Recognized as one of the best power forwards in NBA history, Timothy Theodore
Duncan was born on April 25, 1976, on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is the youngest of
William and Ione Duncan's three children, and their only boy. Duncan is one of the most, quiet, mild mannered people and one of the most passionate competitors you will see. He devoted his early athletic years to swim, a sport in which he became the top U.S. competitor in his age group in the 400-meter freestyle. During his late teenage years and into adulthood, Duncan became a premier player on his way to become a champion.
In school, Duncan was a bright student and dreamt of becoming an Olympic-level swimmer like his sister, Tricia. Duncan excelled at swimming,
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He broke several records at the age of 12 and 13. His times were on par with the top swimmers his age in the U.S. However, following the devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which destroyed his team's pool, and the death of his mother a day before his 14th birthday, Duncan stopped swimming and turned to basketball shortly thereafter. In her final days, she made Duncan and his sisters vow to finish college with a degree, which would later explain Duncan's refusal to leave college early. By his senior year,
Duncan had grown nine inches and improved his game extensively, to the point where colleges started scouting him. Duncan initially had difficulties adapting to the game he thought would help relieve his pain and frustration. He overcame this to become a standout for the St.
Dunstan's Episcopal High School, averaging 25 points per game as a senior. In the fall of 1993, Duncan enrolled at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North
Carolina. During that period, he was a two-time ACC Player of the Year, and a three-time NABC
Defensive Player of the Year. The center also made the All-ACC Tournament between 1995 and
1997, the All-ACC First Team between 1995 and 1997, and was named Most Valuable Player
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Overall, Duncan led his team to a 97–31 win–loss record and finished his college career as the all-time leading rebounder in NCAA history in the post-1973. He is still one of only ten players with more than 2,000 career points and 1,500(1570) career rebounds. He was the first player in NCAA history to reach 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400(481) blocked shots and 200 assists. Duncan again was named an All-American as well as the NCAA Player of the Year in his senior year of 1996-97. Duncan achieved all of this while fulfilling his mother promise of finishing college. He graduated from with honors from Wake Forest University, where he went on to attain a degree in psychology.
That spring, the San Antonio Spurs selected Duncan with the first overall pick in the
1997 National Basketball Association draft. Although David Robinson was injured and didn’t play in Duncan’s inaugural season, the “Twin Towers’, as they were dubbed quickly became a team to be reckoned with. During his rookie year, the power forward averaged 21.1 points and
11.9 rebounds, on his way to earning the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. The following year,
Duncan proved even more dominant and helped lead the Spurs to the 1999 title, San
Earl Lloyd was probably the most courageous player of all time. Some people know him as “The Big Cat” others know him as the first African-American to play in an NBA basketball game with the whites; he changed the way people think and look at basketball and black players and coaches. Earl Lloyd loved basketball from a very young age. Earl had two brothers older than him which was Earnest and Theodore. Earl was very dedicated from a very young age. With his high school team he took them to a state championship and won. After high school Earl went off and took his talents to West Virginia State College. While Earl was there his sophomore year they went 33-0 which is a perfect season. Earl’s team won back to back CIAA conference championships and tournament championships.
In continuing her career, she made the Varsity team her Freshmen year and continued to play all four years. As a freshman she averaged 15 points per game and was named Freshmen of the year. As a sophomore, she averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds. As a Junior, Latoya averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. She also led the team and the nation in scoring.
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway is a gifted guard whose shooting, passing and athletic abilities earned him a spot on the All-NBA First Team and who helped the Magic reach the NBA Finals in 1995, only his second season in the league. The 6-7 Hardaway combines height, ballhandling and an accurate outside stroke into an exciting all-around game, although his scoring tailed off in his final two seasons with Orlando and he was traded to Phoenix prior to the 1999-2000 season. A native of Memphis, Tennessee Hardaway always seemed destined for roundball success. He was Parade magazine's National High School Player of the Year in 1990, when as a prep senior he averaged 36.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.3 steals, and 2.8 blocks. He chose to attend nearby Memphis State (now the University of Memphis) but had to sit out 1990-91 in order to become academically eligible. Hardaway, who achieved a 3.4 cumulative grade point average in college, ripped up the Great Midwestern Conference for two seasons. As a junior in 1992-93 he averaged 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists; shot .477 from the field; recorded 2 triple-doubles; and set a school single-season record for points with 729. He was named conference Player of the Year, a First-Team All-American, and a finalist for the Naismith and Wooden Awards. The Orlando Magic, who had secured Shaquille O'Neal with the No. 1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, won the NBA Draft Lottery again in 1993. The team took Michigan's Chris Webber with the No.
