in the fall of 1997. Included in the renovation was a new LED centerhung scoreboard and 360-degree fascia display, the new configuration seats 19,596 for basketball and 17,200 for ice hockey. On October 20,2006, the Golden State Warriors and the Oracle Corporation announced a 10-year agreement in which the Oakland Arena would be known as The Oracle, the O, as it is often referred to, will continue to be managed by Oakland–Alameda County Authority and SMG. The JPA approved the deal at its November 10 meeting, a formal press conference of the agreement was held on October 30
Oracle Arena
Oracle Arena
–
A record-breaking crowd watching the Warriors in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.
Oracle Arena
–
An interior view of Oracle Arena.
6.
Oakland
–
Oakland /ˈoʊklənd/ is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1852, Oaklands territory covers what was once a mosaic of California coastal terrace prairie, oak woodland, and north coastal scrub. Its land served as a resource when its hillside oak and redwood timber were logged to build San Francisco. In the late 1860s, Oakland was selected as the terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, many San Francisco citizens moved to Oakland, enlarging the citys population, increasing its housing stock and it continued to grow in the 20th century with its busy port, shipyards, and a thriving automobile manufacturing industry. Oakland is known for its sustainability practices, including a top-ranking for usage of electricity from renewable resources, in addition, due to a steady influx of immigrants during the 20th century, along with thousands of African-American war-industry workers who relocated from the Deep South during the 1940s. Oakland is the most ethnically diverse city in the country. The earliest known inhabitants were the Huchiun Indians, who lived there for thousands of years, the Huchiun belonged to a linguistic grouping later called the Ohlone. In Oakland, they were concentrated around Lake Merritt and Temescal Creek, in 1772, the area that later became Oakland was claimed, with the rest of California, by Spanish settlers for the King of Spain. In the early 19th century, the Spanish crown granted the East Bay area to Luis María Peralta for his Rancho San Antonio, the grant was confirmed by the successor Mexican republic upon its independence from Spain. Upon his death in 1842, Peralta divided his land among his four sons, Most of Oakland fell within the shares given to Antonio Maria and Vicente. The portion of the parcel that is now Oakland was called encinal—Spanish for oak grove—due to the oak forest that covered the area. In 1851, three men—Horace Carpentier, Edson Adams, and Andrew Moon—began developing what is now downtown Oakland, on May 4,1852, the Town of Oakland incorporated. Two years later, on March 25,1854, Oakland re-incorporated as the City of Oakland, with Horace Carpentier elected the first mayor, the city and its environs quickly grew with the railroads, becoming a major rail terminal in the late 1860s and 1870s. In 1868, the Central Pacific constructed the Oakland Long Wharf at Oakland Point, a number of horsecar and cable car lines were constructed in Oakland during the latter half of the 19th century. The first electric streetcar set out from Oakland to Berkeley in 1891, at the time of incorporation, Oakland consisted of the territory that lay south of todays major intersection of San Pablo Avenue, Broadway, and Fourteenth Street. The city gradually annexed farmlands and settlements to the east and the north, Oaklands rise to industrial prominence, and its subsequent need for a seaport, led to the digging of a shipping and tidal channel in 1902. This resulted in the town of Alameda being made an island
Oakland
–
Oakland skyline, with the old eastern span of the
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in background
Oakland
–
1857 Map of Oakland
Oakland
–
One day's output of 1917
Chevrolet automobiles at their major
West Coast plant, now the location of
Eastmont Town Center
Oakland
–
In 1924, the
Tribune Tower was completed; in 1976, it was restored and declared an Oakland landmark.
7.
California
–
California is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area. Located on the western coast of the U. S, California is bordered by the other U. S. states of Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California. Los Angeles is Californias most populous city, and the second largest after New York City. The Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nations second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, California also has the nations most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The Central Valley, an agricultural area, dominates the states center. What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its war for independence. The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California, the California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes, with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom. If it were a country, California would be the 6th largest economy in the world, fifty-eight percent of the states economy is centered on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific and technical business services. Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the states economy, the story of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián, written as a sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts. This conventional wisdom that California was an island, with maps drawn to reflect this belief, shortened forms of the states name include CA, Cal. Calif. and US-CA. Settled by successive waves of arrivals during the last 10,000 years, various estimates of the native population range from 100,000 to 300,000. The Indigenous peoples of California included more than 70 distinct groups of Native Americans, ranging from large, settled populations living on the coast to groups in the interior. California groups also were diverse in their organization with bands, tribes, villages. Trade, intermarriage and military alliances fostered many social and economic relationships among the diverse groups, the first European effort to explore the coast as far north as the Russian River was a Spanish sailing expedition, led by Portuguese captain Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in 1542. Some 37 years later English explorer Francis Drake also explored and claimed a portion of the California coast in 1579. Spanish traders made unintended visits with the Manila galleons on their trips from the Philippines beginning in 1565
California
–
A forest of redwood trees in
Redwood National Park
California
–
Flag
California
–
Mount Shasta
California
–
Aerial view of the
California Central Valley
8.
2015 NBA Finals
–
The 2015 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2014–15 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the seasons playoffs. Golden States Andre Iguodala was named the Finals Most Valuable Player, the Warriors were led by 2014–15 NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry, while the Cavaliers featured four-time league MVP LeBron James. Both teams entered the series with title droughts of four decades, with the Cavaliers having never won a title since their 1970–71 inception and the Warriors last title having been in 1975. This was also the first time that both participating teams had first-year head coaches since the league finals in 1947, when the NBA was known as the Basketball Association of America. James also became the first player in NBA Finals history to both teams in points, assists and rebounds for the entire series. He averaged 35.8 points,13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists for the series, for the second straight year, the Finals was played in the 2–2–1–1–1 format. The series began on June 4,2015, and it ended on June 16,2015, the Cavaliers entered the 2014–15 season after firing Mike Brown and replacing him with David Blatt as head coach, signing free agent forward LeBron James, and trading for forward Kevin Love. James previously played for Cleveland from 2003 to 2010, leading the Cavaliers to their only previous Finals appearance in 2007, James then played for the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014, leading the Heat to two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. During the 2014 NBA draft on June 26,2014, Cleveland held the first overall pick, later on August 23, a three-team trade was completed involving the Cavaliers, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Philadelphia 76ers. As part of the deal, Cleveland dealt Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, James, Love, and guard Kyrie Irving became dubbed nationally as the Big Three. The Cavaliers got off to a bad start that led to intense media scrutiny. The team got off to a 19–20 start in their first 39 games, injuries to LeBron James and chemistry issues, with James still learning how to play with his new teammates and vice versa, were considered to be the primary reasons for the underwhelming start. However, a number of trades turned the season around, the Cavaliers acquired J. R. Smith and Iman Shumpert from the Knicks in exchange for draft picks while sending Dion Waiters to the Thunder. The Cavaliers then acquired Timofey Mozgov, Jamess return to the Cavaliers lineup on January 12 completed the turnaround. The Warriors entered the 2014–15 season after replacing Mark Jackson with Steve Kerr as head coach and this was Kerrs first ever head coaching job. After retiring as a player in 2003, he served as a broadcast analyst from 2003 to 2007 and 2010 to 2014, in Kerrs first year, the Warriors finished with the best regular season record at 67–15, including an incredible 39–2 mark in home games. Kerr became the winningest rookie head coach in NBA history, passing Tom Thibodeau, point guard Stephen Curry set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a regular season with 286, eclipsing his own record that he set in 2012–13. Curry also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2014–15 season, the Cavaliers and Warriors tied the regular season series 1–1, with each team winning its home game
2015 NBA Finals
–
2015 NBA Finals
9.
