Pat Burke

Last updated

Pat Burke
Burke Pat.jpg
Burke with Asseco Prokom Sopot in 2009
Personal information
Born (1973-12-14) December 14, 1973 (age 51)
Dublin, Ireland
Listed height6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school Mariner (Cape Coral, Florida)
College Auburn (1993–1997)
NBA draft 1997: undrafted
Playing career1997–2009
Position Center
Career history
As player:
1997–1998 TAU Cerámica
1998–2001 Panathinaikos
2001–2002 Maroussi
2002–2003 Orlando Magic
2003–2004 Gran Canaria
2004–2005 Real Madrid
20052007 Phoenix Suns
2007–2008 Khimki BC
2008–2009 Asseco Prokom Sopot
As coach:
2025–Present Beacon College
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Patrick John Burke (born December 14, 1973) is an Irish former professional basketball player who is currently the men's basketball head coach for Beacon College. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for three seasons between 2002 and 2007, for the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns. To date, he is the only Irishman to have played in the NBA. He also played in Europe, mainly in Greece and Spain, before ending his career with Asseco Prokom Sopot. He was a co-captain of the senior Ireland national team and also represented his country at the World University Games.

Contents

Early life

Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland. [1] Burke and his family moved from Tullamore in Ireland, to Cleveland, Ohio in the United States when he was three years old. [2]

Burke played high school basketball at Mariner High School in Cape Coral, Florida. He played college basketball at Auburn University with the Auburn Tigers from 1993 to 1997.

Professional career

NBA

After not being drafted out of Auburn University in 1997, Burke became the first Irish-born player in NBA history when he signed a contract with the Orlando Magic in 2002. [3] He played in 62 games with them, averaging 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. He did not play in the NBA during the 2003–04 NBA season, or the 2004–05 NBA season. In his return to the NBA, he played for the Phoenix Suns for two seasons. He was also in training camp with the Golden State Warriors in 2007 before being released.

Europe

Burke was a EuroLeague champion with Panathinaikos in the 1999–00 season and he also helped the "Greens" to win three consecutive Greek League titles from 1999 to 2001. In Europe, he also played with the Spanish clubs Tau Ceramica, Gran Canaria and Real Madrid, and with Maroussi in Greece. He helped Real to the final of the ULEB Cup (now called EuroCup) in 2004 and to the Spanish League title in 2005.

In November 2007, Burke signed with Russian club Khimki [4] and helped the team win their first Russian Cup title. Burke averaged 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 211 career games played over all of the different European leagues that he competed in. In 2008, he moved to the Polish club Asseco Prokom Sopot [5] and he helped the team to win the league's title.

Coaching

Pat Burke was named the new men's basketball head coach at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida in March 2025. Burke succeeds Sam Vincent, who coached the Beacon NaviGators/Blazers from 2022-2025 and helped the athletic program achieve USCAA membership. Burke has had ties with Beacon College since 2015 when he pitched the idea to begin a summer program at the school for Saudi and other international students. He is also the director of athletics. [6]

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
2002–03 Orlando 62812.6.382.143.6902.4.4.3.44.3
2005–06 Phoenix 4208.2.496.286.6191.7.4.1.33.4
2006–07 Phoenix 2307.1.354.273.6152.0.2.1.12.6
Career127810.2.408.250.6632.1.3.2.33.7

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2003 Orlando 607.2.600-.8331.8.2.2-2.8
2006 Phoenix 302.3.500.500.000.7--.31.7
2007 Phoenix 302.3.500--.3--.3.7
Career1204.8.563.500.7141.3.1.1.22.0

EuroLeague

Regular Season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1997–98 TAU Cerámica 34-24.9.616-.7006.4.41.21.29.6
2001–02 Maroussi Telestet 26-31.0.577.000.7049.81.21.0.714.4
2003–04 Auna Gran Canaria 20-20.4.509.395.7275.4.3.7.610.8
2003–04 Real Madrid 13-22.9.531.500.5715.2.5.7.27.7
2004–05 Real Madrid 31-19.0.515.600.6744.4.5.5.77.6
Career-----------

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1997–98 TAU Cerámica 8-22.9.517-.6676.6.41.1-9.5
1998–99 Panathinaikos 15-12.3.587.000.5381.3.4.4-4.1
1999–2000 Panathinaikos 21-17.3.632-.6054.3.5.5.16.3
2000–01 Panathinaikos 16-12.0.635-.6963.2.9.6.36.0
2001–02 Maroussi Telestet 14-29.0.537-.7229.21.1.91.114.2
2003–04 Real Madrid 7-25.0.551.111.6676.7.4.9.69.0
2004–05 Real Madrid 19-17.1.510.000.6804.4.4.5.36.5
2007–08 Khimki 11-12.1.350.000.8752.5.3.3.33.8
2008-09 Asseco Prokom Sopot 15-23.9.508.273.6946.9.6.5.510.7
Career-----------

College

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1993–94 Auburn 28013.9.480-.5002.9.5.1.94.0
1994–95 Auburn 291522.1.532.333.6424.81.0.91.09.0
1995-96 Auburn 323128.1.481.241.6498.7.9.51.411.0
1996-97 Auburn 312525.6.474.154.6457.0.7.91.111.0
Career1207122.7.491.222.6316.0.8.61.18.9

Coaching

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Beacon College Blazers (men) (New South Athletic Conference)(2025–Present)
2025–26Beacon College New South Athletic Conference
Total:0–0 (–)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. "Ireland | 2007 EuroBasket". fiba.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  2. Dublin boy Burke waits journey's next stop
  3. "'Would it shock you if I said I don't watch the NBA finals?' – Ireland's only NBA player Pat Burke". Irish Independent. May 24, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  4. BC Khimki signed Pat Burke
  5. Prokom inks veteran center Burke
  6. Beacon News (March 4, 2025). "Beacon College Welcomes Pat Burke as Head Men's Basketball Coach and Director of Athletics" via newsouthconference.com.