No. 99–Milwaukee Bucks | |
---|---|
Position | Power forward / small forward |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | Villa Rica, Georgia, U.S. | July 6, 1990
Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Villa Rica (Villa Rica, Georgia) |
College |
|
NBA draft | 2012: 2nd round, 34th overall pick |
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers | |
Playing career | 2012–present |
Career history | |
2012–2014 | Dallas Mavericks |
2014 | →Texas Legends |
2014–2017 | Boston Celtics |
2017–2018 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
2018–2019 | Utah Jazz |
2019–2020 | Memphis Grizzlies |
2020 | Miami Heat |
2020–2023 | Phoenix Suns |
2023–present | Milwaukee Bucks |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Corey Jae Crowder (born July 6, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Not being heavily recruited out of high school, Crowder committed to South Georgia Technical College and later Howard College, where he led the team to an NJCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in his sophomore season. While at Howard College, Crowder was also named State Farm Junior College Player of the Year. Later, he transferred to Marquette, where he was named Big East Player of the Year in his senior season.
After his senior year ended, Crowder declared for the 2012 NBA draft, where he was drafted 34th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers and traded to the Dallas Mavericks on draft night. In 2014, Crowder was traded to the Boston Celtics. He spent three years in Boston before being traded back to his draft team, the Cavaliers, in August 2017. In 2018, Crowder was traded to the Utah Jazz. He was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019, and he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2020, with whom he reached his first NBA Finals with the same year. In the 2020 offseason, Crowder signed with the Phoenix Suns and reached his second NBA Finals in 2021. After disagreements between Crowder and the Suns' front office, both sides mutually agreed on having Crowder sit out for the start of the 2022–23 season. He would eventually be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.
Jae Crowder was born on July 6, 1990, in Villa Rica, Georgia, to Helen Thompson and basketball player Corey Crowder. Crowder attended Villa Rica High School, where he played as starting quarterback for the football team and as starting point guard for the basketball team. Crowder spent the summer holidays in Florida, working out and training with his father, then a professional basketball player with 2 years experience in the NBA who was playing in Europe. Growing up, he was undersized and overweight, weighing nearly 200 pounds in his junior year. Eventually, he called his father to help him lose weight. By the end of his junior year, he had grown to 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and had significantly improved his physical conditioning. [1]
Crowder was not heavily recruited out of high school, although he had some offers in football. He committed to South Georgia Technical College, a college in Americus, Georgia. He later transferred to Howard College for his sophomore season. After his junior college eligibility ended, he transferred to Marquette. [1]
In his only season with South Georgia Tech, he led the Jets to their first-ever NJCAA national tournament appearance in his freshman season, under head coach Steven Wright, with the team finishing with a 21–7 record. [2] He was named Georgia Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year that season. [3]
In his sophomore season with the Howard Hawks in 2010, Crowder was not only named NABC NJCAA Player of the Year but also helped the team win its first-ever NJCAA Division I championship. In the final game he registered 27 points and 12 rebounds in an 85–80 overtime victory against Three Rivers Community College. He averaged 18.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a sophomore while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 76.0 percent from the free throw line. [2]
After his season with the Howard Hawks, Crowder transferred to Marquette University, selecting the Golden Eagles over UNLV, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech and Illinois State, among others. [3] He averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in his first season with Marquette. [4] Some basketball statisticians believe Crowder was statistically the best all-around player during the 2010–11 season. [5] On January 1, 2011, Crowder recorded a career-high 29 points and 8 rebounds in a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers. [6] On March 30, 2012, Crowder was named East Perfect Player of the Game in the Reese's College All-Star Game. [7]
For the 2011–2012 season, Crowder averaged 17.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. [2] [4] Crowder led Marquette to a second-place finish in the Big East, as well as their second consecutive Sweet 16. During the same season, he was named Big East Player of the Year, as well as an AP Second-Team All American. [2]
After finishing his college career, Crowder decided to enter the 2012 NBA draft, where he was projected to be a second-round pick. [8] Crowder was taken 34th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers; however, a draft night-trade with the Mavericks sent him to Dallas, along with 24th overall pick Jared Cunningham and 33rd overall pick Bernard James, in exchange for 17th overall pick Tyler Zeller and Kelenna Azubuike. [9] [10] He was officially signed on July 20, 2012, on a non-guaranteed two-year contract, like all second round draft picks. [11] His Marquette teammate Darius Johnson-Odom was also drafted with the 55th overall pick. [9]
Due to his strong showing in NBA Summer League and preseason games, he was described as "the steal of the NBA draft", [12] averaging 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.6 assists and 0.8 blocks in 22 minutes per game in the preseason [13] and 16.6 points, 1.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, 2.0 steals and 41.7 percent shooting in Summer League, where he was also voted into the All-Summer League team. [14] This strong showing raised expectations in the young player, as he was viewed as possibly the Mavericks' new franchise player and possibly a future All-Star. [15] [16]
His stellar play earned him a spot in coach Rick Carlisle's rotation. [17] He debuted in the season-opening win against the Los Angeles Lakers. After Dirk Nowitzki missed most of the early season with an arthroscopic knee surgery and starting small forward Shawn Marion was also injured, Crowder became the team's starting small forward. With Marion and Nowitzki's returns, Crowder's minutes decreased. His contribution started to dwindle a bit starting around the all-star break, when he admitted that he hit the "rookie wall". [18] The Mavericks were never able to recover from Nowitzki's injury and missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, with Crowder averaging 5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in 17.3 minutes.