National Basketball Association
–
The National Basketball Association is the major mens professional basketball league in North America, and is widely considered to be the premier mens professional basketball league in the world. It has 30 teams, and is a member of USA Basketball. The NBA is one of the four professional sports leagues in the United States. NBA players are the worlds best paid athletes by average annual salary per player, the league was founded in New York City on June 6,1946, as the Basketball Association of America. The league adopted the name National Basketball Association on August 3,1949, the leagues several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, the Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1,1946, in Toronto, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens, the first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. During its early years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that leagues 1948 title, Following the 1948–49 season, the BAA took in the remainder of the NBL, Syracuse, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan, Denver, and Waterloo. The new league had seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as arenas and smaller gymnasiums. The process of contraction saw the leagues smaller-city franchises move to larger cities, the Hawks shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati in 1957, japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he played for the New York Knicks. He remained the only player in league history prior to the first African-American, Harold Hunter. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships, to encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954. If a team does not attempt to score a goal within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped. In 1957, rookie center Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics, who already featured guard Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, and went on to lead the club to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league with the Warriors in 1959 and became a dominant individual star of the 1960s, russells rivalry with Chamberlain became one of the greatest rivalries in the history of American team sports. The 1960s were dominated by the Celtics, led by Russell, Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, Boston won eight straight championships in the NBA from 1959 to 1966
National Basketball Association
–
The
headquarters of the National Basketball Association in the
Olympic Tower at 645
Fifth Avenue,
Midtown Manhattan,
New York City,
USA.
National Basketball Association
–
Cities that hosted teams that played for more than one season in the NBA and/or
BAA from 1947–1959. Only
New York,
Boston, and
Detroit still have the same franchise.
National Basketball Association
–
Bill Russell defending
Wilt Chamberlain in 1966.
National Basketball Association
–
Los Angeles Lakers'
Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics'
Larry Bird in Game Two of the
1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden.
10.
NBA Finals
–
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association played between the Western and Eastern champions of the Conference Finals. The first team to win four games in the game series is declared the league champion and is awarded the Larry OBrien Championship Trophy. Winners from 1946 to 1983 received the Walter A. Brown Trophy redesigned in 1977 to the current form, the NBA Finals has been played at the end of every NBA and Basketball Association of America season in history, the first being held in 1947. Most NBA Finals series were played under the 2–2–1–1–1 format prior to 1985, the series was named the BAA Finals from 1947 to 1949 and then changed to the NBA World Championship Series from 1950 to 1982. The following two years, the league used Showdown 83 and Showdown 84 and it returned to NBA World Championship Series in 1985, before settling on NBA Finals in 1986. During the first decade the Minneapolis Lakers had the first NBA dynasty, the team also featured George Mikan, one of the greatest players in NBA history. The Boston Celtics went 11–1 in the NBA Finals during 13 seasons and they won eight straight NBA championships from 1959 through 1966. With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, Bill Russell became the star of the league, Game 7 of the NBA Finals was decided on a Celtics basket in the final seconds of the second overtime. For most of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Celtics always seemed to have the hand on Wilt Chamberlains teams. The following season, he joined the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Syracuse Nationals team that had moved to cover the vacancy created with the departure of the Warriors, a clash between the two stars in the playoffs was in 1966 and Boston won it 4–1. Chamberlains coach told him to play a game, not an individual game. His new-found team spirit brought them to a new record of 68 wins the season, and they defeated the Celtics and then advanced to, and won. In 1968, Boston overcame a 3–1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals and they went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers for the sixth straight time,4 games to 2. In 1969, the Celtics overcame even longer odds, Boston was an aging team and had injuries to a number of players. They barely qualified for the playoffs, finishing fourth in the East, the Lakers, who in the offseason added Chamberlain to join West and Elgin Baylor, won the West and were prohibitive favorites to finally win it all for the first time since relocating to L. A. They won the first two games at the Los Angeles Forum, however, when the series shifted to Boston Garden, the Celtics won Game 3 110–105. Game 4 was the point, as the Lakers led 87–86 and had the ball with 10 seconds to play. But after a turnover, Sam Jones put up a shot hit the front of the rim, the back heel, rolled around
NBA Finals
–
The Shot O'Brien Championship Trophy.
11.
List of NBA All-Stars
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The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game played between the Eastern-Conference and the Western-Conference All-Stars. It is the event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. The starters are chosen by a combination of fans, media, fans may vote using a variety of online platforms, and account for 50% of the vote, with the media and current players each accounting for 25%. The reserves are chosen by voting among the coaches of each teams particular conference. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players, if a player is unable to participate due to injury, the NBA commissioner will select a replacement. The 1999 All-Star Game was canceled due to the leagues lockout, the following is a list of NBA All-Stars, players who have been selected for the NBA All-Star Game at least once in their career. Note that the number indicates the number of selections—not the number of games played. For instance, Michael Jordan was named to the All-Star Game roster 14 times, as of the 2017 All-Star Game,411 players have been selected to an All-Star Game roster at least once. However, only 283 of them have earned multiple selections to the game, hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for most All-Star Game selections and most All-Star Games played. He was selected 19 times and played in 18 All-Star games, dirk Nowitzki and LeBron James both hold the record for most All-Star Game selections among active players, with 13 selections. Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and LeBron James are tied for the most consecutive games actually played, tim Duncan also played in 13 straight All-Star Games if the lockout-cancelled 1999 game is excluded. Several players were named to All-Star Game rosters, but never played in the game due to injury. Note, Statistics are correct as of the conclusion of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, notes a Before the 1971–72 season, Lew Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He missed the 1973 All-Star Game due to personal reasons, B When Hakeem Olajuwon arrived in the United States, the University of Houston incorrectly spelled his first name Akeem. Olajuwon used that spelling until March 9,1991, when he announced that he would add an H, C This column does not include American Basketball Association All-Star Game selections. D Before the 2011–12 season, Ron Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace, general All-Star Game Selections by Player. Specific NBA. com, All-Star Game history Basketball-Reference, All-Star Game Index
List of NBA All-Stars
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game for a record of 19 times.
12.
