Alex English facts for kids
English in 2019
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 5, 1954 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| High school | Dreher (Columbia, South Carolina) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | South Carolina (1972–1976) |
| NBA Draft | 1976 / Round: 2 / Pick: 23rd overall |
| Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Pro career | 1976–1992 |
| Coaching career | 2002–2013 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1976–1978 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1978–1980 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1980–1990 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1990–1991 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1991–1992 | Basket Napoli |
| As coach: | |
| 2002–2003 | Atlanta Hawks (assistant) |
| 2003–2004 | Philadelphia 76ers (assistant) |
| 2004–2011 | Toronto Raptors (assistant) |
| 2012–2013 | Sacramento Kings (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 25,613 (21.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,538 (5.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 4,351 (3.6 apg) |
Alexander "Alex" English (born January 5, 1954) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He also worked as a coach and is now a businessman.
Alex English grew up in South Carolina. He played college basketball at the University of South Carolina. In 1976, he was chosen in the second round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. English played as a small forward. He became a huge star for the Denver Nuggets in the 1980s.
During his time with the Nuggets (1979–1989), his team made it to the NBA playoffs nine times in a row. They also won two Midwest Division titles. In 1985, they even reached the Western Conference Finals. English played 15 seasons in the NBA for four different teams. He averaged 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He scored more points than any other NBA player during the entire 1980s!
English was picked for the NBA All-Star team eight times. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team three times. In the 1982–83 season, he was the top scorer in the NBA. In 1992, the Denver Nuggets retired his number 2 jersey. This means no other player on the team can wear that number. In 1997, he was chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for basketball legends.
After he stopped playing, English worked for the NBA. He was an assistant coach for several NBA teams. He also started different businesses and even tried acting. Today, he is an NBA ambassador. He is also on the board of trustees at his old college, the University of South Carolina.
Contents
Early Life and High School Years
Alex English was born and grew up in Columbia, South Carolina. For some of his childhood, he lived with his grandmother. His parents were working in New York at the time. During these years, English sometimes only had one meal a day.
He went to Dreher High School in Columbia. On January 31, 2020, his high school retired his number 22 jersey. This was another special way to honor his achievements.
College Basketball Career
English attended the University of South Carolina from 1972 to 1976. He played in every game during his four years there. Many people say he was the first African-American sports star at the school. He set a school record by scoring 1,972 points. He was also one of only three players at the school to get over 1,000 rebounds. Plus, he made more than 50% of his shots.
English was chosen for two All-America teams in 1975 and 1976. While in college, he also became very interested in art, sculpture, literature, and especially poetry. He earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1976.
Playing in the NBA
Milwaukee Bucks (1976–1978)
The Milwaukee Bucks picked Alex English in the second round of the 1976 NBA draft. He was the 23rd player chosen. It was tough for him to get much playing time at first. He was behind other good players like Bob Dandridge and Junior Bridgeman.
However, English showed how good he was during the 1978 NBA Playoffs. He averaged 13.4 points per game coming off the bench. He helped the Bucks win their first playoff series.
Indiana Pacers (1978–1980)
English wanted more playing time. So, after the 1977–78 season, he joined the Indiana Pacers. In Indiana, English became a starter. He started to show everyone he was a great scorer. In the 1978–79 season, he averaged 16 points per game.
Denver Nuggets (1980–1990)
In the middle of the 1979–80 season, English was traded to the Denver Nuggets. This trade changed his career. He quickly became a star player for the Nuggets.
In his first full season with Denver (1980–81), English scored a career-high 23.8 points per game. In the 1981–82 season, he averaged 25.4 points. The team made it to the playoffs. He was also chosen for the NBA All-Star Game and the All-NBA Second Team.
The next year, in 1982–83, English led the entire league in scoring! He averaged 28.4 points per game. His teammate, Kiki VanDeWeghe, was second in scoring that year.