On November 5, 2013, Crowder scored a then career-high 18 points in a 123–104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. [19] On February 27, 2014, Crowder was assigned to the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League. [20] He was recalled by the Mavericks on February 28, reassigned on March 1, [21] and recalled again on March 2.
On June 10, 2014, the Mavericks exercised their team option on Crowder's contract. [22] With the offseason additions of forwards Al-Farouq Aminu and Richard Jefferson, Crowder's minutes subsequently dropped to start the 2014–15 season, falling out of coach Rick Carlisle's frontcourt rotation. [23] On November 9, 2014, he scored a season-high 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting in a 105–96 loss to the Miami Heat. [24]
On December 18, 2014, Crowder was traded, along with Jameer Nelson, Brandan Wright, a 2015 first-round pick, a 2016 second-round pick and a $12.9 million trade exception, to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell. [25] On January 12, 2015, he scored a then career-high 22 points in a 108–100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. [26] On April 14, 2015, he hit an off-balance fall-away two-point shot from deep on the right wing with 0.8 seconds left, lifting Boston to a 95–93 win over the Toronto Raptors. [27] [28] After averaging just 3.6 points in 10.6 minutes per game with Dallas to start the 2014–15 season, Crowder became an important role player for the Celtics in Brad Stevens' rotation, and subsequently lifted his averages to 9.5 points in 24.2 minutes per game.
On July 27, 2015, Crowder re-signed with the Celtics on a reported five-year, $35 million contract. [29] [30] On December 18, 2015, he scored a career-high 24 points in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. [31] He topped that mark on January 4, 2016, scoring 25 points in a 103–94 win over the Brooklyn Nets. [32] On January 13, he tied his career high of 25 points in a 103–94 win over the Indiana Pacers. [33] On March 14, he was ruled out for two weeks with a right ankle sprain. [34] He returned to action on March 31 against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing eight games. [35]
In the Celtics' season opener on October 26, 2016, Crowder scored 21 points in a 122–117 win over the Brooklyn Nets. [36] He appeared in the team's first four games of the season, but then missed eight straight games with a sprained left ankle. [37] He returned to action on November 19, scoring nine points in a 94–92 win over the Detroit Pistons. [38] On March 17, 2017, he recorded season highs with 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 98–95 win over Brooklyn. [39] On March 26, 2017, he set a new season high with 25 points in a 112–108 win over the Miami Heat. [40] In Game 1 of the Celtics' Eastern Conference semifinal match-up with the Washington Wizards, Crowder scored a playoff career-high 24 points, helping the Celtics win 123–111. [41]
On August 22, 2017, Crowder was traded, along with Isaiah Thomas, Ante Žižić and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 unprotected first round pick, to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving. [42] Eight days later, the Celtics agreed to send the Cavaliers a 2020 second-round draft pick via the Miami Heat to complete the trade. [43] On November 20, 2017, Crowder scored a season-high 18 points against the Detroit Pistons. [44]
On February 8, 2018, Crowder was acquired by the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade that also involved the Cavaliers and the Sacramento Kings. [45] In his debut for the Jazz three days later, Crowder scored 15 points in a 115–96 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. [46] On March 9, 2018, he scored a season-high 22 points in a 95–78 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. [47] In Game 5 of the Jazz's first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Crowder scored a career playoff-high 27 points in a 107–99 loss. [48]
On January 1, 2019, Crowder scored a career-high 30 points in a 122–116 loss to the Toronto Raptors. [49]
On July 6, 2019, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired Crowder from the Jazz, along with Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver and draft picks for Mike Conley Jr. [50] He made his Grizzlies debut on October 23, recording 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in a 120–101 loss to the Miami Heat. [51] On October 27, Crowder hit the buzzer beating, game-winning three-pointer to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 134–133 in overtime. [52] He finished the game with six points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. [53] On January 4, 2020, Crowder scored a season-high 27 points, alongside eight rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks in a 140–114 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. [54]
On February 6, 2020, Crowder was traded to the Miami Heat in a 3-team trade. [55] The trade reunited Crowder with his former college teammate Jimmy Butler. On February 9, Crowder made his Heat debut, recording 18 points, eleven rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 115–109 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. [56] In the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals, Crowder scored 22 points in a 117–114 Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics. [57] The Heat eventually won the series in six games and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. In the Finals, Crowder and the Heat lost in 6 games to the Los Angeles Lakers.