Kyrie Irving
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Kyrie Andrew Irving is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. Irving was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, but grew up in West Orange and he played college basketball for Duke University before being selected with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Cavaliers. Irving has achieved a number of accolades, including the 2011–12 NBA Rookie of the Year,2014 NBA All-Star Game MVP, and an NBA championship in 2016. He has also played for the United States national team, with whom he has won gold at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Irving was born on March 23,1992 in Melbourne, Australia to American parents. He is the son of Drederick and Elizabeth Irving, and the stepson of Shetellia Irving and he has an older sister, Asia, and a younger sister, London. His father, Drederick, played basketball at Boston University alongside Shawn Teague. After completing his career, Irvings father moved to Australia to play professionally for the Bulleen Boomers. Irving lived in the Melbourne suburb of Kew before relocating to the United States when he was two years old and he has dual citizenship in the United States and Australia. Irvings mother, Elizabeth, died from an illness when he was four, Irving grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, where he often went to his fathers adult-league games. His inspiration to play in the NBA came after playing at Continental Airlines Arena during a trip in fourth grade where he stated I will play in the NBA. As a teenager, Irving played for the Road Runners of the Amateur Athletic Union, Irving played for Montclair Kimberley Academy his freshman and sophomore years in high school. He averaged 26.5 points,10.3 assists,4.8 rebounds and 3.6 steals, in his sophomore year, he led MKA to its first New Jersey Prep B state title. After that year, he transferred to St. Patrick High School because he felt he needed a bigger challenge and he had to sit out the first 30 days of St. Patricks season due to the transfer. While at St. Patrick, Irving played with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, in his first season at St. Patrick, Irving averaged 17.0 ppg.5.0 rpg.6.0 apg. and 2.0 spg. He also led his team to their third New Jersey Tournament of Champions title in four years, in August 2009, he played in the Nike Global Challenge in which he led the USA East to the tournament title. He was the MVP with 21.3 ppg. and 4.3 apg, the following year, St. Patrick was banned from the state tournament for holding practice prior to the permitted start of the winter sports season. Despite being banned from the tournament, St. Patrick went 24-3. Kyrie finished his year with 24.0 ppg,5.0 rpg. and 7.0 apg
Kyrie Irving
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Irving with the Cavaliers in October 2013
13.
Kevin Love
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Kevin Wesley Love is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. He is a four-time All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016 and he was also a member of the gold medal-winning USA mens national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Summer Olympics. The son of former NBA player Stan Love, Love was a top ranked prospect out of Lake Oswego High School in Oregon and he played one season of college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and led the team to a Final Four appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Love was named a consensus First Team All-American and was voted the player of the year in the Pac-12 Conference and he elected to forego his remaining three years of college eligibility and entered the 2008 NBA draft. He was taken fifth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, and was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night for the third selection, O. J. Mayo. During the 2010–11 season, Love established the longest streak for consecutive games recording double figures in points and he was traded to the Cavaliers in 2014. Love was born on September 7,1988 in Santa Monica, California and he grew up in Oregon and played basketball from his earliest days, as a child, he would practice his bounce passes with a cardboard box and study tapes of Wes Unseld. Love played high school basketball for the Lake Oswego Lakers. In his sophomore season, he averaged 25.3 points,15.4 rebounds and he went on to play for the Southern California All-Stars, helping the team compile a 46–0 record while garnering three MVP awards. In his junior year, he averaged 28 points,16.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game as Lake Oswego returned to the championship game. In his senior season, he averaged 33.9 points,17.0 rebounds, at the conclusion of the season, Love was named the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year. He was also a first-team Parade All-American and he finished his high school career as the all-time leading scorer in Oregon boys basketball history with 2,628 points. In July 2006, Love verbally committed to college basketball at UCLA. He had also considered playing for North Carolina, prior to the 2007–08 season, he received permission from Walt Hazzard to wear number 42 for the Bruins even though the school had retired the number for Hazzard in 1996. After arriving at UCLA, Love regularly sought out retired Bruins legends Bill Walton and his decision to play for UCLA brought animosity from fans of Oregon, his fathers alma mater, where it was expected Love would play. This event, along with similar incidents directed at other players, in the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference Mens Basketball Tournament, the Bruins defeated the USC Trojans, featuring O. J. Mayo, in the semi-finals. Both Mayo and Love were nominated to the All-Pac-10 tournament team, later, Love guided UCLA to the regular season Pac-10 conference championship, the conference tournament championship, and a No.1 seed in the 2008 NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Tournament. Love helped the Bruins to the Final Four of the tournament, at the end of the 2007–08 regular season, Love was named consensus first-team All-American, Pac-10 Player of the Year, All-Pac-10, and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year
Kevin Love
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Love warming up with the
Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015
Kevin Love
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Love in 2010
Kevin Love
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Love in 2008 at UCLA
Kevin Love
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Love in 2012
14.
Deron Williams
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Deron Michael Williams is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the University of Illinois before being drafted third overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. The three-time NBA All-Star has also played for Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League, Williams was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia. In elementary school and middle school, Williams won two state wrestling championships, in 1993, as an eight-year-old, he won the 67 lb. weight class Texas State championship. Four years later in 1997, he won the twelve-year-old 116 lb. weight class championship, Williams attended The Colony High School in The Colony, Texas and averaged 17 points,9.4 assists, and 2 steals per game as a junior in 2001. That year he led his team, the Cougars, to a 32–2 record, in 2002, as a senior, he averaged 17.6 points,8.5 assists,6.1 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game. His team, the Cougars, went 29–2 that season, losing the 5A Texas State semifinals, Williams was a teammate of Bracey Wright who went on to play for Big Ten rival Indiana University. Williams was recruited to play basketball at the University of Illinois for the 2002–03 NCAA season by Bill Self. In his freshman year, he started 30 of 32 games, Bruce Weber assumed the head coach position for the Illini in April 2003 and helped develop Williams throughout his remaining collegiate career. As a sophomore, Williams improved his average from 6.3 to 14.0 points per game. Williams was a First-Team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media, in 2005, as a junior starting point guard, Williams led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA championship game where they lost to the University of North Carolina. That season saw the Illini go undefeated until the game of the regular season. Illinoiss road to the Final Four was marked by a win over the Arizona Wildcats. Williams made the game-tying three-point shot with just 38.5 seconds left in regulation and he then hit the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime, and the Illini never looked back in that game. Williams received many awards after the 2004–05 season and those honors include being named a consensus Second Team All American, as well as being named First Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Tournament Team, and All-Final Four team. Williams was also a finalist for the Wooden Award and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Chicago Regional in the NCAA Tournament, the team included four other future NBA players, including Dee Brown, Roger Powell, James Augustine, and Luther Head. Williams declared for the NBA draft after the 2005 season, forgoing his final year of collegiate eligibility, following the season, Williams declared for the 2005 NBA draft. The Utah Jazz selected Williams with the third selection, after Andrew Bogut
Deron Williams
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Williams with the Brooklyn Nets in March 2014
Deron Williams
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Williams after he was drafted by the Jazz in the 2005 NBA draft.
