Eric Maynor

Last updated

Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor Wizards.jpg
Maynor with the Wizards
Oklahoma City Thunder
PositionAssistant coach
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1987-06-11) June 11, 1987 (age 37)
Raeford, North Carolina, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High school
College VCU (2005–2009)
NBA draft 2009: 1st round, 20th overall pick
Selected by the Utah Jazz
Playing career2009–2018
Position Point guard
Number3, 6, 11
Coaching career2019–present
Career history
As player:
2009 Utah Jazz
20092013 Oklahoma City Thunder
2013 Portland Trail Blazers
2013–2014 Washington Wizards
2014 Philadelphia 76ers
2015 Varese
2015–2016 Nizhny Novgorod
2016–2017Varese
2017–2018 Orlandina
As coach:
2019–2021 Oklahoma City Blue (assistant)
2021–presentOklahoma City Thunder (player development)
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference

Eric Demarqua Maynor (born June 11, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for Virginia Commonwealth University. As a senior, he averaged 22.4 points, 6.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in the 2008–09 season.

Contents

Maynor was drafted by the Utah Jazz of the NBA in 2009. He has also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.

Early years

Eric Demarqua Maynor was born June 11, 1987, in Raeford, North Carolina, the third of four children of George Maynor and Barbara Robinson. [1] Maynor's father was a former collegiate basketball player at East Carolina University and was a fourth-round selection of the Chicago Bulls in the 1979 NBA draft. [1]

High school career

Maynor began at Hoke County High School in Raeford, then transferred to Westover High School in neighboring Fayetteville for his senior year to play alongside his friend and AAU teammate De'shaune Griffin. [2] Maynor led the team to the North Carolina state championship game, scoring 25 points in a loss to North Mecklenburg High School on March 14, 2005. [3] For his outstanding performance during the season Maynor was named to the 2004/05 North Carolina All State Basketball team by the sports website NCPreps.com. [4]

College career

Eric Maynor was a four-year player in the men's basketball program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He graduated from VCU with a degree in Sports Management. [1]

Freshman season (2005–06)

Maynor played in 29 games as a freshman at VCU, cracking the team's starting lineup by the end of the season. [1] Maynor averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 assists in an average of 15.7 minutes per game during this first collegiate campaign. [1]

Sophomore season (2006–07)

On March 15, 2007, Maynor scored 22 points, including the game-winning shot, in VCU's victory over Duke in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Maynor's last-minute heroics are also what helped VCU to overcome George Mason in the 2007 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championship game.

Over the summer of 2007, Maynor was selected to represent the United States in the Pan American Games, alongside D. J. White and Michael Beasley. [1] Maynor was only able to play two games for the American Pan-Am team, however, before he was forced from further action by a hip injury. [1] Maynor was also named one of the 50 pre-season candidates for the men's 2007–08 John R. Wooden Award, the nation's most prestigious college basketball honor. [1]

Junior season (2007–08)

Maynor helped VCU win the CAA regular-season title, though the team fell in the semi-finals of the conference tournament to William & Mary. He was selected as the CAA Player of the Year and selected to the All-CAA first team. [5] The Rams failed to reach the NCAA Tournament and went on to play in the NIT, where they lost in the first round against the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Senior season (2008–09)

During the 2008–09 season, Eric Maynor became VCU's all-time leader in assists [6] and in made free throws. [6] On February 28, 2009, Maynor became the leading scorer in VCU history with a floater against Georgia State. As of March 10, 2009, he had scored a school record 1,929 points. Maynor also led VCU to a second CAA title during his career, scoring 25 points in a 71–50 victory over George Mason on March 9, 2009, at the Richmond Coliseum. The Rams went on to the 2009 NCAA Tournament but lost to UCLA when Maynor missed a buzzer-beater to win the game.

