Bryon Russell facts for kids

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 a key player for the Utah Jazz, helping them reach the NBA Finals twice in a row, in 1997 and 1998. He also played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and Los Angeles Lakers. After his NBA career, he played in other leagues like the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the International Basketball League (IBL), where he won a championship in 2009.

Bryon Russell: A Basketball Star

Early Life and College Basketball

Bryon Russell started his basketball journey at San Bernardino High School in California. After high school, he played college basketball for three years at Long Beach State University. His skills on the court caught the attention of professional teams.

NBA Journey with the Utah Jazz

In 1993, the Utah Jazz picked Bryon Russell as the 45th player in the 1993 NBA draft. He quickly became known as a great defender. His job was often to guard the best players on the other team.

From 1997 to 2000, Bryon 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.

Bryon had one of his best seasons with the Jazz in the 1999–2000 NBA season. During this season, he scored an average of 14.1 points and grabbed 5.2 rebounds per game. In 2001, he even took part in the Three-Point Contest during the NBA All-Star weekend.

After nine seasons with the Jazz, Bryon moved to the Washington Wizards for the 2002–03 NBA season. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2003–04 NBA season. With the Lakers, he made it to the 2004 NBA Finals, but they lost to the Detroit Pistons. Later, he played for the Denver Nuggets from 2004 to 2006.

In 2010, Long Beach State University honored Bryon Russell by retiring his jersey number. This means his number will never be used by another player at the university.

Playing Against and With Michael Jordan

Many basketball fans remember Bryon Russell for guarding Michael Jordan in the final moments of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan made a famous shot, known as "The Last Shot," over Russell to win the game. Some fans thought Jordan might have pushed off Russell during the play. However, the referees did not call a foul. Bryon later said that Jordan would have made the shot anyway.

Interestingly, Bryon and Jordan became teammates later on. They played together for the Washington Wizards during the 2002–03 NBA season. This was Michael Jordan's last season playing professional basketball.

In 2009, when Michael Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he shared a funny story about Bryon. Jordan recalled that in 1994, when he had retired for the first time, Bryon told him, "Why did you quit? You know I could guard you." Jordan joked that from that day on, if he ever saw Bryon in basketball shorts, he would challenge him. Bryon Russell later challenged Jordan to a one-on-one game for charity, but it has not happened yet.

Later Career and Achievements

After his time in the NBA, Bryon Russell continued to play basketball in other leagues. He played for teams like the Hollywood Fame and the Long Beach Breakers in the ABA. He finished his career with the Los Angeles Lightning in the International Basketball League (IBL). In 2009, he helped the Los Angeles Lightning win the IBL championship.

See also

In Spanish: Bryon Russell para niños