Shortly before the deadline Larry finally signed with the Boston Celtics for $650,000, making him the highest paid rookie in NBA history. Larry's collegiate rival Earvin 'Magic' Johnson had also entered the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only did they fight for the National Championship a year before, but their rookie seasons they were both in the run for Rookie of the Year. Magic may have taken the NCAA title but Larry took the Rookie of the Year award and was voted into the Eastern Conference All- Star team in the 1979- '80 season.
Knute never made the starting team until he was a senior, so he played on the
It would later become known as the movie Space Jam released in November 1996. This year the Bulls came back better than ever, setting an astounding 72-10 record. The day the Bulls clinched their 4th championship with Michael it was Father’s Day. This is the first time the Bulls would celebrate without James Jordan is there. Michael would have another astounding accomplishment by setting the first-ever triple double in the NBA all-star game.
Everybody had high expectations about him, they were seeing in him a new leader, a new beginning for the Pistons. He didn’t prove anybody wrong. He started at the 1995 all-star game after becoming the first rookie ever to lead all players in fan voting. Along with Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, were co-voted as the Rookie Players of the Year. In the next four seasons, he started in all all-star games and averaged 23.2 Points Per Game, 7.6 Rebounds Per Game and 6.7 Assist Per Game.
David Robinson majored in mathematics and excelled in all of his classes at the United States Naval Academy. He was an outstanding all-around athlete and chess player. He was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate fraternity for African-American men. He soon chose to try out for the United States Naval Academy basketball team. By the time he played his first collegiate basketball game, he had grown to 6 ft 9 in, and over the course of his college career he grew to 7 ft 1 in. In David Robinson’s last two years, he was a consensus All-American and won college basketball’s two most prestigious player awards, the Naismith and Wooden Awards (Lewis, 30). By the time he left the academy he was viewed by most as the best basketball player in U.S. Naval Academy history! He holds the record of most blocks in a single season in college basketba...
Perhaps Michael’s most memorable collegiate moment occurred while he was a freshman. On March 29, 1982 the University of North Carolina basketball team was facing off against the University of Georgetown in the national championship game.
MVP in 1966 and was chosen as the MVP in the 1971 World Series. He was also a 12
Imagine scoring a total of 32, 292 points during a professional basketball career. Not many people in the history of the National Basketball Association can say they have. Michael Jordan can say he has and that he has accomplished many other goals throughout his life (“Michael Jordan Stats”).
It was not until the year 2002 that the NBA was able to find someone to match Jordan’s dazzling acrobatic style of play. His name is Lebron James. Lebron, who plays shooting guard and small forward, stands at an athletic six-eight. James, however, never played in the NCAA. He was drafted straight out of high school in the 2003-04 season, by the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is already on the road to success by achieving co-rookie of the year, and he appeared in the Olympics. James is expected to be a champion, but he may not have what it takes to become a real champion such as Michael Jordan was. Before Jordan or James can be categorized as a champion, they have to be able to handle pressure, fame, and maintain a positive relationship with their team. When comparing Jordan and James’ clutch capabilities, or their ab...
During his career, Michael Jordan earned beautiful stats on offense as well as defense due to his scoring abilities, teamwork, and respect for other players in the NBA. On offense, Michael Jordan successfully made an astounding 32,292 point during his career after making 12,192 Field Goals, but attempted 24,537. Michael Jordan was unable to hone in his shot beyond the three point line, which caused him to only make 581 3-Point Field Goals out of his 1,778 attempts, earning him a .327 3-Point Field Goal percentage. This was not the case when it came to his free throw shooting abilities, making a remarkable 7,327 goals out of 8,772 attempts which earned him a .835 free throw percentage. Michael Jordan continued with his offensive skills which allowed him to attain 6,672 assists, and 1,668 offensive rebounds, but regrettably Michael allowed 2,924
As a 5’9” sophomore in high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, he tried out for his school’s basketball team but wasn’t good enough, neither tall enough, to make it. He then practiced throughout the year and came back as a 6’3” junior to try out. With his improved skills and After graduating from high school, he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina. In his first season at Carolina, he became the second Tarheel player to start in every game as a freshman and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year (1982). At the end of his freshman year, he made the game-winning shot against Georgetown University for the championship of the NCAA. The Sporting News named him college player of the year in 1983 and in 1984. He left North Caro...
NBA star Mosses Malone practiced basketball with Hakeem at the gym in Houston. Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown University Hoyas met the University of Houston in the 1984 NCAA finals. Hakeem led the Cougars to two NCAA finials and was the number one pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Ralph Sampson was the center for the Houston Rockets until Hakeem joined the team. Bill Flinch was Olajuwon's first coach in the NBA.