Professional career

NBA

Utah Jazz (2009)

Maynor was drafted 20th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 2009 NBA draft. [7] He became the first VCU player ever selected in the first round of the NBA draft. [1]

Maynor signed a two-year contract with the Jazz on July 1, 2009, and made $1.3 million in his rookie season. [8] Although he was to back up Deron Williams, Maynor had a positive outlook on the situation. When asked in an interview with RealCollegeBasketball.com what he thought about coming off the bench in Utah, Maynor replied, "Feel real good about it... I'm getting a chance to learn from some of the best". [9]

Oklahoma City Thunder (2009–2013)

On December 22, 2009, Maynor, along with Matt Harpring, was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rights to Peter Fehse. [10] According to a statement made by Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor at the time of the deal, the trade of Maynor along with the $6.5 million contract of the injured power forward Harpring was made for financial reasons, in an effort to reduce the team's liability under the NBA's punitive "luxury tax" on teams with excessive salaries. [11]

"Trading Eric was a difficult decision," O'Connor acknowledged, while noting that the team remained strong at the point guard position with star Deron Williams and Ronnie Price as a capable and proven reserve player. [11]

Maynor wound up as the backup point guard on the young Thunder team behind the emerging superstar Russell Westbrook, drafted by the franchise as the #4 overall pick one year prior to Maynor coming into the NBA.

On January 7, 2012, the Thunder reported that Maynor had torn his right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the fourth quarter of Oklahoma City's 98–95 win over the Houston Rockets and would miss the remainder of the season. Without Maynor the Thunder reached the 2012 NBA Finals, but lost in five games to the Miami Heat.

Portland Trail Blazers (2013)

In a deal concluded just 30 minutes before the noon trade deadline on February 21, 2013, Maynor was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for the NBA rights to Georgios Printezis. [12] Maynor was averaging just 2.8 points and 2.0 assists in an average of about 10.6 minutes per game playing for the Thunder and had fallen to number three on the team's depth chart for point guards, with second-year player Reggie Jackson emerging to capture most of the team's backup PG minutes. [13] The Blazers were forced to waive reserve point guard Ronnie Price to make room on the team's 15-man roster for Maynor. [13]

Portland general manager Neil Olshey was effusive about Maynor's style of play and his fit for the club, calling Maynor "a great guy to run our second unit while being able to play with our starters." [12] Olshey noted that Maynor was known for making excellent decisions with the basketball while playing at a steady and reliable pace and offered the possibility that Maynor might potentially share time in the backcourt with Blazer rookie star Damian Lillard. [12]

Olshey expressed hope that Maynor would mesh well with the team and make a solid long-term addition to the roster, declaring:

"You don't make moves just for 28 games, but clearly there's going to be an evaluation curve for us where we're going to have to evaluate Eric, see how he fits in with our team, our style of play, our culture.... We'll see what kind of opportunities present themselves." [12]

Washington Wizards (2013–2014)

On July 10, 2013, Maynor signed with the Washington Wizards. [14]

Philadelphia 76ers (2014)

On February 20, 2014, Maynor was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-team trade involving the Nuggets and the Wizards. [15] On March 17, 2014, he was waived by the 76ers. [16]

Europe

On January 14, 2015, Maynor signed a contract with Pallacanestro Varese of Italy for the rest of the 2014–15 Lega Basket Serie A season. [17]

On July 23, 2015, he signed a one-year contract with the Russian club Nizhny Novgorod. [18]

On July 27, 2016, Maynor returned to Pallacanestro Varese, signing a contract for the 2016–17 season. [19]

On November 20, 2017, Maynor signed with Italian club Orlandina Basket for the rest of the 2017–18 season. [20]

The Basketball Tournament

In 2017, Maynor participated in The Basketball Tournament for Ram Nation, a team of VCU alumni. Maynor averaged 13.5 PPG, 7.3 APG, and 5.5 RPG to help Ram Nation reach the Elite 8. In the Elite 8, Ram Nation lost a close game to the eventual tournament champs, Overseas Elite. The Basketball Tournament is an annual $2 million winner-take-all tournament broadcast on ESPN. [21]

Coaching career

In September 2019, Maynor was named assistant coach of the Oklahoma City Blue. [22]

In August 2021, Maynor was moved from the Blue staff to the Thunder as a player development coach. [23]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2009–10 Utah 26214.0.391.208.7581.53.1.5.15.2
2009–10 Oklahoma City 55016.5.434.362.6921.73.4.5.14.5
2010–11 Oklahoma City 82014.6.402.385.7291.52.9.4.14.2
2011–12 Oklahoma City 9015.2.359.3531.0001.42.4.6.04.2
2012–13 Oklahoma City 37010.6.313.326.810.52.0.3.02.8
2012–13 Portland 27021.2.422.380.6831.04.0.4.06.9
2013–14 Washington 2309.3.292.320.6671.01.7.2.02.3
2013–14 Philadelphia 8014.0.379.333.5001.91.5.5.33.8
Career267214.6.392.350.7211.32.8.4.14.3