Deron Williams
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Deron Williams with the Jazz attempting to block
Chauncey Billups.
Deron Williams
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Williams celebrates a made 3-pointer
15.
Kyle Korver
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Kyle Elliot Korver is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for Creighton and was drafted with the 51st overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets. Korver became an NBA All-Star for the first time in 2015, Korver was born in Paramount, California and is the oldest of four children to Kevin and Laine Korver. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, and was a Los Angeles Lakers fan as a child, watching Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Showtime Lakers instilled a love of basketball in Korver that made him want to pursue it himself. He moved with his family to Iowa in 1993 and graduated from Pella High School, as a sophomore, Korver earned All-MVC second team honors while leading the conference tournament champion Bluejays with 14.6 points per game. He was also named to the MVC All-Tournament team, as a junior, Korver led the Bluejays to both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and conference tournament championships. He was then named MVC Player of the Year and an honorable mention All-American, as a senior, Korver again earned MVC Player of the Year and first team All-MVC honors. He was also a consensus second-team All-American and a finalist for the Wooden, Naismith, Korver finished his career at Creighton fourth all-time in scoring and first in three-pointers made, three-point percentage, and free-throw percentage. His 371 career made three-pointers is an MVC record and tied for sixth most in NCAA history, Korver also holds Creighton single-season records for three-pointers made, three-point percentage, and free-throw percentage. Korver graduated with a degree in visual communications. Korver was selected with the 51st overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets and his draft rights were traded later that night to the Philadelphia 76ers for $125,000. On August 8,2003, he signed a deal with the 76ers. Korver finished his rookie season averaging 4.1 points in 11.9 minutes per game, Korver finished the 2004–05 season tied for the NBA league leader in three-pointers made with 226, which also marked a 76ers franchise record. On August 2,2005, Korver re-signed with the 76ers to a six-year, Korver scored a career-high 31 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 24,2006, and duplicated that performance on February 21,2007 against the New York Knicks. He averaged a career-high 14.4 points per game during the 2006–07 season, on December 29,2007, Korver was traded to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Gordan Giriček and a future first-round draft pick. Korver spent two and a half seasons in Utah, mostly coming off the bench as the sixth man. Korver finished the 2009–10 season hitting 53.6 percent of his three-point shots to secure the NBAs single-season accuracy record and he drilled 59-of-110 three-pointers, edging the record percentage of.524 that Steve Kerr set in 1994–95. On July 13,2010, Korver signed with the Chicago Bulls
Kyle Korver
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Korver (left) with the Philadelphia 76ers
Kyle Korver
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Korver warms up before a 2011 playoff game.
Kyle Korver
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Korver at the 2014 World Basketball Festival
16.
Stephen Curry
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Wardell Stephen Curry II is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history, in 2014–15, Curry won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975. The following season, he became the first player in NBA history to be elected MVP by a unanimous vote and that same year, the Warriors broke the record for the most wins in an NBA season. Curry is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry and older brother of current NBA player Seth Curry and he played college basketball for Davidson. There, he was twice named Southern Conference Player of the Year, during his sophomore year, he also set the single-season NCAA record for three-pointers made. During the 2012–13 season, Curry set the NBA record for three-pointers made in a season with 272. He surpassed that record in 2015 with 286, and again in 2016 with 402, the son of Sonya and Dell Curry, Stephen Curry was born in Akron, Ohio, while his father was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where his father spent most of his NBA career with the Charlotte Hornets, Dell often took Curry and his younger brother, Seth, to his games, where they would shoot around with the Hornets during warm-ups. The family briefly relocated to Toronto, Ontario, where Dell finished out his career as a member of the Toronto Raptors, during this time, Curry played for the Queensway Christian College boys basketball team, leading them to an undefeated season. He was also a member of Toronto 5–0, a team that plays across Ontario, pitting him against fellow future NBA players Cory Joseph. Curry led the team to a 33–4 record, en route to winning the provincial championship. Because of his fathers storied career at Virginia Tech, Curry wanted to play basketball for the Hokies. He ultimately chose to attend Davidson College, who had been aggressively recruiting him from the tenth grade, before Curry even played one college game, head coach Bob McKillop said at a Davidson alumni event, Wait til you see Steph Curry. In his first collegiate game, against Eastern Michigan, Curry finished with 15 points, in the next game, against Michigan, he scored 32 points, dished out 4 assists, and grabbed 9 rebounds. Curry finished the leading the Southern Conference in scoring with 21.5 points per game. He was second in the nation among freshmen in scoring, behind only Kevin Durant of Texas, Currys scoring ability helped the Wildcats to a 29–5 overall record and a Southern Conference regular season title. Curry eclipsed the school scoring record with his 502nd point against Chattanooga on February 6,2007. On March 15,2007, Davidson marched into the NCAA tournament as a 13 seed set to play Maryland, despite Currys game-high 30 points and he was also honorable mention in Sports Illustrateds All-Mid-Major
Stephen Curry
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Curry with the Warriors in 2015
Stephen Curry
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Curry at the 2008 NCAA Tournament
Stephen Curry
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Curry taking instructions from Warriors then-assistant coach
Keith Smart.
Stephen Curry
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Curry taking a jump shot in 2011. Holding numerous three-point shooting records and having one of the quickest releases in the NBA, Curry is often considered one of the greatest shooters of all time.
17.
Kevin Durant
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Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Durant has won an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, four NBA scoring titles, the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and he has also been selected to six All-NBA teams and eight All-Star teams. Durant was a heavily recruited high school prospect and he played one season of college basketball for the University of Texas, where he won numerous year-end awards and became the first freshman to be named Naismith College Player of the Year. In the 2007 NBA draft, he was selected with the second pick by the Seattle SuperSonics. After his rookie season, the relocated to Oklahoma City. Durant helped lead Oklahoma City to the 2012 NBA Finals, losing to the Miami Heat in five games and he played nine seasons for the Thunder organization before joining the Warriors in 2016. Durant was born on September 29,1988 in Washington, D. C. to Wanda, when Durant was an infant, his father deserted the family, Wanda and Wayne eventually divorced, and Durants grandmother Barbara Davis helped raise him. By age 13, his father re-entered his life and traveled the country with him to basketball tournaments, Durant has one sister, Brianna, and two brothers, Tony and Rayvonne. Growing up, Durant wanted to play for his team, the Toronto Raptors. During this time, he began wearing #35 as his number in honor of his AAU coach, Charles Craig. Prior to the start of the season, he committed to the University of Texas, at the conclusion of the year, he was named the Washington Post All-Met Basketball Player of the Year, as well as the Most Valuable Player of the 2006 McDonalds All-American Game. He was widely regarded as the second-best high school prospect of 2006, for the 2006–07 college season, Durant averaged 25.8 points,11.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. The Longhorns finished the year with a 25–10 record overall and a 12–4 record in conference, Durant was the first freshman ever to win any of the National Player of the Year awards. On April 11, he declared for the 2007 NBA draft. His jersey was retired by the Longhorns. Durant was selected with the second pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. In his first career game, he registered 18 points,5 rebounds, on November 16, he made the first game-winning shot of his career in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. At the conclusion of the season, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year behind averages of 20.3 points,4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game
Kevin Durant
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Durant with the Thunder in February 2014
Kevin Durant
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Durant scores on a
slam dunk in March 2011 as a member of the
Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kevin Durant
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Durant playing in a game between the Drew League and the Goodman League in August 2011.
