Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Warren, Michigan, U.S. | June 12, 1960
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Fitzgerald (Warren, Michigan) |
College | Detroit Mercy (1978–1982) |
NBA draft | 1982: 3rd round, 56th overall pick |
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks | |
Playing career | 1982–1993 |
Position | Power forward |
Number | 31, 35 |
Career history | |
1982–1983 | Wisconsin Flyers |
1982–1984 | Washington Bullets |
1984–1985 | Denver Nuggets |
1985–1986 | Benetton Treviso |
1985–1988 | Cajabilbao |
1988–1991 | Pallacanestro Torino |
1991–1992 | Cajabilbao |
1992–1993 | Joventut Badalona |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball Reference |
Joseph Gerard Kopicki (born 12 June 1960) is an American former basketball player. At 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) and 240 pounds (110 kg), he played the power forward position.
Kopicki played basketball at Fitzgerald High School in his hometown of Warren, Michigan. He was named to the First Team Class A All-State squad and selected as Macomb County Player of the Year in 1978. [1] During his career at the University of Detroit, Kopicki tallied 1,410 points and 771 rebounds.
Kopicki was drafted in the third round of the 1982 NBA draft (56th pick overall) by the Atlanta Hawks. However, he was waived by the Hawks on October 19. He signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers three days later, but was again waived on October 27 before the start of the 1982–83 season. After a season with the Wisconsin Flyers of the CBA, he signed with the Washington Bullets on March 9, 1983, and finally played in the NBA. Kopicki played with the Bullets for the remainder of the 1982–83 and all of the 1983–84 seasons, averaging 3.8 points per game off the bench, but did not make the final roster for the 1984–85 season. He then started negotiations with the Kansas City Kings, but was convinced by the Denver Nuggets to sign on October 31, 1984, just days into the 1984–85 season. Kopicki replaced Russell Cross, who had a weak left knee, on the Nuggets roster. [2] His playing time increased when Bill Hanzlik suffered an injury. After the season, he then decided to play in Europe, where he spent the rest of his career on teams in Italy and Spain. In Europe he was a seven-time All-Star. [3]
Kopicki is now the head coach of the boys' basketball team at his high school alma mater, Fitzgerald. [1]
Kopicki's number 34 has since been retired by his high school. He was inducted into the Detroit Titans Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. Kopicki received the 2011 Matt Dobek Special Recognition Award from the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. [1]
Kopicki has been married to his wife Jennifer since 1986. They have raised three children, Jessica, Joseph and Matthew. Kopicki is of Polish descent. [1]
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The team was founded as the Denver Larks in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association (ABA) but changed their name to the Rockets before the first season. The Rockets then changed their name again to the Nuggets in 1974. After the name change, the Nuggets played for the final ABA Championship title in 1976, losing to the New York Nets.
Jameer Lamar Nelson Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who serves as general manager for the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Saint Joseph's Hawks, where he was named national college player of the year in 2004. Drafted 20th overall in the 2004 NBA draft, Nelson spent the first ten years of his NBA career with the Orlando Magic. In 2009, he was named an All-Star and made an appearance in the NBA Finals with the Magic. He has also played for the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans and Detroit Pistons.
Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins is an American former professional basketball player who played for nine different NBA teams throughout his career.
Stacey Orlando Augmon is an American basketball coach and former player. He serves as the player development coach of the Sacramento Kings. He played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He gained the nickname "Plastic Man" due to his athletic ability to contort his body. He was also an assistant coach at his alma mater UNLV under coach Dave Rice. He was previously the head coach of Jeonju KCC Egis of the Korean Basketball League.
Steven Charles Mix, nicknamed "The Mayor", is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Mix had a thirteen year playing career, was an NBA All-Star and played in the NBA Finals on four occasions. He later had a lengthy career as a broadcaster for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Gregory Ballard was an American professional basketball player and NBA assistant coach. A collegiate All-American at Oregon, Ballard averaged 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds over an eleven-season NBA career with the Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors and briefly, the Seattle SuperSonics.
Rodney King Thorn is an American basketball executive and a former professional player and coach, Olympic Committee Chairman, with a career spanning over 50 years. In 2018, Thorn was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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).
Kurt Nimphius is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) player. Nimphius played nine seasons in the NBA after his collegiate career at Arizona State University.
Danilo Gallinari is an Italian professional basketball player who last played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After spending his first four years as a professional in his native Italy, Gallinari was drafted sixth overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. He played with the Knicks for two and a half seasons before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 2011. He has also played for the Los Angeles Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Atlanta Hawks, the Washington Wizards and the Detroit Pistons.
Damion Marquez Williams James is an American former professional basketball player who last played for Vaqueros de Bayamón of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He played college basketball for Texas.
Alonzo Edward Gee is an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Riviera Beach, Florida, Gee attended the University of Alabama, where he played for the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team for four seasons.
Anthony Jerome Roberts was an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets and Washington Bullets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected in the first round as the 21st pick in the 1977 NBA draft by the Nuggets and spent five seasons playing the NBA.
John Eddie Long is an American former professional basketball player.
Roy Devyn Marble is an American professional basketball player for FC Porto of the Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LPB). He played college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft.
Juan Alberto "Juancho" Hernangómez Geuer is a Spanish professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. He also represents the senior Spanish national team in international competition. He was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and spent seven seasons in the NBA with clubs such as the Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs, the Utah Jazz and the Toronto Raptors.
The Cincinnati Slammers, originally the Ohio Mixers, were a professional basketball team based in Lima, Ohio from 1982 to 1984 and Cincinnati, Ohio from 1984 to 1987. They were members of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). The team was admitted into the CBA as an expansion franchise in 1982. Team owner Tom Sawyer served as the Mixers' head coach during their two season. Jerry Robinson underwrote the re-location of the franchise to Cincinnati before the 1984–85 season. Sawyer stayed on as head coach to the newly re-branded Cincinnati Slammers, but resigned during their first season at which point assistant coach Tom Thacker took over the position. Herb Brown was hired as head coach before the 1985–86 season and led the team until they went defunct following the 1986–87 season.
Tyler Cook is an American professional basketball player for Merkezefendi Belediyesi Denizli of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). He played college basketball for the Iowa Hawkeyes.