Audie Norris facts for kids
Norris in 2012
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 18, 1960 Jackson, Mississippi |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Jim Hill (Jackson, Mississippi) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Jackson State (1978–1982) |
| NBA Draft | 1982 / Round: 2 / Pick: 37th overall |
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Pro career | 1982–1994 |
| Coaching career | 2014–2016 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1982–1985 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1985–1987 | Benetton Treviso |
| 1987–1993 | FC Barcelona |
| 1993–1994 | Nikas Peristeri |
| As coach: | |
| 2014–2016 | CDB Sevilla (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
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Audie James Norris, born on December 18, 1960, is a famous American basketball player. He also became a coach after he stopped playing. Audie played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA. He was with them from 1982 to 1985. His teammate, Mychal Thompson, gave him a cool nickname: "The Atomic Dog." This was because of his powerful dunks during games. Mychal Thompson is also the father of NBA star Klay Thompson.
After he stopped playing in 1994, Audie started coaching. He loves helping young athletes improve their basketball skills. He has coached for over 18 years, working with players of all ages. He is also a certified coach by the Spanish Basketball Federation.
The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, even named Audie an NBA Ambassador. This means Audie helps with programs like Jr. NBA and NBA Cares. Audie's brother, Sylvester Norris, also played in the NBA for the San Antonio Spurs.
Contents
Audie's College Basketball Journey
Audie Norris played college basketball for Jackson State University. He was part of the Tigers team from 1978 to 1982. While playing, he also studied Therapeutic Recreation and Special Education.
During his four years at Jackson State, Audie achieved many great things. He was named Freshman of the Year. He also won the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice. In 1998, Audie was honored by being added to the Jackson State University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Playing Professional Basketball
Starting in the NBA
The Portland Trail Blazers chose Audie Norris in the 1982 NBA draft. He was the 37th player picked overall. He played three seasons with the Trail Blazers in the NBA. During his time there, he averaged about 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. After his time in the NBA, Audie decided to play basketball in Europe.
Playing in Europe
Audie first played in the Italian League for two seasons. He joined the team Benetton Treviso. In 1986, he was chosen as an Italian League All-Star.
After Italy, Audie spent six seasons playing in the Spanish League. He played for FC Barcelona. This team was one of the best in Europe at that time. Audie played alongside famous teammates like "Epi", Nacho Solozábal, and Andrés Jiménez.
With Barcelona, Audie won many championships:
- Three Spanish League titles (1988, 1989, and 1990).
- Two Spanish King's Cup titles (1988 and 1991).
- The Spanish Super Cup in 1987.
- The Spanish Prince's Cup in 1988.
- The Catalan League title in 1989.
He also played in three EuroLeague Final Four tournaments. He even reached the EuroLeague Finals two years in a row (1990 and 1991). Audie was a Spanish League All-Star twice. In 1991, he was named to the EuroLeague All-Final Four Team.
Audie finished his playing career in the Greek Basket League. He played for Peristeri Athens during the 1993–94 season. In total, Audie Norris played professional basketball for 12 seasons.
Audie's Coaching Career
Audie Norris has had a long coaching career. He has coached at many different levels. He was an assistant coach for the Jackson State Tigers. He also coached girls' basketball teams at Saint Joseph Catholic High School and Tougaloo College.
Audie has also coached for the National Basketball Association's Top 100 Camp. He runs his own basketball camps and clinics around the world. Since 2012, he has held camps in places like Spain, Senegal, Greece, and South Africa. He also has an annual summer camp in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona.
In 2014, Audie joined the Spanish ACB League team CDB Sevilla as an assistant coach. He helped train the team's "post players." Two of these players, Kristaps Porziņģis and Willy Hernangómez, later went on to play in the NBA.
In 2016, Audie became the head coach for the Jump10 Elite Training Camp. He also coached the Chinese team in the World Jump10 Hoops Challenge in Shanghai. His team finished in 4th place. Later that year, he worked with the Chinese Basketball Association team Guangzhou Long-Lions.
Audie's Family Life
Audie Norris has an older brother named Sylvester. Sylvester was also a professional basketball player. He played in the NBA for the San Antonio Spurs.
See also
In Spanish: Audie Norris para niños
