Brian Grant facts for kids

Brian Wade Grant, born on March 5, 1972, is a former professional basketball player from America. He played as a power forward and center for 12 seasons in the NBA, playing for five different teams. Brian was known for being a strong rebounder and a tough defender. During his career, he played for the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns. He was even named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in his first season with the Kings.

Brian's Early Life and Basketball Start

Brian Grant grew up in a small town called Georgetown, Ohio. This town is close to the Ohio River, about 40 miles southeast of Cincinnati. In the summers, Brian spent a lot of time working on farms. He helped with tobacco, dug potatoes, and baled hay.

He played basketball at Georgetown High School. For a while, not many people knew about his talent. Then, Xavier University's basketball office started getting calls telling them to check out Brian. An assistant coach from Xavier, Dino Gaudio, finally watched Brian play. Later, the head coach, Pete Gillen, also visited. Today, Georgetown High's gym is named the Brian Grant Gymnasium in his honor.

College Basketball Career

Brian Grant played college basketball at Xavier University. He quickly became well-known there. After playing for four seasons, Brian was the second-highest scorer in Xavier's history with 1,719 points. He was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Player of the Year twice.

Brian led the Xavier Musketeers in rebounding all four years he played. He finished third on the all-time rebounding list with 1,080 rebounds. In his junior year, he was recognized as an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press. This was because he was second in the nation for field goal percentage, making 65.4% of his shots.

In 1999, Brian was inducted into the Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2011, his jersey number 33 was retired by Xavier. This is a special honor, and he is one of only four basketball players from Xavier to have his jersey retired.

Brian's Professional NBA Career

Playing for the Sacramento Kings (1994–1997)

The Sacramento Kings chose Brian Grant as the eighth overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft. In his first year, he started in 59 of 80 games. He averaged 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The next year, he started in 75 of 78 games. His scoring average went up to 14.4 points per game, and the Kings made it to the playoffs.

The Kings lost in the first round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs to the Seattle SuperSonics. Brian averaged 9.8 points per game in that series. He signed a new contract, but injuries limited him to only 24 games in the 1996–1997 season. The Kings did not make the playoffs that year.

Time with the Portland Trail Blazers (1997–2000)

After the 1997 season, Brian decided to leave the Kings. He signed a new contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. In his first year with the Trail Blazers, he started in 49 of 61 games. The team made the playoffs but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Brian averaged 13.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in that series.

The 1998–1999 season was shorter due to a league lockout. Brian started 46 of 48 games. He averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers won their division and did well in the 1999 NBA Playoffs. They swept the Phoenix Suns and beat the Utah Jazz. In the Western Conference Finals, they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Brian started all 13 playoff games, averaging 13.2 points and 9.2 rebounds.

Before the 1999–2000 season, the Trail Blazers got Scottie Pippen. Coach Mike Dunleavy decided to use Brian as a reserve player. This meant Brian came off the bench instead of starting. The Trail Blazers won 59 games and were the second-best team in the Western Conference. In the 2000 NBA Playoffs, Brian was used to guard star players like Kevin Garnett and Karl Malone. The Trail Blazers made it to the Western Conference Finals again. They faced the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. The series went to a seventh game. The Lakers won, even after Portland had a big lead in the fourth quarter. Brian averaged 5.4 points and 5.8 rebounds during this playoff run.

After three years with the Blazers, Brian decided to become a free agent again. He hoped to find a team where he could be a starter.

Playing for the Miami Heat (2000–2004)

In the summer of 2000, Brian signed a big contract with the Miami Heat. The Heat's President, Pat Riley, believed Brian was a key player for their team. Just before the season started, the Heat's star center, Alonzo Mourning, was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. This meant Brian had to play center, even though he usually played power forward. Brian had a great season, averaging 15.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He also shot 79.7% from the free-throw line, a career best.

The Heat won 50 games that season. Mourning returned to the team in March, but they were swept in the first round by the Charlotte Hornets. Brian averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds in that series.

In the 2001–2002 season, Mourning was back, and Brian returned to his power forward position. He started 72 games, averaging 9.3 points and 8.0 rebounds. However, the Heat did not make the playoffs. The next year, the team started to rebuild. Brian averaged 10.3 points and a career-high 10.2 rebounds per game. This placed him fifth in the league for rebounds. He also finished fourth in total rebounds and tenth in field goal percentage.

The Heat drafted Dwyane Wade and got Lamar Odom. Alonzo Mourning left the team. Brian became the team's main center. Before the 2003–2004 season, Pat Riley stepped down as coach, and Stan Van Gundy took over.

The 2003–2004 season was very successful for the Heat. They started 0–7 but made the playoffs as the fourth seed in the East. Brian started 76 games at center, averaging 8.7 points and 6.9 rebounds. In the 2004 NBA Playoffs, the Heat beat the New Orleans Hornets in a tough seven-game series. In the second round, they faced the top-seeded Indiana Pacers. The Heat tied the series at two games each, with Brian grabbing 16 rebounds in one game. However, the Pacers won the next two games and advanced. Brian averaged 7.1 points and 8.6 rebounds during the playoffs.

With the Los Angeles Lakers (2004–2005)

In the summer of 2004, Brian was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a deal for superstar Shaquille O'Neal. Brian played one year for the Lakers. He played in 69 games and started in eight. His averages were lower, with 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Final Season with the Phoenix Suns (2005–2006)

In 2005, Brian was released by the Lakers and signed with the Phoenix Suns. He played in 21 games for the Suns. He also played in 5 playoff games. The Suns won against the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. However, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.

After the season, Brian was traded to the Boston Celtics. He was then waived by the Celtics in October 2006. Brian officially announced his retirement from basketball. Lingering injuries had made it hard for him to play at his best for several seasons.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

Brian's Personal Life and Health

Living with Parkinson's Disease

In November 2005, Brian Grant was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease. This happened after he spoke with a doctor at OHSU. Parkinson's disease is a condition that affects the brain and can cause problems with movement.

In 2009, Brian decided to share his diagnosis with the public. He was encouraged by other famous people who also have Parkinson's, like actor Michael J. Fox and boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Brian's book, 'Rebound: Soaring in the NBA, Battling Parkinson's, and Finding What Really Matters,' was released in April 2021. He wrote it with Ric Bucher. The book shares his journey in the NBA and how he lives with Parkinson's disease.

See also

In Spanish: Brian Grant para niños