Bobby Lee Hurt facts for kids

Bobby Lee Hurt (born December 6, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. He was a strong and athletic player. Bobby was considered one of the best high school basketball players in 1981.

After high school, Hurt played four seasons for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He holds the Alabama record for the highest field goal percentage in a season and in his college career. After college, he was drafted by the Golden State Warriors. However, he decided to play professionally in Europe. He played in top leagues in Turkey, Italy, and Spain.

High School Basketball Star

Bobby Hurt grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. He went to S. R. Butler High School. He was very athletic and good at many sports. He was known for running fast and jumping high.

He started playing basketball for his school team. His coach was Jerry Rice. Bobby quickly became very successful in state competitions. In 1979, as a sophomore, he was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 4A state tournament. He was also chosen for the All-Tournament team.

During his senior year, Bobby was amazing. He scored about 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds per game. He also shot 69% from the field. His team, Butler, finished the season with a great record of 33 wins and only 3 losses. They played in the Class 4A state tournament. They finished second after a close game against Hayes.

In that tournament, Bobby scored 103 points in four games. He also had 68 rebounds, 26 blocks, and 17 assists. He won the tournament MVP award for the second time. He was again named to the All-Tournament team.

Bobby was also chosen for the Parade All-America Second Team. He earned a spot on the McDonald's All-American team. In the 1981 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, he played 17 minutes. He had 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals. He also scored 19 points. Bobby Hurt's 2,288 points at Butler High School are a school record. He achieved this in his four years from 1977 to 1981.

College Career at Alabama

Many colleges wanted Bobby Hurt to play for them. He was the top recruit in Alabama. He chose to play for the University of Alabama. He wore jersey number 34.

In his first year, he was a key player coming off the bench. He led the team in field goal percentage and blocks. He started 8 games that season. He averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The Crimson Tide reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 1982 NCAA tournament. They lost to North Carolina.

In his second year, Bobby became a starter. His performance improved a lot. He was chosen for the All-SEC 2nd team. He led his team in scoring (15.3 points), rebounding (8.9 rebounds), and blocks (1.6 per game). He started all 32 games that season.

In his third year, Bobby set new personal bests. He was second on the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game. He led the team in rebounds with 9.1 per game. He also had 41 blocks, which was the most on the team. He shot an amazing 66.4% from the field. This set an all-time record for Alabama. He was selected for the All-SEC 1st team.

For his senior year, Bobby started all 33 games. He averaged 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds. He recorded a career-high 51 blocks. For the fourth year in a row, he led the team in blocks per game. He was selected for the 2nd team All-SEC. Alabama made it to the Sweet Sixteen again. They lost to NC State.

Bobby Hurt is Alabama's all-time leader for field goal percentage in a season (66.4% in 1983–84). He also holds the record for career field goal percentage (63.1%). He even made all 11 of his shots in a game on December 20, 1982. He led Alabama in field goal percentage and blocks for all four years. He finished his college career with 1,697 points and 1,012 rebounds. He started 103 of his 126 games at Alabama.

College Statistics

Professional Basketball Journey

After college, Bobby Hurt was eligible for the 1985 NBA draft. The Golden State Warriors picked him in the second round. However, Bobby and his agent could not agree on a contract with the Warriors. He wanted a guaranteed contract, but the Warriors did not offer one. So, he did not play in the NBA that season.

The Warriors picked him again in the 1986 NBA draft. But again, they could not agree on a contract. Bobby decided to play basketball in Turkey instead. He signed with Tofaş S.K., a team in Bursa. He played there for two seasons. Bobby Hurt was one of the last American players to be drafted by the NBA multiple times.

In 1988, he came back to the United States. He played for the Wichita Falls Texans in the Continental Basketball Association. In 21 games, he averaged 16.2 points and 12.5 rebounds.

Then, he moved to Italy. He joined Auxilium Torino. He played 21 games, averaging 18.9 points and 11.3 rebounds. He shot 68% from the field.

For the 1989–90 season, he played for the Spanish team Tenerife AB. In the Liga ACB, he played 36 games. He averaged 17.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.

He returned to Italy for the 1990–91 season, playing for Birra Messina Trapani. In 40 games, he averaged a career-high 23.7 points and 12.3 rebounds. He shot 65.1%. The next year, he joined Auxilium Torino again. He averaged 16.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in 32 games.

In 1992–93, he went back to Trapani. He played 40 games, averaging 17.7 points and 10.0 rebounds. He ended his basketball career in 1994 after playing one more season with Tofaş in Turkey.

See also

In Spanish: Bobby Lee Hurt para niños