Ronnie Fields

Ronnie Fields
Personal information
Born	February 28, 1977 (age 47); Chicago, Illinois
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	198 lb (90 kg)
Career information
High school	Farragut Academy ; (Chicago, Illinois)
NBA draft	1998: undrafted
Playing career	1996–2012
Position	Shooting guard
Career history
1996–1997	Rockford Lightning
1997–1998	La Crosse Bobcats
1998–1999	Rockford Lightning
1999–2000	Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs
1999	Tanduay Rhum Masters
2000	Grand Rapids Hoops
2000–2002	Chicago Skyliners
2001–2002	Florida Sea Dragons
2002–2005	Rockford Lightning
2003	Guaros de Lara
2003	PAOK Thessaloniki
2003–2004	Pennsylvania Valley Dawgs
2004–2006	Trotamundos de Carabobo
2004	Delfines de Miranda
2005	Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir
2006	Blue Stars
2007	Minot Skyrockets
2007	Guaros de Lara
Career highlights and awards
	3× CBA All-Star (2003, 2004, 2006); 3× All-CBA First Team (2003, 2004, 2008); All-CBA Second Team (2006); CBA All-Defensive Team (2008); CBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997); 2× CBA scoring champion (2003, 2004); 4× CBA steals leader (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008); First-team Parade All-American (1996); 2× Third-team Parade All-American (1994, 1995);

Last updated October 15, 2024

Ronnie Fields (born February 28, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player.

High school

Born and raised in Chicago, Fields played at Farragut Academy in Chicago from 1992–1996 and was a teammate of Kevin Garnett during the 1994 season.^[1] Fields had a (reported) 50-inch vertical leap. ESPN HS regarded him as the best freshman in the country for the 1992–93 season.^[2] He was a 3-time Parade All American selection (1994–96). He was also the first sophomore to ever play in the "Best of the Best" game at the Nike All American camp in 1993, a game that featured future NBA MVP'S Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett, and High School Player of the Year award winners Ron Mercer and Jerod Ward.

After Garnett was drafted in 1995, Fields, in his senior year, led his squad to an 11–1 record in the Chicago Public League with per-game averages of 32.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 4.5 blocks, 4 steals, and 4.5 dunks a game. He became a consensus First Team All American (Parade, USA Today, McDonald's), putting him in the company of future NBA players Mike Bibby, Jermaine O'Neal, Tim Thomas, and Kobe Bryant.^[3]

Fields broke his neck in a car accident on February 26, 1996, one week before the city playoffs. After undergoing surgery to repair a fractured bone in his neck, he had to wear a protective halo while healing. He left high school as the third all-time leading scorer in Chicago Public League history with 2,619 points. His high school teammates included Willie Farley (94), Kevin Garnett (95) and Michael Wright (98).

After being recruited by Joey Meyer, Fields signed a letter of intent at DePaul University in his hometown but was later ruled academically ineligible and denied admission. A few months later, Fields pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sexual abuse,^[3] which led to probation.^[4]

Professional career

Fields declared himself eligible for the 1996 CBA Draft and was selected in the 7th round (73rd overall) by the LaCrosse Bobcats. He played for the Rockford Lightning of the CBA during the 1996–97 season and was selected to the CBA All-Rookie Second Team.^[5] He also declared for the 1997 NBA draft but later withdrew his name. Fields was eligible for the 1998 NBA draft but went undrafted.

Fields also suited up as an import in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Tanduay Rhum Masters. He has also played in Venezuela, Turkey, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Greece. Fields also played in the ABA, reuniting with Joey Meyer in the 2000–2001 season with the Chicago Skyliners. He also spent four seasons with the Rockford Lightning as the team' starting guard. In November 2008, Fields returned to play basketball in the CBA for the Minot SkyRockets, signing as the starting shooting guard. The 32-year-old Fields averaged 21.4 points, 4.9 assists, and a league-leading 2.7 steals a game in his last full season.^[3]

Player profile

Ronnie Fields was known to be a strong scorer near the basket, but although he had improved other parts of the game over time, such as passing, court vision, and defence, he continued to struggle with outside shooting. His CBA career exploits include leading the league in steals several times, being the only player in the history of the CBA to lead the league in both scoring and steals in two consecutive seasons, back-to-back scoring championships, and ranking sixth all-time with over 6,000 career points.