On November 28, 2020, Crowder signed a 3-year, $30 million contract with the Phoenix Suns. [58] [59] He made his Suns debut on December 23, recording four points, nine rebounds and four assists in a 106–102 win over the Dallas Mavericks. [60] On April 12, 2021, Crowder scored a season-high 26 points, alongside two rebounds and two assists, in a 126–120 win over the Houston Rockets. [61] The Suns qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2010.
On June 22, 2021, in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, with 0.9 seconds remaining in regulation, Crowder inbounded the ball from behind the baseline to Deandre Ayton for a buzzer-beating, game-winning alley-oop dunk to lift the Suns to a 104–103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. [62] In Game 6 of the series, Crowder scored 19 points in a decisive 130–103 win that sent Phoenix to the Finals for the first time since 1993. [63] In the Finals, he was the only player on either team with Finals experience. The Suns lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
On December 6, 2021, Crowder scored a season-high 19 points, alongside six rebounds, in a 108–104 win over the San Antonio Spurs. [64] On March 6, 2022, he again scored 19 points, alongside five rebounds and seven assists, in a 132–122 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. [65] The Suns qualified for the playoffs yet again, but were eliminated in seven games by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round.
On September 25, 2022, Crowder and the Suns mutually agreed to let Crowder sit out for the 2022–23 season until the Suns found a suitable trade partner for him. [66]
On February 9, 2023, the Suns reached an agreement to trade Crowder to the Brooklyn Nets, alongside Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges and draft compensation, to the Milwaukee Bucks for Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren; this trade was reworked into a four-team trade involving the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, sending Crowder to Milwaukee. [67] [68] On April 5, Crowder scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds during his first start for the Bucks. [69]
On July 10, 2023, Crowder re-signed with the Bucks. [70] On February 8, 2024, Crowder recorded season-highs of 21 points, eight rebounds, and five assists during a 129–105 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. [71]
GP | Games 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 |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012–13 | Dallas | 78 | 16 | 17.3 | .384 | .328 | .644 | 2.4 | 1.2 | .8 | .2 | 5.0 |
2013–14 | Dallas | 78 | 8 | 16.1 | .439 | .331 | .754 | 2.5 | .8 | .8 | .3 | 4.6 |
2014–15 | Dallas | 25 | 0 | 10.6 | .434 | .342 | .909 | 1.2 | .5 | .6 | .2 | 3.6 |
Boston | 57 | 17 | 24.2 | .418 | .282 | .762 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .4 | 9.5 | |
2015–16 | Boston | 73 | 73 | 31.6 | .443 | .336 | .820 | 5.1 | 1.8 | 1.7 | .5 | 14.2 |
2016–17 | Boston | 72 | 72 | 32.4 | .463 | .398 | .811 | 5.8 | 2.2 | 1.0 | .3 | 13.9 |
2017–18 | Cleveland | 53 | 47 | 25.4 | .418 | .328 | .848 | 3.3 | 1.1 | .8 | .2 | 8.6 |
Utah | 27 | 0 | 27.6 | .386 | .316 | .768 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .9 | .3 | 11.8 | |
