Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American basketball coach and former professional player who last coached for the Georgetown University men's team. He played most of his career as the starting center for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) before ending his playing career with brief stints with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic. Ewing is regarded as one of the greatest centers of all time, playing a dominant role in the New York Knicks' 1990s success.
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo is a Congolese-American former professional basketball player. Mutombo played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Mount Mutombo" for his defensive prowess, he is commonly regarded as one of the best shot-blockers and defensive players of all time. He received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times, tied with Ben Wallace and Rudy Gobert for the most awards. Mutombo led the NBA in blocked shots three times, led the league in rebounds twice, and was named to eight All-Star teams. On January 10, 2007, Mutombo reached second place on the list of NBA career leaders in blocked shots. Outside of basketball, he is well known for his humanitarian work.
Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-year National Basketball Association (NBA) career for the Heat.
Keith Adam Van Horn is an American former professional basketball player. Van Horn played for the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The center (C), or the centre, also known as the five, the big or the pivot, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is almost always the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA, the center is typically close to 7 feet (2.13 m) tall; centers in the WNBA are typically above 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m). Centers traditionally play close to the basket in the low post. The two tallest players in NBA history, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, were both centers, each standing 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall.
Jerome Williams is an American former professional basketball player active in the NBA between 1996 and 2005. Williams played for the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, and the New York Knicks.
Tyson Cleotis Chandler is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
Nazr Tahiru Mohammed is an American former professional basketball player who had a journeyman career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing for eight different teams over 18 seasons. He is the current general manager of the Oklahoma City Blue and a pro scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played college basketball for Kentucky.
Aaron Jamal Crawford is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2000 to 2020. Nicknamed "J-Crossover", he is regarded as one of the best ball handlers in NBA history. Crawford was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year three times, a record he shares with Lou Williams.
Theophalus Curtis Ratliff is an American former professional basketball player who played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Scott Layden is an American former general manager for the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the son of former coach and general manager of the Jazz, Frank Layden, and a graduate of Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where he studied Business and Sports Management. Layden was the general manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2016 to 2020.
Joe C. Meriweather was an American professional basketball player.
The 2000–01 NBA season was the Grizzlies' sixth season in the National Basketball Association. It would also be their final year in Vancouver. For the third straight year, the Grizzlies had the second pick in the 2000 NBA draft, which they used to select Stromile Swift out of Louisiana State University. During the off-season, the team acquired Isaac Austin from the Washington Wizards, re-acquired Tony Massenburg after one season with the Houston Rockets, and signed free agent Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Entering their sixth season, the rumors of a move became a reality. Club owner Michael Heisley decided that it was time for the Grizzlies to move on. After five losing seasons had given the team low morale and decreasing support in the community, the team found itself in debt. Despite winning four of their first five games under new head coach Sidney Lowe, the Grizzlies lost seven straight afterwards, losing 21 of their next 25 games.
The 1999–2000 NBA season was the Grizzlies' 5th season in the National Basketball Association. After finishing the lockout season with the worst record, the Grizzlies received the second overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, and selected Steve Francis from the University of Maryland. However, Francis refused to play for the Canadian team, and was later on traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for second-year guard Michael Dickerson, Othella Harrington, Brent Price and Antoine Carr; Dickerson would reunite with his former University of Arizona teammate, second-year star Mike Bibby. Francis, now with the Rockets, would be named Rookie of the Year along with Elton Brand of the Chicago Bulls. During the off-season, the Grizzlies signed free agents Grant Long, and three-point specialist Dennis Scott.
The 2004–05 NBA season was the Bulls' 39th season in the National Basketball Association. After the retirement of Scottie Pippen, the Bulls stumbled out of the gate as they lost their first nine games on their way to an awful 3–14 start. However, they would win 13 of their 16 games in January including a 7-game winning streak, then win nine straight games between March and April. The Bulls finished second in the Central Division with a record of 47–35, and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1998, when they last made the NBA Finals, as well as when they won their last NBA championship. Second-year star Kirk Hinrich averaged 15.7 points, 6.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Top draft pick Ben Gordon became the first rookie to win the Sixth Man of The Year Award, as he and Luol Deng were both selected to the All-Rookie First Team.
Jerome Adolphus Jordan is a Jamaican professional basketball player who last played for RANS Simba Bogor of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL). He played college basketball for the University of Tulsa and represents the Jamaica national team in international competition.
The 2000–01 NBA season was the 54th season of the National Basketball Association in New York City, New York. During the off-season, the Knicks acquired All-Star forward Glen Rice from the Los Angeles Lakers, acquired Erick Strickland from the Dallas Mavericks, and acquired Luc Longley from the Phoenix Suns; Longley won three championships with the Chicago Bulls during their second three-peat in the 1990s. In their first season without Patrick Ewing since 1984-85 season, the Knicks remained a perennial playoff contender, holding a 29–18 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team traded Chris Childs to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for former Knicks guard Mark Jackson and Muggsy Bogues, who never played for the Knicks due to a knee injury, while Strickland was dealt to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Othella Harrington. The Knicks finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 48–34 record, earning the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and made the playoffs for the fourteenth consecutive year.
The 1998–99 NBA season was the Hawks' 50th season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season in Atlanta. On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games. Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.
Justin Alaric Holiday is an American professional basketball player who last played 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.
Troy Williams is an American professional basketball player. He previously attended and played college basketball for Indiana.