Fields was named to the All-CBA First Team in 2003, 2004 and 2008, and the Second Team in 2006. He was selected to the All-Defensive Team in 2008.^[5]

Personal life

While in eighth grade, he worked at the Taste of Chicago passing out pizzas for the well-known pizzeria Lou Malnati's. Fields mentored and trained youth at Farragut Academy after his professional playing career ended.^[6] He also gave talks as a motivational speaker.^[7]

As of 2023, he is the founder and coach of Ronnie Fields Elite, which organizes basketball programs for middle and high school students. Additionally, he is the head boys' varsity basketball coach at Chicago Hope Academy, a Christian high school in Chicago. Fields is also the head basketball trainer at the Life Time gym in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Fields is the subject of the documentary, Bounce Back: the Ronnie Fields Story. He is also one of two guests on Episode 22 of KG Certified, entitled The Farragut Reunion W/ Ronnie Fields & Coach Wolf Nelson (2022), hosted by Kevin Garnett.

He lives in Westmont, Illinois and has a daughter named Lisa.

Awards

ABA Finalist −01
USBL Champion −01
CBA American Conference Regular Season Champion −03
All-CBA 1st Team −03, 04
CBA All-Star Game −03, 04, 06
USBL Finalist −03
USBL Eastern Division Champion −03
USBL All Tournament Team −03
CBA Semifinals −04
South American Championships for Clubs Finalist −04
Venezuelan LPB All-Star Game −05, 07
Venezuelan LPB Runner-Up −05
Venezuelan LPB Semifinals −05
All-CBA 2nd Team −06
Lebanese Cup Semifinals −06
Lebanese League Semifinals −06
CBA American Conference Runner-Up −07
CBA American Conference Champion −08
Continental Basketball Association Runner-Up −08

Related Research Articles

Richard Francis Dennis Barry III is an American retired professional basketball player who starred at the NCAA, American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) levels. Barry ranks among the most prolific scorers and all-around players in basketball history. He is the only player to lead the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ABA, and NBA in points per game in a season. He ranks as the all-time ABA scoring leader in regular season and postseason (33.5) play, while his 36.3 points per game are the most in NBA Finals history.

Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American former professional basketball player who played 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Big Ticket," Garnett is considered one of the greatest power forwards of all time, known for his intensity, versatility, and defensive ability. As of 2024, he is one of five NBA players to have won both the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Devin LaVell Brown is an American former professional basketball shooting guard who played 8 seasons in the National Basketball Association. Brown won an NBA championship as a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2005.

Billy Thomas is an American former professional basketball player who competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and several other leagues. A 6'5" tall shooting guard from Shreveport, Louisiana, he last played with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. Billy Thomas is now the basketball head coach of Rockhurst High School

James Alexander Singleton is an American former professional basketball player and former assistant coach of the Austin Spurs of the NBA G League. The 6'8" forward played two years of college basketball for Murray State.

Clifford Eugene Levingston is an American professional basketball coach and former player.

Anthony George Douglas Mason was an American professional basketball player. In his 13-year career he played with the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He averaged 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in his 13-year NBA career. Mason earned the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1995 and led the NBA in minutes played in the following two seasons. In 1997, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. He was selected to the 2001 NBA All-Star Game. Mason was a member of the 1993-1994 New York Knicks team that reached the NBA Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Musselman</span> American basketball coach (born 1964)

Eric Musselman is an American college basketball coach who is currently the head coach at the University of Southern California. He is the former head coach at the University of Arkansas, University of Nevada, Reno, the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Between head coaching stints at Golden State and Sacramento, Musselman served as an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello. He moved to the college coaching ranks in 2012 as an assistant at Arizona State. From 2014–19, he was the head coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack. The son of former NBA head coach Bill Musselman, Eric Musselman was a head coach in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before becoming an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, and Atlanta Hawks.

Michael Levin Anderson is an American former basketball player for Drexel University, the NBA, Spain's professional Liga ACB, the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), the Greek Basket League and the Turkish Basketball Super League.

Leonard Cooke is an American former professional basketball player.

Leon Smith is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Continental Basketball Association, the USBL and the IBL, and abroad in Puerto Rico and Argentina.

Albert White is an American former professional basketball player. White played in a variety of domestic and foreign basketball leagues. In high school, he was one of the most highly decorated basketball players in the United States. In college, he achieved success after transferring from University of Michigan to University of Missouri, but his success did not lead him to the National Basketball Association. Instead, he went to the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and has since played in various developmental and foreign basketball leagues as a professional.

