Bryon Russell facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 31, 1970 San Bernardino, California, U.S. |
| High school | San Bernardino (San Bernardino, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Long Beach State (1990–1993) |
| NBA Draft | 1993 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45th overall |
| Selected by the Utah Jazz | |
| Pro career | 1993–2010 |
| Career history | |
| 1993–2002 | Utah Jazz |
| 2002–2003 | Washington Wizards |
| 2003–2004 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2004–2006 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2006–2007 | Hollywood Fame |
| 2007–2008 | Long Beach Breakers |
| 2009–2010 | Los Angeles Lightning |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 6,663 (7.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,914 (3.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,085 (1.3 apg) |
Bryon Demetrise Russell (born December 31, 1970) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1993 to 2006. Bryon was an important player for the Utah Jazz. He helped them reach the NBA Finals two times in a row, in 1997 and 1998.
Russell also played for other NBA teams like the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Lakers. After his NBA career, he played in other leagues. He finished his career with the Los Angeles Lightning and won a championship in 2009.
Bryon Russell's NBA Journey
Bryon Russell played college basketball for three years at Long Beach State University. In 1993, the Utah Jazz picked him in the NBA draft. He was known as a strong defender. Often, he would guard the best player on the other team.
From 1997 to 2000, Russell played in every regular-season game for the Jazz. He helped the Jazz reach the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. However, they lost to the Chicago Bulls both times. His best season with the Jazz was in 1999–2000. During that season, he scored about 14.1 points and grabbed 5.2 rebounds per game.
In 2001, Russell took part in the Three-Point Contest during the NBA All-Star weekend. After nine seasons with the Jazz, he joined the Washington Wizards for the 2002–2003 season. Then, he played for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003–2004. He even made it to the 2004 NBA Finals with the Lakers, but they lost to the Detroit Pistons.
Russell then played for the Denver Nuggets from 2004 to 2006. His college, Long Beach State University, honored him in 2010 by retiring his jersey number. This means no other player at that college will wear his number 32.
Bryon Russell and Michael Jordan
Many basketball fans remember Bryon Russell for guarding Michael Jordan. This happened at the end of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan made the winning shot over Russell. Some people believe Jordan pushed Russell during the play. But the referees did not call a foul. Russell later said, "Whether he pushed off or not, he was making that shot."
Interestingly, Russell and Jordan later became teammates. They played together for the Washington Wizards during the 2002–2003 season. This was Jordan's last season playing basketball.
In 2009, Michael Jordan talked about Bryon Russell in his Hall of Fame speech. Jordan remembered a time in 1994 when he had retired from basketball. Russell told him, "Why did you quit? You know I could guard you." Jordan joked that if he ever saw Russell in shorts again, he would challenge him. After this, Russell challenged Jordan to a one-on-one game to raise money for charity. This game has not happened yet.
See also
In Spanish: Bryon Russell para niños