Kevin Durant
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Durant signs an autograph at the
Sonics ' practice facility in January 2008.
18.
Draymond Green
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Draymond Jamal Green Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Green, who plays primarily at the forward position, was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team. Green was named an NBA All-Star the following two seasons, Green grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and played college basketball for Michigan State, where he helped the Spartans earn two Final Four appearances and a Big Ten Tournament championship in 2012. He went on to be drafted 35th overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, Green attended Saginaw High School in Saginaw, Michigan, where he played for coach Lou Dawkins. As a sophomore in 2005–06, he averaged 12 points and 11 rebounds per game, as a junior in 2006–07, he averaged 25 points,13 rebounds, three assists and three steals per game as he led Saginaw to the Class A State Championship and a 26–1 record. On November 14,2007, Green signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball for Michigan State. Green had also considered signing with Michigan and Kentucky and he was subsequently named captain of the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team, and was rated the No.36 player in the ESPN150, including the No.13 power forward. As a freshman for Michigan State in 2008–09, Green appeared in 37 games off the Spartan bench as he averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game on the season. As a sophomore in 2009–10, Green appeared in 37 games with three starting assignments as he averaged 9.9 points,7.7 rebounds,3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He became the first player in Michigan State history to be named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and he also earned third-team All-Big Ten honors and was the recipient of MSUs Most Improved Player, Chairman of the Boards and Antonio Smith Glue and Guts awards. Twice, Green scored a season-high 19 points, on December 10 against Oakland and he also had seven games with double-doubles, including 17 points and 16 rebounds on February 6 against Illinois. As a junior in 2010–11, Green averaged 12.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, on February 10,2011, Green followed Charlie Bell and Magic Johnson to be the third Michigan State mens basketball player to record a triple-double. In the 2011 NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Tournament, he recorded his second triple-double of the season and he went on to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors for the second straight year. As a senior in 2011–12, Green captained the Spartans to a regular season Big Ten championship, the 2011–12 squad compiled a regular season 24–7 record and a 13–5 mark in Big Ten play, good for the teams 13th conference title and the third in the previous four years. Green was named Big Ten Mens Basketball Player of the four times during the season. On March 5,2012, Green was named Big Ten Player of the Year by the coaches, on March 10,2012, Draymond passed Johnny Green as the second all-time rebounding leader at MSU, finishing the game with 1,046 career rebounds. On March 22,2012, in a loss to Louisville, Green collected 16 rebounds, bringing him to 1,096 career rebounds and he ended his career as one of three players in Michigan State history with over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Green was selected with the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, on July 30,2012, he signed a three-year, $2.6 million contract with the Warriors
Draymond Green
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Green with the Warriors in October 2012
Draymond Green
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Green playing with Michigan State in the 2011
Carrier Classic.
19.
Klay Thompson
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Klay Alexander Thompson is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. The son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson, he played basketball for three seasons at Washington State University, where he was a two-time first-team all-conference selection in the Pac-10. Thompson was selected in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft by Golden State with the 11th overall pick. In 2014, he and teammate Stephen Curry set a then NBA record with 484 combined three-pointers in a season, Thompson is a three-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Third Team honoree. In 2015, he helped lead the Warriors to their first NBA championship since 1975, Thompson was born in Los Angeles to Julie and Mychal Thompson. His mother was a player in college, and his dad was the first overall pick of the 1978 NBA draft. At age 2, Thompsons family moved to Lake Oswego, Oregon, at age 14, Thompson moved with his family to Ladera Ranch, California, and graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita in 2008. In his junior season he was named to the All-Area second team, as a senior Thompson averaged 21 points per game and led SMCHS to a 30–5 record and a Division III State Championship appearance. During the state championship, Thompson set a state record with seven 3-pointers in a game. He was named Division III State player of the year, League MVP, first-team Best in the West, as a freshman, Thompson started all 33 games at Washington State University. This was also the third highest single game point total in WSU history, after becoming the third fastest Cougar to reach 1,000 points, Thompson was named to the All-Pac-10 First Team. He earned Pac-10 Player of the Week honors twice during the season and was chosen as a candidate for the John R. Wooden Award. Thompson finished the season averaging 19.6 points, which was second in the conference, as a junior, Thompson again earned All-Pac-10 first team honors after leading the Pac-10 in scoring. He became just the third Cougar to win first-team all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches twice in his career. In addition, he became the first Cougar to win Pac-10 Player of the Week three times when he won the award for the week of Nov. 22–28 and he also won the award for the week of December 6–12. Soon after, Thompson was named one of the 30 midseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, in the 2011 Pac-10 tournament, he set tournament records with 43 points and 8 three pointers. Thompson finished the season by setting WSUs single season scoring record with 733 points and he is WSUs 3rd all-time leading scorer. Thompson declared for, and opted to remain in, the 2011 NBA draft after his junior season and he was selected 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors
Klay Thompson
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Thompson in 2015
Klay Thompson
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Thompson in February 2011
Klay Thompson
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Thompson with the Warriors in October 2012
Klay Thompson
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Thompson defending
John Wall of the
Washington Wizards
20.
David West (basketball)
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David Moorer West is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for Xavier University where in 2003, he became the first Musketeer to ever win the AP Player of the Year, West attended Garner Magnet High School in Garner, North Carolina and Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia. As a senior in 1998–99, he earned first-team all-state honors playing for Hargrave, in his freshman season at Xavier, West was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team after leading the A-10 in rebounding and finishing fourth on the Musketeers in scoring. In his sophomore season, West led Xavier in scoring, rebounding and he recorded five 20-point, 20-rebound games throughout the 2000–01 season as he earned his first A-10 Player of the Year award. In his junior season, West was named the A-10 Player of the Year and he averaged 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, and recorded the first triple-double in school history with 15 points,10 rebounds and 10 assists against Long Island University. He became the first three-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, in addition, he became just the third player in Xavier history to surpass 2,000 points and only the second to eclipse 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, joining Tyrone Hill. In October 2007, Sports Illustrated released Sports Illustrated, The Basketball Book and he was joined by Connecticuts Emeka Okafor and three Duke players, Jay Williams, J. J. Redick and Shane Battier. West was drafted by the New Orleans Hornets with the 18th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. After recording modest production in his first two seasons, in 2005–06, West enjoyed a breakthrough as he averaged 17.4 points and 7.4 rebounds with a.512 FG% in 74 games. That year, he finished second in the voting for the NBA Most Improved Player Award and he also saw some time at center, due to the teams lack of a true big man and demonstrated an ability to perform under pressure, as he converted three game-winning jump shots. In 2006–07, West ended the season averaging 18.3 points,8.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Despite missing 30 games due to an injury, West recorded five games of 30 or more points and 13 games of 20 or more points. West again increased his production in 2007–08, and was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game as a reserve. Paul later stated that he would not play with a power forward in the league other than West, because hes not in it for the spotlight. In 2008–09, West repeated as an all-star and posted a new career high by scoring 21.0 points per game, on March 25,2011, during one of the Hornets last games of the season against the Utah Jazz, West came down awkwardly after a dunk. The event occurred with 22.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, West tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and was ruled out for the rest of the season. On June 27,2011, West opted out of the year of his contract to become a free agent. On December 13,2011, West signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Indiana Pacers, on January 12,2013, West recorded his first career triple-double with 14 points,12 rebounds and 10 assists in the 96-88 win over the Charlotte Bobcats
David West (basketball)
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West with the New Orleans Hornets in 2011
David West (basketball)
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West in a game with the Hornets in 2010
21.