Leonard White is an American former professional basketball player. He is listed at 6'7" and weighed 224 lbs. Born in Century, Florida, White started playing collegiate ball with the Faulkner State Community College (1989–1991) and is still the all-time leading scorer of the Sun Chiefs with a 22.7 ppg average. He later transferred to Southern University (1991–1993) and led the Jaguars in scoring his last two years there. White entered the 1993 NBA draft and was picked 53rd in the second round by the Los Angeles Clippers; however, he was not signed and never got to play in the NBA. He played a few games in the French professional league in Pau Orthez but it is in the CBA where White will be making his mark in his professional basketball career as one of the league leaders in statistics for games played, minutes played, scoring, rebounds and steals. White has played for the San Diego Wildcards, Grand Rapids Hoops, Rockford Lightning, Sioux Falls Skyforce and Yakama Sun Kings, where he helped them win back-to-back CBA championships. He has also taken his game to the USBL with the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs, the IBL with the Tacoma Jazz and overseas notably in Venezuela. In the off-season, White coaches high school basketball in Florida.

Darius Anthony Adams is an American-born naturalized Bulgarian professional basketball player who last played for the Shenzhen Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Standing at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), he plays at the point guard position.

Aubrey Lamar Reese is an American former professional basketball player. A 6-foot point guard, he played college basketball at Murray State for 3 years, being named the OVC Player of the Year in 2000. After going undrafted in the 2000 NBA draft he started his professional career in the USBL in 2000, and the following season he was named the USBL Player of the Year. He then moved to Europe, and in 2003 he was the top scorer of the LNB Pro A in France. He has played in several countries in Asia and Europe, including France, Germany, Israel, Russia and Turkey.

Joe Dawson is an American-Israeli former professional basketball player. He played high school basketball at Druid High School in his native Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and played four years of college basketball for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, leading the team in scoring and rebounding multiple times and was an all-conference selection. After going undrafted in the 1982 NBA draft, he started his professional career in the Continental Basketball Association, and was selected as an all-star in each of the three seasons he played there. After a brief experience in the USBL he moved abroad, playing in Venezuela and France. In 1987 he had his first experience in the Israeli league with Hapoel Holon: he would play in Israel for 14 seasons, leading the league in both scoring and rebounding in 1992. He was named the 1992 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP. He was inducted in the Southern Miss Hall of Fame in 2011, and is the father of professional basketball player Shawn Dawson.

Ronnie Williams was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators. Williams played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and United States Basketball League (USBL).

Derrick Raymond Lewis is an American-French former professional basketball player. A Tarboro, North Carolina native, he played high school basketball at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he was a McDonald's All-American as a senior in 1984. He then played in college with the Maryland Terrapins, staying for 4 years; he was a first-team All-ACC selection and an Honorable mention All-American as a junior in 1987, and a second-team All-ACC selection as a senior in 1988. As of 2020 he is the program's all-time leader in blocks and ranks third in rebounds. He was drafted in the third round of the 1988 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, but he did not play in the NBA. After one season in the Continental Basketball Association, Lewis moved to France where he played for 15 seasons, 13 of which in the LNB Pro A, the top level of French basketball, where he was a 5-time blocks leader and a 2-time All-Star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamont Jones (basketball, born 1972)</span> American former basketball player

Lamont Jones is an American former professional basketball player who played the guard position. He played for Hapoel Gilboa/Afula in 2007–08, leading the Israeli Basketball Premier League in assists.

David Booth is an American basketball executive and former professional player. A native of Peoria, Illinois, Booth played for Manual High School, where he reached the Class AA Tournaments in three consecutive seasons; he would later be inducted in the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame. He then played 4 years of college basketball with DePaul, and graduated as the second best scorer in program history with 1,933 total points. After going undrafted in the 1992 NBA draft, Booth started his career in France and over a 13-year span he also played in Greece, Italy, Japan, the Philippines and Venezuela. In 2009, Booth was inducted in DePaul's Hall of Fame.

References

↑ Catching Up With Ronnie Fields: A Q + A with a Chicago legend.. SLAM. March 8, 2010. Retrieved on June 29, 2010.
↑ Fields, Ronnie (2011-05-18). "Previous underclass POYs". ESPN HS . Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
1 2 3 "Catching up with Ronnie Fields". July 7, 2009. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012.
↑ rtmadmincd (26 September 2012). "A new direction for Ronnie Fields". Chicago Defender. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
1 2 "Ronnie Fields minor league basketball statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
↑ http://www.chicagodefender.com/index.php/sports/14747-a-new-direction-for-ronnie-fields ^{[ dead link ]}
↑ "Ronnie Fields is Finding a Role Outside of Basketball". Chicago Sun-Times.