Ervin Johnson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who is a community ambassador for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA for the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves as a center from 1993 to 2006.
Andre Lloyd Miller is an American former professional basketball player and the current head coach for the Grand Rapids Gold. Miller has played professional basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs. Currently, he ranks eleventh all-time in NBA career assists and only missed three games to injury in his 17-year career. He is the only player in NBA history to have at least 16,000 career points, 8,000 assists and 1,500 steals without making an NBA All-Star Game.
The 2005 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was named Finals MVP.
Joseph Leynard Smith is an American former professional basketball player. A power forward, he played for 12 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during his 16-year career.
Gregory Derayle Buckner is an American former professional basketball player who is the associate head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He had previously served as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Alan Lybrooks Henderson is an American former professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He stands 6'9" tall. Born in Morgantown, West Virginia, Henderson attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. They lost the state championship game his senior year to Glenn Robinson's Gary Roosevelt squad. In 1994, he was a part of the US men's basketball team for the Goodwill Games.
Shelden DeMar Williams is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Landlord", he played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, and later played in the NBA for parts of seven seasons.
Paul Millsap is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A power forward from Louisiana Tech University, Millsap was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2006 NBA draft and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. He played in Utah until 2013, when he became a member of the Atlanta Hawks. Millsap has also played for the Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets. He is a four-time NBA All-Star.
Hyland DeAndre Jordan Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Texas A&M Aggies.
JaVale Lindy McGee is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Nevada Wolf Pack. He was selected 18th overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2008 NBA draft. He is a three-time NBA champion, having won consecutive titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018 before winning a third title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. The son of Olympic gold medalist Pamela McGee, he won a gold medal with the 2020 U.S. Olympic team.
The 2000–01 NBA season was the Mavericks' 21st season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Mavericks acquired Christian Laettner and Loy Vaught from the Detroit Pistons in two separate trades, acquired Howard Eisley from the Utah Jazz, and acquired top draft pick Courtney Alexander from the Orlando Magic. In their final season at the Reunion Arena, the Mavericks won ten of their first fifteen games, and played above .500 for the entire season, holding a 31–19 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team traded Laettner, Vaught and Alexander along with Hubert Davis, and top draft pick Etan Thomas to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Juwan Howard and second-year center Calvin Booth, as the team signed free agent Vernon Maxwell, who was previously released by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Mavericks finished third in the Midwest Division with a 53–29 record, and made their first playoff appearance since the 1989–90 season, ending a ten-year playoff drought.
Nerlens Noel is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His collegiate basketball career ended in his first season with a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the University of Kentucky. Noel was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. His rights were later traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He plays center and power forward, and was one of the top high school basketball players in the class of 2012.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Nuggets’ 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season as a franchise. The Nuggets received the fifth overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, and selected Tony Battie out of Texas Tech University. During the off-season, the team acquired Eric Williams from the Boston Celtics, acquired Johnny Newman, Joe Wolf and top draft pick Danny Fortson out of the University of Cincinnati from the Milwaukee Bucks, first round draft pick Bobby Jackson from the Seattle SuperSonics, second round draft pick Eric Washington from the Orlando Magic, and signed free agent Dean Garrett. However, Williams suffered a devastating knee injury after only just four games, and was out for the remainder of the season, averaging 19.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while Bryant Stith only played just 31 games due to ankle and foot injuries. At midseason, the team signed free agent Cory Alexander, who was previously released by the San Antonio Spurs.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 8th season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1996 NBA draft, the Timberwolves selected shooting guard Ray Allen from the University of Connecticut with the fifth overall pick, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for top draft pick point guard Stephon Marbury out of Georgia Tech. The team also acquired James Robinson from the Portland Trail Blazers, and second-year center Cherokee Parks from the Dallas Mavericks, while signing free agents, rookie center Dean Garrett, second-year guard Chris Carr, and Stojko Vrankovic during the off-season. However, Michael Williams would miss the entire season with a strained plantar fascia in his left heel.
Justin Alaric Holiday is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies. He won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.
Dwight Harlan Powell is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal and is a member of the Canadian national team.