In the 1984–85 season, English scored even more, averaging 27.9 points. The Nuggets won their division. They also earned the second spot in the Western Conference playoffs. In the 1985 playoffs, English averaged an amazing 30.2 points. The Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz. They then played the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers won the series in five games. English hurt his right thumb in Game 4. This injury needed surgery, and he couldn't play anymore in the series. Some people thought his injury helped the Lakers win. English later said he believed the Nuggets could have beaten the Lakers if he hadn't broken his thumb.
English had his best scoring season in 1985–86, averaging 29.8 points per game. He was third in the league in scoring. In the 1986 NBA All-Star Game, he scored 16 points in just 16 minutes. In the 1986 playoffs, English led the Nuggets past the Trail Blazers. In the next round, they lost to the Houston Rockets. In the last game of that series, English tied his own playoff record with 42 points.
In 1988, English received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. This award is given for great community service. After the 1989–90 season, English became a free agent. The Nuggets decided not to sign him again.
Dallas Mavericks (1990–1991)
At 36 years old, English signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He played off the bench and averaged just under 10 points per game. He played his last NBA game in 1991 for the Mavericks.
Playing in Italy (1991–1992)
No other NBA team signed English for the 1991–1992 season. He then played for a team in Italy called Basket Napoli. After that, he ended his playing career.
Alex English's Legacy
When Alex English left the Denver Nuggets, he held almost every team record. This included most career points (21,645), assists (3,679), games played (837), and minutes played (29,893). He also had the highest career scoring average with the team (25.9 points per game). The Nuggets honored him by retiring his number 2 jersey in 1992.
As of 2019, English's career total of 25,613 points puts him 19th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. While in Denver, he was an NBA All-Star eight times. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team three times. During his time with the Nuggets, the team made the NBA playoffs nine years in a row. They also won two Midwest Division titles.
English finished his NBA career averaging 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He was the first NBA player to score 2,000 points in eight seasons in a row. He is also known for being the top NBA scorer of the 1980s. In 1997, Alex English was chosen for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Coaching Career
English started his coaching career in the National Basketball Development League. This league is now called the NBA G League. He was the head coach for the North Charleston Lowgators in the 2001–02 season. His team tied for the best record that year.
Before the 2002–03 NBA season, English joined the coaching staff of the Atlanta Hawks. The next year, he became an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.
In 2004, English joined the Toronto Raptors. He worked as an assistant coach and helped players get better. He stayed with the Raptors until July 2011.
On January 13, 2012, English became an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings. However, in June 2013, the new Kings coach decided to hire a different coaching staff.
Other Work and Interests
Sports Ambassador
Alex English was the first director of player programs for the National Basketball Players Association. In 2014, he became a color analyst for SEC Network, talking about sports on TV.
Since 2014, English has been part of the Sports Diplomacy's Sports Envoy program. This is for the U.S. Department of State. He has traveled to countries like Italy, South Korea, and Chile. There, he helped lead basketball clinics and events. He worked with over 1,900 young people from areas that needed help. English helps promote growth and good government through sports.
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English also takes part in "Basketball Without Borders." He is an NBA ambassador and has taught at NBA academies in different countries.
Business Ventures
English and his wife, Vanessa, used to own Wendy's restaurants in South Carolina. English also started a company called GreenSmart Botanicals. This company sells products made from hemp.
Acting Roles
English has also tried acting! His first movie role was in 1987 in Amazing Grace and Chuck. He played a basketball star. He also appeared in the TV show Midnight Caller in 1989. In the 1996 movie Eddie, he played the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He also had a role in the 1997 film The Definite Maybe.
In 2007, English acted in a movie called Lumera. His son, Alex Jr., produced and directed this film. In 2013, he was on a TV special called The Nothing But Net Show, also directed by his son.
Personal Life
As of 2020, Alex English lives in Blythewood, South Carolina.
See Also
In Spanish: Alex English para niños
- List of National Basketball Association career games played leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association franchise career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders
- List of National Basketball Association annual scoring leaders
