Chris Copeland facts for kids
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Copeland with the New York Knicks in April 2013
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 17, 1984 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| High school | Hermitage (Henrico, Virginia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Colorado (2002–2006) |
| NBA Draft | 2006 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2006–2018 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 2006–2007 | Fort Worth Flyers |
| 2007 | CB L'Hospitalet |
| 2007–2008 | Matrixx Magixx |
| 2008–2010 | TBB Trier |
| 2010–2012 | Okapi Aalstar |
| 2012–2013 | New York Knicks |
| 2013–2015 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2015–2016 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2016–2017 | Tofaş |
| 2017–2018 | Andorra |
| As coach: | |
| 2023–2024 | Wisconsin Herd (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Christopher Stephen Copeland (born March 17, 1984), also known as "The X-Factor", is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of Colorado, Boulder. After college, he played for several teams in Europe before joining the New York Knicks in the NBA.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Dreams
Chris Copeland was born in Orange, New Jersey, in 1984. He looked up to his older brother, Vincent Alphaquan, who was also a talented basketball player. From a young age, Chris and Vincent practiced basketball together. Vincent coached Chris, helping him improve his dribbling skills in a narrow alleyway next to their home. They continued this routine through Chris's childhood.
In May 1997, a sad event changed their lives. Vincent was in a serious car accident and later passed away. He was only 22 years old. This was a very difficult time for Chris.
In August 1999, when Chris was 15, he visited his aunt in Richmond, Virginia. She took him to Hermitage High School. By chance, the school's basketball players were having practice games in the gym. Chris, who was already 6 feet 6 inches tall, was quickly noticed by the coaches. His mother decided they would move from New Jersey to Virginia so Chris could attend Hermitage High.
During his senior year (2001–02), Chris was a star player for Hermitage. He scored about 15 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and blocked nearly 4 shots per game. He was named the Most Valuable Player and helped his team win the Colonial District Championship twice.
College Basketball Journey
Chris Copeland played college basketball for the University of Colorado.
Freshman Year (2002–03)
As a freshman, Chris was a helpful player coming off the bench. He often scored important points even though he played limited minutes. In 26 games, he averaged 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in about 7.7 minutes per game.
Sophomore Year (2003–04)
In his second year, Chris played in 27 games. He averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He scored a season-high 12 points against Iowa State.
Junior Year (2004–05)
Chris greatly improved in his junior year. He more than tripled his scoring average. He scored a career-high 25 points against Richmond. In 29 games, he averaged 11.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Senior Year (2005–06)
In his final college season, Chris helped Colorado achieve a 20–10 record. He played in all 30 games, starting 28 of them. He averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. He scored a season-high 22 points against Kansas.
Professional Basketball Career
After college, Chris Copeland was not chosen in the 2006 NBA draft. However, he began his professional career playing for various teams.
Starting in the NBA Development League (2006–2007)
In March 2007, Chris joined the Fort Worth Flyers in the NBA Development League. He played 20 games for them that season.
Playing in Europe (2007–2012)
Chris then moved to Europe to play basketball.
- In 2007, he signed with CB L'Hospitalet in Spain.
- Later in 2007, he moved to the Netherlands to play for Matrixx Magixx.
- From 2008 to 2010, he played for TBB Trier in Germany. He averaged 16.9 points per game in his second season there.
- From 2010 to 2012, Chris played for Okapi Aalstar in Belgium. He was named the Belgian League MVP in 2012, which is a big honor!
Joining the New York Knicks (2012–2013)
On July 16, 2012, Chris Copeland signed a one-year contract with the New York Knicks. He played well in the NBA Summer League, averaging 13.8 points. He made his NBA debut on November 2, 2012.
Chris also spent a short time with the Erie BayHawks in the NBA Development League, but he was quickly called back to the Knicks.
On April 17, 2013, Chris had an amazing game against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring a career-high 33 points. He was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for April. In his first NBA season, he averaged 8.7 points per game.
Time with the Indiana Pacers (2013–2015)
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On July 10, 2013, Chris received an offer from the Indiana Pacers, and he signed with them on July 14. His playing time and scoring decreased with the Pacers in his first season there.
On November 5, 2014, Chris scored 19 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in a close game against the Washington Wizards.
Playing for the Milwaukee Bucks (2015–2016)
On July 29, 2015, Chris Copeland signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. He played his first game for them on October 28, scoring 8 points. He was later waived by the Bucks in February 2016.
Chris signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in September 2016 but was waived before playing any games for them. His last NBA game was on February 2, 2016.
Return to Europe (2016–2018)
After his time in the NBA, Chris continued his professional basketball career overseas.
- From 2016 to 2017, he played for Tofaş in Turkey. He averaged 9 points per game and helped his team reach the playoffs.
- From 2017 to 2018, he played for Andorra. He joined the team to help replace an injured player.
NBA Career Highlights
Chris Copeland played in 171 regular season NBA games, starting 26 of them. He averaged 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game. He was known for his good shooting from long range.
In the playoffs, he played in 21 games, averaging 3.5 points per game.
Coaching Career
On October 5, 2023, Chris Copeland began a new chapter in his basketball career. He was hired as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League. This means he is now helping to train and guide new basketball players.
Personal Life
On April 8, 2015, Chris Copeland was involved in an incident outside a building in New York City where he was injured. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and was in stable condition.
See also
In Spanish: Chris Copeland para niños
