Butch Carter facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 11, 1958 Springfield, Ohio, U.S. |
| High school | Middletown (Middletown, Ohio) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Indiana (1976–1980) |
| NBA Draft | 1980 / Round: 2 / Pick: 37th overall |
| Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Pro career | 1980–1986 |
| Coaching career | 1987–2000 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1980–1981 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1981–1984 | Indiana Pacers |
| 1984–1985 | New York Knicks |
| 1985 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1985–1986 | Cincinnati Slammers |
| As coach: | |
| 1987–1989 | Middletown HS |
| 1989–1990 | Long Beach State (assistant) |
| 1990–1991 | Dayton (assistant) |
| 1991–1996 | Milwaukee Bucks (assistant) |
| 1997–1998 | Toronto Raptors (assistant) |
| 1998 | Toronto Raptors (interim) |
| 1998–2000 | Toronto Raptors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,137 (8.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 546 (1.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 683 (1.9 apg) |
Clarence Eugene "Butch" Carter Jr. (born June 11, 1958) is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played college basketball at Indiana University. Later, he became a coach for several teams, including the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.
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Early Years in Basketball
Butch Carter grew up in Middletown, Ohio. From 1973 to 1976, he was a star player in both basketball and football at Middletown High School. In 1976, he was named Ohio's "Player of the Year" for basketball. That same year, he became the first player from his school to be a McDonald's All-American in basketball.
College Basketball Career
Butch Carter received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University. During his first two years, he faced a challenge when he broke a bone in his left foot. This injury kept him from playing much.
He played as a guard for Indiana University from 1976 to 1980. He also earned a degree in marketing. In 1979, as a junior, he made the winning shot in the NIT championship game against Purdue. This important shot helped him win the tournament's MVP award. He also made key free throws to tie a championship game against Ohio State.
As a senior, Carter was named co-captain of his team. He led them to win the 1980 Big Ten Championship. He was also the first guard in the Big Ten to have a high field goal percentage, shooting over 50% for his college career.
Playing in the NBA
In 1980, the Los Angeles Lakers chose Butch Carter in the second round of the 1980 NBA draft. He played for the Lakers for one season. In 1981, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers. He played for the Pacers until 1984.
Later, in 1984, the Pacers decided to focus on younger players. Carter was then traded to the New York Knicks. He played for the Knicks for about a year. In 1985, he briefly played for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butch Carter played a total of six years in the NBA. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers. On average, he scored 8.7 points per game during his NBA career. He once held an NBA record for scoring the most points in an overtime period, with 14 points.
Coaching Career
After his time as a player, Butch Carter began coaching.
High School Coaching
From 1987 to 1989, Carter returned to his old high school, Middletown High School. He helped turn the team around from a losing record to an 18–3 winning record. For this great improvement, he was named Ohio Basketball High School Coach of the Year. Butch Carter is the only person to be named both Player and Coach of the Year in Ohio.
College and NBA Assistant Coaching
Carter also worked as an assistant basketball coach at Long Beach State in 1989. From 1990 to 1991, he was an assistant coach at the University of Dayton.
From 1991 to 1996, Carter served as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. He then worked as a scout for the Bucks in 1996–1997.
Toronto Raptors Head Coach
In the 1997–1998 season, Carter became an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors. Midway through that season, he was promoted to head coach after the previous coach resigned. He finished the season as the interim coach.
During the 1998–99 NBA season, Carter led the Raptors to a better record. He became known for helping young players improve their skills. He worked with future NBA All-Stars like Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.
In the 1999–2000 season, Butch Carter coached the Raptors to their first winning season ever. They had a 45–37 record. This led the team to their first appearance in the NBA Playoffs. He was the first coach in NBA history to take a team from very few wins to the playoffs in less than two years. The Raptors were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Knicks. Carter left the team in June 2000.
Life After Coaching
After his coaching career, Butch Carter started a business. He owned a company that made car parts and also a car dealership. He also founded the Canadian Basketball League in 2014. This was a professional basketball league in the Toronto area that played for one year starting in 2016.
Personal Life
Butch Carter is the older brother of Cris Carter, who is a famous wide receiver in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
