Billy Owens facts for kids
Owens ("right") with a young fan at 2024 Jr. 76ers Basketball Camp
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 1, 1969 Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| High school | Carlisle (Carlisle, Pennsylvania) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Syracuse (1988–1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1991 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1991–2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2010–2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1994 | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Sacramento Kings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Seattle SuperSonics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Golden State Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2018 | Rutgers–Camden (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 7,026 (11.7 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 4,016 (6.7 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 1,704 (2.8 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Billy Eugene Owens (born May 1, 1969) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for Syracuse. There, he was named an All-American and the top player in the Big East Conference in 1991. Billy Owens was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and played high school basketball at Carlisle High School.
Contents
Billy Owens' Early Basketball Days
High School Success
As a senior in high school, Billy Owens was an amazing player. He scored an average of 34 points in each game. He helped his team, Carlisle High School (Pennsylvania), win four state championships in a row! Many people thought he was the second-best high school player in 1988. He even shared the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the McDonald's All-American Game. People often compared his playing style to Magic Johnson. This was because Billy was tall but could still handle the ball and pass it very well.
College Career at Syracuse
Billy Owens played three seasons for Syracuse University. During his time there, he averaged 17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He also had 2.1 steals per game over 103 games. In his junior year, he was named the Big East Player of the Year. This is a big award for college basketball players.
Billy Owens in the NBA
Joining the Golden State Warriors
In the 1991 NBA draft, Billy Owens was chosen by the Sacramento Kings. He was the third player picked overall. However, he was soon traded to the Golden State Warriors for another player, Mitch Richmond. The Warriors' coach, Don Nelson, wanted a taller player like Billy. He believed Billy's height would make the team even better.
Billy played well for the Warriors. He averaged over 15 points and nearly eight rebounds per game. In 1992, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. This means he was one of the best new players in the league. The Warriors improved a lot in his first season, winning 55 games. But in his second season, Billy got injured. He never quite reached the high level of play the team had hoped for after that.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Warriors, Billy Owens played for several other NBA teams. In 1994, he was traded to the Miami Heat. Later, in 1996, he joined the Sacramento Kings again. He also played for the Seattle SuperSonics and the Philadelphia 76ers. He even had a brief return to the Golden State Warriors. His NBA journey ended in 2001 while playing for the Detroit Pistons. A series of injuries eventually led to the end of his playing career.
Life After Playing: Coaching
After his NBA career, Billy Owens became a basketball coach. From 2010 to 2018, he worked as an assistant coach. He coached the men's basketball team at Rutgers-Camden, a college in New Jersey. During practices, players would often ask him for advice about becoming professional players. Billy always gave them honest advice. He said he didn't "sugar-coat it" because he didn't want to give young players false hope. He knew that having dreams crushed could be very hard on them later in life.
Playing for Team USA
Billy Owens also represented the United States in international competitions. In 1990, he played in the 1990 FIBA World Championship and helped his team win a bronze medal. That same year, he also played in the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle. He was the top scorer for the U.S. team there, helping them win a silver medal.
Images for kids
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Owens ("right") with a young fan at 2024 Jr. 76ers Basketball Camp
See also
In Spanish: Billy Owens para niños