2018–19 | Utah | 80 | 11 | 27.1 | .399 | .331 | .721 | 4.8 | 1.7 | .8 | .4 | 11.9 |
2019–20 | Memphis | 45 | 45 | 29.4 | .368 | .293 | .789 | 6.2 | 2.8 | 1.0 | .3 | 9.9 |
Miami | 20 | 8 | 27.7 | .482 | .445 | .733 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .5 | 11.9 | |
2020–21 | Phoenix | 60 | 42 | 27.5 | .404 | .389 | .760 | 4.7 | 2.1 | .8 | .5 | 10.1 |
2021–22 | Phoenix | 67 | 67 | 28.1 | .399 | .348 | .789 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .4 | 9.4 |
2022–23 | Milwaukee | 18 | 3 | 18.9 | .479 | .436 | .833 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .7 | .3 | 6.9 |
2023–24 | Milwaukee | 50 | 25 | 23.1 | .422 | .349 | .722 | 3.2 | 1.3 | .8 | .2 | 6.2 |
Career | 803 | 434 | 25.0 | .419 | .348 | .777 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .3 | 9.3 |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Dallas | 7 | 0 | 11.6 | .444 | .429 | .000 | 1.7 | .3 | .3 | .1 | 2.7 |
2015 | Boston | 4 | 1 | 25.0 | .517 | .300 | .769 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .8 | 10.8 |
2016 | Boston | 6 | 6 | 32.8 | .278 | .244 | .636 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 1.5 | .5 | 9.5 |
2017 | Boston | 18 | 18 | 33.1 | .435 | .352 | .833 | 6.4 | 2.7 | 1.1 | .3 | 13.6 |
2018 | Utah | 11 | 2 | 29.4 | .324 | .333 | .643 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | .2 | 10.0 |
2019 | Utah | 5 | 3 | 26.0 | .370 | .300 | .737 | 5.8 | .8 | 1.0 | .0 | 10.0 |
2020 | Miami | 21 | 21 | 31.4 | .403 | .342 | .761 | 5.6 | 1.9 | .7 | .6 | 12.0 |
2021 | Phoenix | 22 | 22 | 33.1 | .413 | .380 | .886 | 6.1 | 1.9 | .9 | .8 | 10.8 |
2022 | Phoenix | 13 | 13 | 29.5 | .400 | .302 | .731 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 1.0 | .5 | 9.4 |
2023 | Milwaukee | 4 | 0 | 10.2 | .231 | .000 | .500 | 1.0 | .8 | .5 | .0 | 1.8 |
Career | 111 | 86 | 29.2 | .393 | .336 | .768 | 5.3 | 1.9 | .9 | .5 | 10.4 |
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010–11 | Marquette | 37 | 17 | 27.6 | .485 | .359 | .616 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 1.3 | .9 | 11.8 |
2011–12 | Marquette | 35 | 35 | 32.9 | .498 | .345 | .735 | 8.4 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 17.5 |
Career | 72 | 52 | 30.2 | .492 | .350 | .683 | 7.6 | 1.8 | 1.9 | .9 | 14.6 |
Crowder is known for his good all around-play and his positional flexibility. He is a rugged defender with a strong, muscular stature and a good rebounder. He has a good three point shot and postplay, as well as being solid from long range, averaging .498 from the field and .345 from the three-point line in his senior season at Marquette. [8] Crowder has a tremendous work ethic, growing from a chubby kid into a muscular player, training with intense will and commitment to improve his skills. [1] Rick Carlisle compared him to Tayshaun Prince, whom he coached while with the Detroit Pistons, stating: "Jae just has a maturity beyond his years. He’s got a natural motor and a natural, real, pure basketball energy. He’s the kind of guy who would fit in on any team." [18]
Crowder's father, Corey, played in the NBA for the Utah Jazz and the San Antonio Spurs and had a 14-year professional basketball career, mostly playing in Europe. [72] Crowder has seven siblings. [1] He majored in communication studies at Marquette's Diederich College of Communication.
