Michael Graham (basketball)

Last updated
Michael Graham
Personal information
Born (1963-07-14) July 14, 1963 (age 60)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High school Spingarn (Washington, D.C.)
College Georgetown (1983–1984)
NBA draft 1986: 4th round, 76th overall pick
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics
Position Power forward
Career history
1986–1987 Albany Patroons
1986–1987 Charleston Gunners
1987–1988 Wyoming Wildcatters
1988–1989 Rochester Flyers
1989 Tulsa Fast Breakers
1993–1994 Columbus Horizon
Career highlights and awards

Michael Graham (born July 14, 1963) [1] is a retired American basketball player. He is known for his college career at Georgetown University, where he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine after helping the Hoyas to the 1984 NCAA championship.

Graham, a 6'9" power forward from Spingarn High School in Washington, D.C., signed with future Hall of Fame coach John Thompson at Georgetown. As a freshman in 1983–84, Graham became a key player for the Hoyas. He provided rugged defense and rebounding, appearing in all but two of the team's 37 games – starting 17. While his regular season statistics were pedestrian, Graham became a key player for the Hoyas in their quest for a national championship. In the 1984 Final Four, Graham scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and led the Hoyas to a victory over the Houston Cougars for the national championship. In the championship game, Graham scored 14 points on 7–9 shooting and was one of two Georgetown players to be named to the All-Final Four team along with Most Outstanding Player Patrick Ewing. [2] Following the championship win, Graham – whose fiery demeanor and shaved head were seen as personifying the Hoyas' aggressive playing style – appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. [3] [4]

Following the championship season, Graham had academic difficulties and was suspended from the Georgetown team. He ultimately transferred to the University of the District of Columbia in an attempt to play Division II basketball, but ultimately declared for the 1986 NBA draft without playing a game for the Firebirds.

Graham was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the fourth round of the draft (76th pick overall), but did not make the Sonics' final roster. He played several seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), for the Albany Patroons, Charleston Gunners, Wyoming Wildcatters, Rochester Flyers, Tulsa Fast Breakers and Columbus Horizon. In his four CBA seasons, Graham averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. [1] Graham also played in Europe and South America. [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978–79 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991–92 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988–89 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986–87 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972–73 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1972–73 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University during the 1972–73 NCAA University Division college basketball season. John Thompson, coached them in his first season as head coach. The team was an independent and played its home games at McDonough Gymnasium on the Georgetown campus in Washington, D.C. It finished the season with a record of 12-14 – a significant improvement over the previous season's record – was not ranked in the Top 20 in the Associated Press Poll or Coaches' Poll at any time, and had no post-season play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960–61 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1960–61 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University during the 1960–61 NCAA University Division college basketball season. Tommy O'Keefe coached them in his first season as head coach. The team was an independent and played its home games at McDonough Gymnasium on the Georgetown campus in Washington, D.C. The team finished with a record of 11-10 and had no post-season play, but it was the first Georgetown team to have a winning record since the 1955-56 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game</span>

The 1985 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game was the final of the 1985 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and determined the national champion in the 1984–85 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The game was held on April 1, 1985 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The Georgetown Hoyas, the tournament's top seed from the East region, faced the Villanova Wildcats, the eighth seed from the Southeast region. The teams came from the same conference, the Big East, and the championship game was the third meeting between them in 1984–85, after two regular season contests. Villanova won the title game by a score of 66–64, in what is considered by analysts to be one of the biggest upsets in an NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament game. The Wildcats had the highest field goal percentage in Final Four history, winning their first national championship in men's basketball. The game is referred to as "The Perfect Game", as the Wildcats shot 78.6 percent as a team for the game.

Cheikh Yaya Dia is a Senegalese former professional basketball player. After growing up in Dakar, Dia moved to the United States and he played high school basketball at St. John's at Prospect Hall in Maryland; he then went on to play 4 years in college at Georgetown, where he was named the Big East Most Improved Player in his senior season in 1997. After going undrafted in the 1997 NBA draft, Dia started his professional career in Uruguay. Throughout his career he has played in Uruguay, Argentina, Australia, Italy, Russia, Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Dia was also a member of the Senegalese national basketball team, with which he won the gold medal during the 1997 FIBA Africa Championship and participated in the 1998 FIBA World Championship.

References

  1. 1 2 1994–95 Official CBA Guide and Register, page 286
  2. "1984 NCAA Tournament". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  3. "Slammin' the Jammas". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  4. Kirkpatrick, Curry (April 9, 1984). "A Team For All Time". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  5. "Michael Graham". Georgetown History Project. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2013.