Andre Iguodala
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Andre Tyler Iguodala is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice, Iguodala won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015, when he was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. He was also a member of the United States national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and 2012 Summer Olympics, Iguodala went to Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois, before attending the University of Arizona. After completing two years, he declared for the 2004 NBA draft, where he was drafted as the ninth overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers, Iguodala played for Philadelphia until the summer of 2012, when he joined the Denver Nuggets in a four-team trade. He was acquired by Golden State in 2013, in 2014–15, he became a reserve for the first time in his career, but captured the Finals MVP after returning to the starting lineup in the middle of the finals series. Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois and he is the son of Linda Shanklin. His older brother, Frank, played for Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois and his mother is African American, his father Nigerian. Growing up, Iguodala rooted for the Chicago Bulls, and he cites Michael Jordan as the player he looked up to, as a senior in 2002, Iguodala led Lanphiers basketball team to a runner-up finish at the Illinois High School Association Class AA state tournament. That season, he averaged 23.5 points,7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game and he was named Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year as well as a second team Parade All-American and Nike All-American. Iguodala was also a finalist for the Illinois Mr. Basketball award and his Lanphier jersey is now retired. In 2002, he played in the Jordan Brand Classic in Washington, in 22 minutes of play, Iguodala put up six points on 3–6 shooting, five rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block. Iguodala played AAU basketball under Larry Butler and the Illinois Warriors, the team that has featured other players such as Dwyane Wade, Quentin Richardson. Considered a four-star recruit by Scout. com, Iguodala was listed as the No.6 small forward, Iguodala initially signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Arkansas. He had narrowed down his list of desired schools to two, Kansas or Arkansas, Iguodala was enticed by Arkansass 1–3 system, which would have allowed Iguodala to run the point occasionally. Iguodala visited the Arkansas campus and was impressed by their large gymnasium, however, after their coach, Nolan Richardson, was fired that year, Iguodala decided to attend Arizona instead. At Arizona he joined future NBA players Channing Frye, Luke Walton, Mustafa Shakur, Salim Stoudamire, one of the determining factors for Iguodala was the commitment of Hassan Adams, whom Iguodala had played with in the Jordan Brand Classic in high school. He was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshmen team for 2002–03, in his freshman year he quickly established himself as one of the best all-around players on the team, ranking in the top 5 for his team in just about every major category. As a sophomore in 2003–04, Iguodala was named team MVP after leading his team in rebounds, assists and he also made the All-Pac-10 First Team and was named Honorable Mention All-America by The Associated Press
Andre Iguodala
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Iguodala with Team USA in 2012
Andre Iguodala
–
Iguodala warming up prior to a game for the 76ers
Andre Iguodala
–
Iguodala competed in the
2006 Slam Dunk Contest.
Andre Iguodala
–
Iguodala pulls up for a jumper while being defended by
Mikki Moore.
22.
Andrew Bogut
–
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. The 7-foot center was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft and he earned All-NBA Third Team honors with the Bucks in 2010. He was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2012, and was named NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2015, Bogut played college basketball for two years with the Utah Utes, and earned national player of the year honors in 2005. He declared for the NBA draft, and became the first Australian to be the NBAs first overall pick, in his first year with the Bucks, Bogut was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2006. He earned all-league honors in 2010 after averaging a career-high 15.9 points along with 10.2 rebounds per game and he missed most of 2011–12 with an ankle injury, when he was traded to Golden State. After winning the NBA Finals in 2015, Bogut helped the Warriors win an NBA-record 73 games in 2015–16, though he was born and raised in Melbourne, Boguts parents, Michael and Anne, are Croatians who immigrated to Australia from SFR Yugoslavia in the 1970s. Bogut grew up playing Australian rules football and tennis in addition to basketball, as a child, he patterned his basketball game after Toni Kukoč, a Croatian NBA player who spent the majority of the 1990s playing for the Chicago Bulls. As a 15-year-old, he was cut from the Victoria junior state representative team, in response to this setback, Bogut began to improve his game with the help of Siniša Marković, a professional basketballer from Yugoslavia. Boguts emergence on the basketball stage began after he earned a roster spot with the Australian Institute of Sport. Then he competed in the South East Australian Basketball League in 2003 and he later joined the U-19 Australian national team and was named most valuable player of the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championships in Greece after leading the Emus to the title. In eight games, he averaged 26.3 points,17 rebounds,2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks and shot 61 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free throw line. One of the highlights of his MVP conquest was a 22-point, as a freshman at Utah in 2003–04, Bogut averaged 12.5 points and 9.9 rebounds in 33 games. He subsequently earned CollegeInsider. com All-Freshman Team honours, Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, second-team All-Mountain West Conference, and NABC second-team All-District 13. As a sophomore in 2004–05, Bogut started all 35 games for the Utes, leading them to a 29–6 record, the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, and a Mountain West Conference championship. He led the nation with 26 double-doubles and scored in double figures in 37 consecutive games dating back to the two games of the 2003–04 season to have the sixth-longest streak in the country. He ranked 19th in the NCAA in scoring, second in rebounding and eighth in field goal percentage and he became one of 31 Utah players all-time to score 1,000 points in his career, but just the third to reach that mark in two seasons. He also earned Naismith College Player of the Year honours and the John R. Wooden Award and he later had his No.4 jersey retired by Utah. Bogut was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft, becoming the first Australian player, as a rookie in 2005–06, he earned All-Rookie First Team honours and finished third in votes for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award
Andrew Bogut
–
Bogut with the Warriors in March 2013
Andrew Bogut
–
Bogut blocks a shot by the
Washington Wizards '
Hamady N'Diaye in 2011.
Andrew Bogut
–
Bogut with the Bucks in 2011
23.