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2010 Oklahoma City 6012.7.300.167.8181.51.5.2.23.7
2011 Oklahoma City 17012.9.377.360.7891.32.2.5.04.8
Career23012.9.361.323.8001.32.0.4.04.5

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Jones (basketball)</span> American basketball player (born 1979)

Frederick Terrell Jones is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks and was the winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at the 2004 NBA All-Star Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaun Livingston</span> American basketball player (born 1985)

Shaun Patrick Livingston is an American professional basketball executive and former player. He entered the league directly out of high school and was selected fourth by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2004 NBA draft. During his 15-year career, Livingston played 959 games for nine teams and won three NBA championships as a member of the Golden State Warriors—in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Randolph</span> American basketball player (born 1981)

Zachary McKenley Randolph is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Z-Bo", the 2-time NBA All-Star played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans before being drafted in the 2001 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played for five teams over the course of his professional career, making the All-NBA Third Team in 2011 with the Memphis Grizzlies. He also played with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings before retiring in December 2019. Randolph later planned to come out of retirement in 2020 to join the Big3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Harpring</span> American basketball player (born 1976)

Matthew Joseph Harpring is an American former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was formerly paired with play-by-play broadcaster Craig Bolerjack as the color analyst in broadcasting games for the Utah Jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Wilks (basketball)</span> American basketball player and coach

Michael Sharod Wilks, Jr. is an American coach and former professional basketball player who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Price</span> American basketball player and scout (born 1983)

Ronald D'Wayne Price is an American former professional basketball player and current scout for the Phoenix Suns. Price grew up in Friendswood, Texas and played college basketball for one year at Nicholls State and three years at Utah Valley State. Price went undrafted in the 2005 NBA draft and played for the Sacramento Kings from 2005 to 2008. Price then played for the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Lakers before returning to Phoenix for a second and final playing stint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Foye</span> American basketball player (born 1983)

Randy Foye is an American former professional basketball player. He played collegiately at Villanova University. He was selected seventh overall in the 2006 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics, but was immediately traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and later traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he began his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaniel Dickens</span> American basketball player

Kaniel Dickens is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected by the Utah Jazz in the second round in the 2000 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Brewer</span> American basketball player

Ronnie Brewer is an American former professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach. Brewer played collegiately at the University of Arkansas, where his father Ron Brewer was a star in the late 1970s. Brewer is known for having an unorthodox shooting technique, the result of a childhood water slide injury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Rautins</span> American-born Canadian basketball player

Andrew Jay Rautins is an American-born Canadian professional basketball executive and former player. He played for Syracuse University and was drafted by the NBA's New York Knicks in 2010, with the eighth pick of the second round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgios Printezis</span> Greek professional basketball player (born 1985)

Georgios Printezis is a Greek former professional basketball player, who spent the majority of his pro club career with Olympiacos Piraeus of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. Printezis won back-to-back EuroLeague titles with Olympiacos in 2012 and 2013. His game-winning shot against the Russian club CSKA Moscow, at the end of the 2012 EuroLeague Final, off an assist from Vassilis Spanoulis, is one of the all-time highlights in the history of the EuroLeague.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VCU Rams men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team that represents Virginia Commonwealth University

The VCU Rams men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball team that represents Virginia Commonwealth University. The Rams joined the Atlantic 10 Conference in the 2012–13 season after previously competing in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). In 2017, VCU was ranked the 40th most valuable men's basketball program in the country by The Wall Street Journal. With a valuation of $56.9 million, VCU ranked second in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and second in the A-10 Conference. The team is coached by Ryan Odom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Favors</span> American basketball player (born 1991)

Derrick Bernard Favors is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League. Favors played college basketball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for one season before being selected by the New Jersey Nets with the third overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Bledsoe</span> American basketball player (born 1989)

Eric Bledsoe is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He plays the point guard position. After a season of college basketball with the Kentucky Wildcats, he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft and subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Bledsoe had a four-year tenure with the Phoenix Suns between 2013 and 2017, before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent Bazemore</span> American basketball player (born 1989)

Kenneth Lamont "Kent" Bazemore Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League. As a junior at Old Dominion University in 2010–11, Bazemore won the Lefty Driesell Award, an award given to the best defensive player in college basketball.