Crowder’s mother Helen Thompson died of cancer in August 2017. She died the same night he was traded to Cleveland from Boston. At his introductory press conference in Cleveland, he said, "The good thing about the whole ordeal was I was able to whisper it to my mom before she passed. I was with her. I just told her, 'We're going to Cleveland.' Five minutes later, she passed." [73]
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time, Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Olympics with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. He was inducted as a player into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In October 2021, Kidd was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Jason Eugene Terry is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 19 seasons in the NBA as a combo guard and is also known by the initialism "the Jet". With the Dallas Mavericks, Terry won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2009 and an NBA championship in 2011. As of April 2024, Terry has made the tenth-most three-point field goals in NBA history.
Kendrick Le'Dale Perkins is a former American professional basketball player who is a sports analyst for ESPN. He entered the NBA directly out of high school and played for the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New Orleans Pelicans, winning the NBA Championship in 2008 with the Celtics.
Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American former professional basketball player. A point guard, Rondo played two years of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA draft and subsequently traded to the Celtics in a draft-day trade. Rondo is a two-time NBA champion, four-time NBA All-Star, has earned four NBA All-Defensive Team honors including two First Team honors, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2012.
Anthony Leon "P. J." Tucker Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded as a reliable perimeter defender all throughout his career, Tucker helped the Milwaukee Bucks win an NBA championship in 2021. He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns. Outside his NBA career, he was also the 2008 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP, and Israeli Basketball Premier League Finals MVP and also won championships overseas in the Israeli Super League in 2008 with the Hapoel Holon, the German League and the German Cup in 2012 with Brose Bamberg.
Kyle Terrell Lowry is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A six-time All-Star, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2016 and won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, their first and only title in franchise history. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Raptors players of all time due to his work with turning the franchise around, from the post-Vince Carter era to their first-ever championship in 2019. As starting point guard, Lowry played an integral role in the Raptors' success from 2012 to 2021. Lowry was also a member of the U.S. national team that won a gold medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Goran Dragić is a Slovenian former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Dragon", he played professional basketball in Slovenia and Spain before entering the NBA in 2008. Dragić also played for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. He was an All-NBA Third Team selection and the NBA Most Improved Player with the Suns in 2014. He was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in 2018 with Miami. He led the senior Slovenian national team to its first FIBA EuroBasket title in 2017, while being named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Joshua Smith is an American former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Entering the NBA straight out of high school, Smith played nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks before playing for the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers between 2013 and 2016. His final stint in the NBA came in November 2017 with the New Orleans Pelicans. He is sometimes referred to by his nickname "J-Smoove".
Brook Robert Lopez is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Splash Mountain", he was named an NBA All-Star as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, and has been voted twice to the NBA All-Defensive Team while with the Bucks. He won an NBA championship with Milwaukee in 2021.
Courtney Lee is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Western Kentucky University.
Wesley Joel Matthews Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He is the son of former NBA player Wes Matthews.
Jrue Randall Holiday is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the UCLA Bruins before being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft with the 17th overall pick. Holiday played four seasons with Philadelphia before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013. In 2020, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and won his first NBA championship with the team in 2021. Holiday is a two-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He also won a gold medal with the 2020 U.S. Olympic team.
Isaiah Jamar Thomas is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He most notably played with the Boston Celtics from 2015 through 2017, when he was a two-time NBA All-Star and named second-team All-NBA.
Timothy Mark Thomas is an American basketball coach and former professional player. He was a highly ranked prospect while playing at Paterson Catholic High School in his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. Thomas played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats and declared for the 1997 NBA draft after his freshman season. He spent thirteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks. Thomas serves as the head coach of the boys basketball team at Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, New Jersey.
Eric Bledsoe is an American professional basketball player who plays 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.
Jon Leuer is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 40th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. During his National Basketball Association (NBA) career, he also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons.
The 2012–13 Dallas Mavericks season was the 33rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Mavericks failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2000. This would also be the last time until 2017 that the Mavericks missed the playoffs.
Grayson James Allen is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played four years of college basketball at Duke University, where he helped Duke win a national championship in 2015. He has often been called one of Duke's best players of the 2010s. Allen was drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, where he played for one season before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in July 2019. In August 2021, Allen was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he played for two seasons before being traded to the Suns in September 2023.
Dorian Lawrence Finney-Smith is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Virginia Tech and Florida. After spending his first seven seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, he was traded to the Nets in February 2023.
The 2022 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2021–22 season. The playoffs began on April 16 and ended on June 16 with the conclusion of the 2022 NBA Finals. The playoffs also returned to its normal April–June schedule for the first time since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in two postponements in 2020 and 2021.