Mike Davis (basketball, born 1956)

Last updated
Mike Davis
Mike Davis.jpg
Personal information
Born (1956-08-02) August 2, 1956 (age 67)
Jacksonville, Florida
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High schoolBishop Mose Davis
(Jacksonville, Florida)
College
NBA draft 1978: undrafted
Playing career1978–1991
Position Center
Number26
Career history
1978–1981 Bancoroma Roma
1981–1982 Seleco Napoli
1982 New York Knicks
1982–1983 Albany Patroons
1983 New York Knicks
1983–1985 Barcelona
1985–1986 Limoges
1986–1987 Fantoni Udine
1987–1988 Benetton Treviso
1988–1989 Annabella Pavia
1989–1991 Grupo IFA Granollers
Career highlights and awards
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at Basketball-Reference.com

Michael Anthony Davis (born August 2, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player. Playing as a center, his career mostly took place in Italy and Spain, though he had a short stint in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Contents

College career

Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Davis did not play high-school basketball, as he didn't make his school's team in 11th grade. However, after growing to 6-10, he took up the sport again. He moved to Shaw College, Detroit, in 1974, living in Dave Bing's house. [1]

As a sophomore, he played for Mercer County Community College, earning National Junior College Athletic Association All-American honours. [2]

Davis then moved to Maryland, playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) of the NCAA Division I, in 1976. He was an ACC Rookie of the week in 1976–1977, [3] also being noted for his play that season, only his third of competitive basketball. [1] However, in January 1978, he was kicked off the squad by coach Lefty Driesell after disagreements between the two, he stayed on scholarship at Maryland. [4]

Professional career

Going undrafted in 1978, David moved to the Italian Serie A where he would stay four years. Returning to the US in 1982, he joined the New York Knicks, played in the summer league and exhibition games but was cut just before the season began. [5]

The center then joined Continental Basketball Association side Albany Patroons. After averaging 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds (a league second best) per game with the Patroons, he was re-signed by the Knicks on 23 February 1983 on a 10-day contract to replace the injured Vince Taylor. [6] He did not play during that period, nor when he signed a new 10-day contract but was finally signed to a permanent contract in March 1983 until the end of the season. [5] Davis scored 5 points in six minutes on his NBA debut, [5] he would play in 8 games, averaging 1.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 3.5 minutes per game. [7]

After being released by the Knicks at the end of the season, he returned to Europe, this time with Spanish Liga ACB side Barcelona in 1983. With the Spaniards he would win the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup and the 1985 Club World Cup.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lefty Driesell</span> American basketball coach (1931–2024)

Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell was an American college basketball coach. He was the first coach to win more than 100 games at four different NCAA Division I schools, Driesell led the programs of Davidson College, the University of Maryland, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. He earned a reputation as "the greatest program builder in the history of basketball." At the time of his retirement in 2003, he was the fourth-winningest NCAA Division I men's basketball college coach, with 21 seasons of 20 or more wins, and 21 conference or conference tournament titles. Driesell played college basketball at Duke University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Cunningham</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1943)

William John Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid for his leaping and record-setting rebounding abilities. He spent a total of 17 seasons with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and two seasons as a player with the Carolina Cougars of the ABA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buck Williams</span> American basketball player and coach

Charles Linwood "Buck" Williams is an American former professional basketball player and former assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He was well known for his rebounding ability and trademark goggles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Myers</span> American basketball player and coach

Peter Eddie Myers is an American former professional basketball player and a former assistant coach for the NBA team Chicago Bulls. He is most famous for having been Michael Jordan’s replacement player during Jordan’s stint in baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Thomas</span> American basketball player (born 1988)

Lance Thomas is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils where he started at power forward for the national champion 2010 team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nik Caner-Medley</span> Azerbaijani-American basketball player

Nik Caner-Medley is an Azerbaijani-American former professional basketball player. Caner-Medley played four seasons of college basketball at the University of Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Raveling</span> American basketball coach and announcer (born 1937)

George Henry Raveling is an American former college basketball player and coach. He played at Villanova University, and was the head coach at Washington State University (1972–1983), the University of Iowa (1983–1986), and the University of Southern California (1986–1994).

