Calbert Cheaney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Calbert Cheaney

Indiana Hoosiers
Director of player development
Personal information
Born	(1971-07-17) July 17, 1971 (age 53) Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
High school	William Henry Harrison (Evansville, Indiana)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	209 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	Indiana (1989–1993)
NBA Draft	1993 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Washington Bullets
Pro career	1993–2006
Coaching career	2013–present
League	Big Ten Conference
Career history
As player:
1993–1999	Washington Bullets / Wizards
1999–2000	Boston Celtics
2000–2002	Denver Nuggets
2002–2003	Utah Jazz
2003–2006	Golden State Warriors
As coach:
2013–2016	Saint Louis (assistant)
2018–2020	Erie BayHawks / College Park Skyhawks (assistant)
2020-2023	Indiana Pacers (Player development assistant)
2023-present	Indiana (Director of player development)
Career highlights and awards
National college player of the year (1993) Consensus first-team All-American (1993) Second-team All-American – USBWA (1991) 2× Third-team All-American – AP, NABC, UPI (1991, 1992) Big Ten Player of the Year (1993)
Career NBA statistics
Points	7,826 (9.5 ppg)
Rebounds	2,610 (3.2 rpg)
Assists	1,398 (1.7 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA Americas U18 Championship Gold 1990 Montevideo National team Summer Universiade Gold 1991 Sheffield National team

Calbert Nathaniel Cheaney (born July 17, 1971) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the Director of Player Development for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team.

Cheaney was a huge star as a player for the Indiana Hoosiers from 1989 to 1993. He played under the famous coach Bob Knight. Calbert Cheaney finished his college career as a three-time All-American. He is still the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer with 2,613 points!

He helped Indiana win 105 games and reach the NCAA Tournament all four years he played. This included making it to the Final Four in 1992. After college, Cheaney won almost every major award, including National Player of the Year. He then played 13 years in the NBA for five different teams.

Calbert Cheaney's Early Life

Calbert Cheaney was born in Evansville, Indiana. He played high school basketball at William Henry Harrison High School. In 1989, he was chosen for the Indiana All-Star team.

Even though he was a great high school player, an injury during his senior year meant he wasn't as well-known nationally. However, he still joined Indiana University's top-ranked recruiting class in 1989.

College Basketball Career

Cheaney played as a small forward for the Indiana University Hoosiers. His coach was the legendary Bob Knight. Calbert was known for being a calm and steady leader throughout his four years at Indiana.

During his last three years, the Hoosiers were almost always ranked in the top 10 nationally. They spent 38 weeks in the top 5! In those years, Indiana won 87 games and lost only 16. They also had a great record in the Big Ten Conference. Overall, the Hoosiers won 105 games during Cheaney's time, which was a record for any Hoosier player back then. They also won two Big Ten championships in 1991 and 1993.

Freshman Year: A Strong Start

Cheaney started his college career with a bang! He scored 20 points in his very first game as a freshman. No other Indiana freshman had done that before.

However, the team faced tough competition in the Big Ten. They struggled in conference play and were upset in their first NCAA Tournament game. Still, Cheaney averaged 17 points per game as a freshman. He knew the team would get better. "I knew once that season was over and we started working out over the summer, we were going to become a pretty good team," Cheaney said.

Sophomore Year: Big Ten Champions

As a sophomore, Cheaney averaged 21.6 points per game. The Hoosiers had an amazing season in 1990-91. They finished with a 29-5 record and won the Big Ten Conference championship!

As champions, they went to the 1991 NCAA Tournament as a high seed. They made it to the Sweet Sixteen round. Cheaney later mentioned that playing a lot of international basketball that summer might have tired him out.

Junior Year: Final Four Appearance

In his junior year (1991-92), Cheaney felt a bit tired from playing so much. Also, with new talented players like Alan Henderson joining the team, he didn't have to score as much. His scoring average dropped to 17.6 points per game.

The Hoosiers still had a great season, finishing 27-7. They came in second in the Big Ten. They were invited to the 1992 NCAA Tournament and made it all the way to the Final Four! They lost to Duke in a very close game.

Senior Year: National Player of the Year

Calbert Cheaney had an incredible senior year (1992-93). He averaged 22.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. The Hoosiers had an outstanding record of 31-4 and won the Big Ten Conference championship again!

As the Big Ten champions, they were a top seed in the 1993 NCAA Tournament. They reached the Elite Eight for the second year in a row. However, they were defeated by Kansas.

Throughout his college career at Indiana, Cheaney scored 30 or more points thirteen times. He averaged 19.8 points per game overall. With 2,613 career points, he is the all-time leading scorer for both Indiana University and the Big Ten Conference. After his college career, Cheaney won almost every award possible. He was named the National Player of the Year, winning both the Wooden and Naismith awards. He was also a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year.

College Statistics: How Calbert Cheaney Performed

College statistics

Professional Basketball Career

NBA Career: Playing for the Pros

Calbert Cheaney was picked 6th overall by the Washington Bullets in the 1993 NBA draft. His best year in the NBA was 1994-95, when he averaged a career-high 16.6 points for Washington. He played six years for the Bullets/Wizards and even made a playoff appearance in 1997.

After Washington, he played for the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz. He finished his career with three years playing for the Golden State Warriors, retiring after the 2005-06 season. Over his 13-year NBA career, Cheaney played for five different teams. He averaged 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Cheaney also appeared in a music video and the 1994 basketball movie Blue Chips.

After Playing: Coaching and Development

After retiring as a player, Cheaney worked for the Golden State Warriors for two seasons. He was a special assistant in the front office and then an assistant coach.

In 2011, he returned to Indiana University. He became the Director of Basketball Operations for the Hoosiers. Later, he also became the Director of Internal and External Player Development.

In 2013, Cheaney became an assistant coach at Saint Louis University. The team had a great season in 2013-14, winning 27 games and making it to the NCAA Tournament. Calbert Cheaney is now the Director of Player Development at Indiana University, a role he started in 2023.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

Basketball Honors and Awards

Calbert Cheaney received many awards for his amazing basketball skills:

• 1993: Won all 12 NCAA National Player of the Year awards. He was a unanimous First-Team All-American.
• All-American in 1991, 1992, and 1993.
• 1993 Big Ten Conference MVP (Most Valuable Player).
• All-Big Ten in 1991, 1992, and 1993.
• He is the Big Ten's All-Time Scoring Leader with 2,613 points.
• He is also Indiana University's All-Time leading scorer.
• He was named IU team MVP four times.
• Selected to Indiana University's All-Century First Team.
• 1993 USBWA College Player of the Year.