The Decision (TV special)
–
It was broadcast live on ESPN on July 8,2010. James was a free agent after playing seven seasons in Cleveland, where he was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player. He grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio, where he received attention as a high school basketball star. James was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, where he received attention as a high school basketball star at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School. He was drafted out of school by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft. He played the first seven seasons of his career in Cleveland, where he was a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player. James became an unrestricted free-agent at 12,01 am EDT on July 1,2010, James was courted by several teams, including the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Cavaliers. Freelance sportscaster Jim Gray pitched the idea to James management and ESPN for a show in which James would announce his decision. Gray once worked for ESPN, and James management team insisted that Gray be involved in the interview, ESPN gave away the airtime, allowing James team to sell ads in exchange for the news story. On July 8,2010, ESPN aired a special named The Decision that ran 75 minutes. At 9,28 p. m EDT, James announced that he would play with the Heat in the 2010–11 season, teaming with Miamis other All-Star free agent signees Dwyane Wade, in this fall Im going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat. And I feel like I can compete down there, the announcement, which was not made until nearly 30 minutes into the program, was part of a conversation between James and Gray. Broadcast from the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Connecticut, the show raised an additional $3.5 million from advertisement revenue which was donated to other various charities. Riley sold to James that LeBron would be Magic Johnson, Dwyane Wade would be Kobe Bryant, relieved of the burden of scoring, James thought he could be the first player to average a triple-double in a season since Oscar Robertson. The Cavaliers were informed of James decision minutes before the show began, Cleveland topped all markets with a 26.0 Nielsen rating and 39 share. The shows Nielsen ratings were 6.1 in households, and 4.1 in 18-49, the show drew criticism for the prolonged wait until James actual decision and the spectacle of the show itself. The phrase taking my talents to South Beach became a line for critics. In Cleveland, fans considered James departure a betrayal that ranks second to The Move, associated Press wrote that The Decision joined The Move, The Drive, The Shot, and The Fumble in Clevelands sports hall of shame
The Decision (TV special)
–
LeBron James with the
Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009.
24.
Miami Heat
–
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the leagues Eastern Conference Southeast Division and they play their home games at the American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami. The team owner is Carnival Corporation owner Micky Arison, the president and general manager is Pat Riley. The mascot is Burnie, an anthropomorphic fireball, formed in 1988 as an expansion team, the Heat have won three league championships, five conference titles and eleven division titles. In 2013, the Heat won twenty-seven regular season games in a row, in 2016, Forbes valued the Heat at $1.3 billion as the tenth most valuable among NBA franchises. In 1987 the NBA granted one of its four new teams to Miami. The Miami Heat began their early years with much mediocrity, only making the two times in their first eight years and falling in the first round both times. Upon the purchasing of the franchise by Micky Arison in 1995, Pat Riley was brought in as the team president, Riley acquired center Alonzo Mourning and point guard Tim Hardaway to serve as the centerpieces for the team, transforming Miami into a championship contender throughout the late 1990s. With them they brought in a new team trainer, Cody Posselt. The Heat underwent a dramatic turnaround in the 1996–97 season, improving to a 61–21 record – a franchise record at the time and that same year, Miami earned the moniker of Road Warriors for its remarkable 32–9 record on the road. Their biggest rivals of the time were the New York Knicks, Rileys former team, a period of mediocrity followed after, highlighted by missing the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. In the 2003 NBA draft, with the fifth overall pick, free-agent swing-man Lamar Odom was signed from the Los Angeles Clippers. Just prior to the start of the 03–04 season, Riley stepped down as coach to focus on rebuilding the Heat. In the offseason, Riley engineered a summer blockbuster trade for Shaquille ONeal from the Los Angeles Lakers, Alonzo Mourning returned to the Heat in the same season, serving as a backup to ONeal. Returning as championship contenders, Miami finished with a 59–23 record, sweeping through the first round and the semifinals, Miami went back to the Conference Finals for the first time in eight years, where it met the defending champion Detroit Pistons. Despite taking a 3–2 lead, Miami lost Wade to injury for Game 6, the Heat would go on to lose Game 7 at home despite Wades return. In the summer of 2005, Riley brought in free agent Gary Payton from the Boston Celtics. After a disappointing 11–10 start to the 05–06 season, Riley relieved Van Gundy of his duties, the Heat made it to the Conference Finals in 2006 and in a re-match, defeated the Pistons, winning the series 4–2
Miami Heat
–
Alonzo Mourning
Miami Heat
–
Miami Heat
Miami Heat
–
Dwyane Wade
Miami Heat
–
Shaquille O'Neal
25.
2014 NBA draft
–
The 2014 NBA draft was held on June 26,2014, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U. S. college basketball players and other eligible players, the draft lottery took place on May 20,2014. Television rights in the United States belonged to ESPN and it was tipped by many to be one of the deepest and most hyped draft classes in recent years, with several players touted as future stars. These eligible players were not selected in the 2014 NBA draft but have played at least one game in the NBA, in April 2015, the undrafted Sim Bhullar became the first player of Indian descent to play in the league. The draft is conducted under the eligibility rules established in the leagues new 2011 collective bargaining agreement with its players union, the CBA that ended the 2011 lockout instituted no immediate changes to the draft, but called for a committee of owners and players to discuss future changes. As of 2014, the eligibility rules for the draft are listed below. All drafted players must be at least 19 years old during the year of the draft. In terms of dates, players eligible for the 2014 draft must be born on or before December 31,1995. Any player who is not a player, as defined in the CBA. Player who are not automatically eligible must declare their eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than 60 days before the draft, for the 2014 draft, this date fell on April 27. After this date, early entry players may attend NBA pre-draft camps and individual team workouts to show off their skills and obtain feedback regarding their draft positions. Under the CBA, a player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration date, under then-current NCAA rules, players only had until April 16 to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility. A player who has hired an agent will forfeit his college eligibility. Also, while the CBA allows a player to withdraw from the draft twice and this year, a total of 45 collegiate players and 30 international players declared as early entry candidates. On June 16, the deadline,18 early entry candidates withdrew from the draft. Players who do not meet the criteria for players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria. If they graduated high school in the U. S. but did not enroll in a U. S. college or university. They have signed a contract with a basketball team outside of the NBA, anywhere in the world
2014 NBA draft
–
2014 NBA draft
2014 NBA draft
–
Andrew Wiggins was selected first overall by the
Cleveland Cavaliers and was traded two months later to the
Minnesota Timberwolves.
2014 NBA draft
–
Jabari Parker was selected second by the
Milwaukee Bucks.
2014 NBA draft
–
Joel Embiid was selected third by the
Philadelphia 76ers.
26.