Grant Alexander Jerrett is an American professional basketball player for Utsunomiya Brex of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for the University of Arizona.

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

Treveon Graham is an American professional basketball player for the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of the P. League+. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markel Brown</span> American basketball player (born 1992)

DeMarious Markel Brown is an American professional basketball player for Pallacanestro Trieste of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juvonte Reddic</span> American basketball player

Juvonte Reddic is an American professional basketball player for Ironi Kiryat Ata of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. A 6' 9" power forward, Reddic played college basketball for Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norvel Pelle</span> Lebanese-Antiguan basketball player

Norvel Pelle Jr. is a Lebanese-Antiguan professional basketball player for Beirut Club of the Lebanese Basketball League. A 6-foot-10-inch (2.08 m), 231-pound (105 kg) center, he played at three different high schools in the Los Angeles area and was ranked as one of the top recruits in his class. He was prohibited from competing in college after failing to meet academic requirements, choosing to immediately turn professional in 2013.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Eric Maynor," NBA.com, Retrieved Feb. 22, 2013.
  2. This assertion as to the reason for the change of schools is unsourced but appears to be accurate, as De'shaune Griffin's father was an assistant boys' basketball coach at Westover High. See: "#3 De'shaune Griffin," Iona College Gaels, www.icgaels.com
  3. Bob Gibbons, "State Champions Crowned in North Carolina," Rivals.com, www.collegebasketball.rivals.com/ March 14, 2005.
  4. Don Hines, "The NCPreps.com 2004-05 North Carolina All State Basketball Team," NCPreps.com/ April 27, 2005.
  5. VCU’S Maynor Headlines 2007-08: All-CAA Men's Basketball Team," CAA Hoop Scoop, www.caasports.com/ March 6, 2008.
  6. 1 2 "Regular Season Crown, Scoring Title on the Line Saturday at 4 pm," Archived 2011-09-01 at the Wayback Machine VCU Rams Basketball, www.vcuathletics.tv/ Feb. 28, 2009.
  7. "Eric Demarqua Maynor". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  8. "Rookie Maynor signs two-year deal with Jazz". NBA.com . Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  9. "RealCollegeBasketball.com's Interview With Eric Maynor". Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  10. "Thunder Acquires Maynor From Utah Jazz," NBA.com, Dec. 22, 2009.
  11. 1 2 Associated Press, "Maynor Headed to Thunder," via ESPN.com Dec. 23, 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Mike Tokito, "Late Trade Lands Backup Point Guard: Eric Maynor Moves from Thunder Bench to Playing time with Blazers," The Oregonian, Feb. 22, 2013; pp. D1, 5.
  13. 1 2 Ben Golliver, "Blazers Trade For Thunder G Eric Maynor; Waive Ronnie Price," Blazers Edge, Feb. 21, 2013.
  14. "Wizards Sign Eric Maynor". NBA.com . Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  15. Sixers Acquire Two Future Second-Round Picks as Part of Three Team Trade
  16. Sixers Sign Forward James Nunnally to 10-day Contract
  17. "La Pallacanestro OpenJobMetis Varese ingaggia Eric Maynor". pallacanestrovarese.it (in Italian). Pallacanestro Varese. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  18. "Nizhny Novgorod signs playmaker Maynor". Eurocupbasketball.com. July 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  19. "IL RITORNO DI ERIC MAYNOR". pallacanestrovarese.it (in Italian). July 27, 2016. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  20. "Eric Maynor signs with Orlandina Basket". Sportando.com. November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  21. "Eric Maynor | The Basketball Tournament". www.thetournament.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2017.
  22. "Thunder hires former OKC guard Eric Maynor as Blue assistant". THE OKLAHOMAN. September 26, 2019.
  23. "Anthony Morrow and Eric Maynor Join Thunder Staff". Sports Illustrated. August 10, 2021.