Demetris Nichols is an American former professional basketball player. He can play at both the small forward and power forward positions. Nichols played college basketball with the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team, and has been a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Clark</span> American basketball player

Earl Rashad Clark is an American professional basketball player for Hsinchu Lioneers of the P. League+. He played college basketball for the University of Louisville and was drafted 14th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2009 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Francis</span> American basketball player (born 1977)

Steven D'Shawn Francis is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected with the second overall pick of the 1999 NBA draft and was named co-NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season. He was a three-time NBA All-Star while playing for the Houston Rockets. Francis also played for the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks, finishing his career with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association. He was known for his crossover dribble, driving ability, and flashy dunks. He was given the nickname Stevie Franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toney Douglas</span> American basketball player

Toney Bernard Douglas is an American professional basketball player for Benfica of the Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol. He played college basketball for Auburn for one year, eventually becoming frustrated with his role on the team as a shooting guard. He subsequently transferred to Florida State University for the remainder of his collegiate career, where he switched to the point guard position. Emerging as a defensive force in his junior season, Douglas set school and conference records for steals. He stepped up as a team leader in his final season, breaking personal records in several statistical categories and helped lead the Seminoles to their first NCAA Tournament in 11 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Henson (basketball)</span> American basketball player

John Allen Henson is an American professional basketball player who played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was a two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Henson was selected with the 14th overall pick in 2012 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and played his first 6+12 seasons with the team before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2018. In February 2020, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Larkin</span> American-Turkish basketball player

DeShane Davis Larkin is an American, formally naturalized Turkish, professional basketball player for Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball Super League and the EuroLeague. He also represented the senior Turkish national team in international competition. He played college basketball for the University of Miami. He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 18th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, where he was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He last played in the NBA in 2018 with the Boston Celtics. Larkin is the son of Hall of Fame baseball player Barry Larkin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elfrid Payton (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1994)

Elfrid Payton Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Mad Ants of the NBA G League. He played college basketball at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where in 2014 he won the Lefty Driesell Award as the National College Defensive Player of the Year. Payton was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, but was then traded to the Orlando Magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Hayes-Davis</span> American basketball player

Nigel Hayes-Davis is an American professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Wisconsin Badgers. Hayes attended Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Anderson (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1993)

Justin Lamar Anderson is an American professional basketball player for Valencia of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers before being selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darion Atkins</span> American basketball player

Darion Ray Atkins is an American professional basketball player for UnaHotels Reggio Emilia of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for the University of Virginia before playing professionally in Israel, France and Germany. Standing at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), he primarily plays at the power forward and center positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Smith Jr.</span> American basketball player (born 1997)

Dennis Cliff Smith Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended North Carolina State University for one season of college basketball and earned second-team all-conference honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) as a freshman as well as ACC Freshman of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. J. Walker</span> American basketball player

James Michael "M. J." Walker Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Canterbury Rams of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). He played college basketball for Florida State Seminoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Keels</span> American basketball player

Trevor Jamaal Keels is an American professional basketball player for the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. Keels was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top shooting guards in the 2021 class.

References

  1. 1 2 Denlinger, Kenneth (13 February 1977). "Driesell's '77 Bunch Stranger Than Fiction". The Washington Post . Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. "Men's Basketball – NJCAA All-Americans". Mercer County Community College . Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  3. "Conference Honors". Maryland Terrapins . Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  4. Cuniberti, Betty (31 January 1978). "Center Davis Is Kicked Off Terp Squad". The Washington Post . Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Moran, Malcolm (17 March 1983). "Players; Davis savors a short season". The New York Times . Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  6. "The New York Knicks placed 6-5 Vince Taylor on..." United Press International . New York. 23 February 1983. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  7. "Michael Davis (New York Knicks)". NBA . Retrieved 8 July 2015.