Andrew Wiggins
–
Andrew Christian Wiggins is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association. He went on to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors for the 2014–15 season, Wiggins is also a member of the Canadian national team. Wiggins was born in Toronto and raised in the nearby Thornhill neighbourhood of Vaughan and he is the son of former NBA player Mitchell Wiggins, an American, and former Olympic track and field sprinter Marita Payne-Wiggins, a Canadian who is originally from Barbados. His parents met as student athletes at Florida State University and he attended elementary school at Glen Shields Public School in Vaughan. Wiggins began playing organized basketball when he was nine, joining an Under-10 team in Toronto, at the time, he was 5 ft 7 in. Wiggins attended Vaughan Secondary School in Vaughan for his first two years of high school, in his 2010–11 sophomore year, he led the schools AAAA basketball team to a 44–1 record, en route to winning the Ontario provincial championship. In the championship game, he scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, in 2011, he transferred to Huntington Prep School in Huntington, West Virginia. During his junior season, he averaged 24.2 points,8.5 rebounds,4.1 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. As a senior, he averaged 23.4 points,11.2 rebounds,2.6 blocks, Wiggins was named the 2013 Naismith Prep Player of the Year on February 25. He was named the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year on March 28 as the top high school player. He was the first Canadian player to be so named, in May 2013, he was named Mr. Basketball USA. He was ranked number one high school player by SLAM Magazine. In April 2013, Wiggins played in the Jordan Brand Classic All-American game in Brooklyn and he scored 19 points and tied Julius Randle for lead scorer for the East team. Wiggins committed to Kansas on May 14,2013, before the announcement, he had narrowed his choices to Florida State, Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina. Wiggins joined the Kansas team on June 19,2013, Wiggins averaged 17.1 points per game,5.9 rebounds per game, and made 34. 1% of his three-pointers in his freshman year at Kansas. On January 22,2014, Wiggins was named a Top 25 Finalist for the John R. Wooden Mens Player of the Year award by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, on February 28, he was named one of the 10 semi-finalists for Naismith College Player of the Year. On March 8,2014, Wiggins scored 41 points against West Virginia, Wiggins declared for the 2014 NBA draft on March 31,2014. On July 24, Wiggins signed his rookie contract with the Cavaliers
Andrew Wiggins
–
Wiggins playing for Kansas in 2014
Andrew Wiggins
–
Wiggins
dunking in the
2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game
Andrew Wiggins
–
Wiggins guarding
LeBron James in December 2014
27.
Tristan Thompson
–
Tristan Trevor James Thompson is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. He played one season of basketball for Texas before being drafted fourth overall by the Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft. He also represents Canada in international competition, Thompson won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016. Born in Toronto, Thompson attended St. Marguerite dYouville Secondary School in nearby Brampton and he cited the increase in exposure and skill level as his reason for transferring schools. Thompson spent his sophomore and half his junior year at St. Benedicts, making an immediate impact, in his short time at St. Benedicts, he shot through the ranks to super-stardom, becoming the top recruit in the nation entering his junior season. The top basketball programs in the heavily sought Thompson, who made the first verbal commitment of the class of 2010 to Rick Barnes. Twenty-one games into his junior year, the relationship between Thompson and then-St, Benedicts coach Dan Hurley hit a rough patch. Hurleys in-your-face, no-holds-barred coaching style took a toll on the young star, during a game against then-top-ranked Mater Dei, Hurley confronted Thompson during a time out. A heated debate ensued, and Thompson was sent off the court, the next week he transferred to Findlay Prep with his close friend and AAU teammate Cory Joseph. Thompson joined Findlay on the end of their schedule, making an immediate impact on the team and thriving under Findlay coach Michael Pecks system. Thompson solidified his top recruit status and helped lead Findlay to their first National Championship, Thompson then led his team to another National Championship at the ESPN National High School Invitational. Thompson also was named a Jordan Brand Classic All-American, Thompson averaged 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Texas Longhorns in 2010–11 as he won the teams Most Valuable Player award, as voted on by his teammates. Nationally, Thompson was one of five finalists for the Wayman Tisdale Award, Thompson won the Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors as well as first-team NABC All-District 8 and USBWA All-District VII honors. He led the team in rebounding, blocked shots, double-doubles and he helped Texas conclude the 2010–11 season with a 28–8 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. The Longhorns finished No.8 in the final AP poll, Thompson told media after the NCAA tournament that he planned to return to Texas for his sophomore season but changed his mind. On April 21,2011, he declared for the NBA draft, on June 23,2011, Thompson was drafted fourth overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. During the 2011 NBA lockout, Thompson attended classes at the University of Texas to finish his college degree, Thompson signed his rookie contract with the Cavaliers on December 9,2011 before the start of training camp. Thompson made his debut against his hometown Toronto Raptors on December 26,2011
Tristan Thompson
–
Thompson with the Cavaliers in 2012
28.
Splash Brothers
–
The Splash Brothers are a duo of American basketball players consisting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The two guards play professionally for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association, excellent long-range shooters, they have combined to set various NBA records for three-point field goals by a pair of teammates, and each has won the Three-Point Contest. The two NBA All-Stars won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015, the sons of former NBA players, Curry and Thompson were not highly recruited out of high school. They enjoyed successful college basketball careers before being selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Warriors, Curry was chosen with the seventh overall pick in 2009, while Thompson was eleventh in 2011. In 2014–15, they became the first teammates in the league to be the guards in the same All-Star Game since 1975. They also became the first guard combo to be named to the All-NBA Team in the season since 1979–80. The two helped the Warriors win the 2015 NBA Finals for the teams first title in 40 years, additionally, they were teammates on the United States national team in 2014, winning the gold medal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were both born into athletic families and their fathers, Dell Curry and Mychal Thompson, each had productive NBA careers, while mothers Sonya Curry and Julie Thompson were both volleyball players in college. Their brothers, Seth Curry and Mychel Thompson, also became basketball players, neither Stephen Curry nor Klay Thompson were highly recruited by college basketball programs. Curry did not receive scholarship offers from any major universities. He landed at a basketball program in Davidson College, a small private school in North Carolina. As a sophomore, Currys scoring and three-point shooting developed a following as he led the Wildcats within a game of the Final Four in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The following season, he was a consensus first-team All-American and led the nation in scoring with an average of 28.6 points per game, Thompson played at Washington State University, which was not considered a basketball powerhouse. Recruited there by coach Tony Bennett, he was lightly recruited by the other Pacific-10 schools. Thompson became a two-time, first-team All-Pac-10 player, and led the conference in scoring with 21.6 points per game in 2010–11 and he finished his Cougars career holding the school record for most career three-pointers. Golden State selected the 6-foot-3-inch Curry in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft with the seventh overall pick, however, Ellis announced at a media session that he and Curry were too small to play together. Curry and Thompson had limited time together in their first year as teammates, the 2011–12 season was shortened to 66 games because of the NBA lockout, in 2012–13, Curry and Thompson combined to make 483 three-pointers, the most ever by an NBA duo. Curry set an NBA record with 272 made three-pointers, while Thompson added 211, Warriors coach Mark Jackson opined that the tandem was the greatest shooting backcourt of all time
Splash Brothers
–
Stephen Curry (with ball) and
Klay Thompson were both
drafted in the first round by the
Golden State Warriors.
Splash Brothers
Splash Brothers
–
Curry (Davidson) and Thompson (Washington State) in college
Splash Brothers
.jpg)
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