Curtis McCants facts for kids

Curtis Reynard McCants (born August 2, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a point guard, which is a player who leads the team's offense and handles the ball. Curtis played college basketball for three years at George Mason. He was named the CAA Rookie of the Year in 1994. He also made the first team All-Conference in 1996. After an incident with a teammate, he finished his college career at Cal State Bakersfield. Curtis started his professional career in 1997 in Israel. In 2001, he was the top scorer in the LNB Pro A league in France. Over 10 years, he played professionally in many countries across Europe and South America. Curtis has a daughter, Asia McCants, who also played Division 1 basketball at Howard University.

High School Basketball Journey

Curtis McCants was born in Florida but grew up in Queens, New York. He lived there with his mother and grandmother. He went to Benjamin N. Cardozo High School. Later, he moved to Rhode Island and attended St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket.

High School Achievements

In his junior year, Curtis was named first team All-State. This means he was one of the best players in the state. He scored an amazing 34.9 points per game. In one game, he even scored a career-high 55 points! In his senior year, he was again named first team All-State. He averaged 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists per game. He was also named Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year, a big award for high school athletes.

College Basketball Career

Curtis McCants decided to play for George Mason.

Freshman Year Success

In his first season, Curtis was named the CAA Rookie of the Year. This award goes to the best first-year player in the conference. He averaged 14.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He was also very good at shooting three-pointers, making 39.6% of them. This was one of the best percentages in George Mason's history. He was second on his team in scoring and assists.

Sophomore Year Highlights

In his second year, Curtis became even better at passing the ball. He had many games where he made 10 or more assists. On February 22, 1995, he set a George Mason record with 15 assists in a game against Richmond. This record still stands today. By the end of the 1994–95 season, he was second in assists in the entire NCAA Division I. He averaged 9.3 assists per game. He also set a new George Mason record for most assists in a single season with 251.

Junior Year and Records

Curtis became the main scorer for his team in his junior year. He averaged 22 points per game, leading his team in both scoring and assists. He scored a career-high 38 points against Cal Poly-SLO on January 13, 1996. He also had 14 assists in a game against Hampton. For the second year in a row, Curtis was second in assists per game in the NCAA, averaging 8.3. He was also named to the All-CAA First Team. Curtis still holds George Mason's records for total assists (598), career average assists (7.3), and most assists in a season (251 in 1994–95).

Transfer to Cal State Bakersfield

After his junior year, Curtis left the George Mason team after an incident with another player. He then transferred to Cal State Bakersfield. This team played in the NCAA Division II. He played his final college season there. In 24 games, he averaged 14.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He also shot a career-high 40.2% from three-point range.

College Statistics

Professional Basketball Career

After college, Curtis McCants was eligible for the 1997 NBA draft. However, no NBA team selected him.

Early Professional Years

He briefly played for the Connecticut Skyhawks in the USBL. Then, he moved to Israel and joined Hapoel Tel Aviv. He played in Israel's second-level league and averaged 20.6 points per game. In 1998, he returned to the United States to play for the Mansfield Hawks. He went back to Hapoel Tel Aviv in 1999. After that, he played for Trotamundos de Carabobo in Venezuela. He finished the 1999–2000 season playing for BC Kyiv in Ukraine.

Success in Europe

In 2000, Curtis signed with Olympique Antibes in France. After a few games, he moved to Montpellier Paillade. He finished the season there, averaging 21.6 points in 26 games. His total average of 21.7 points made him the top scorer in the league. He won the LNB Pro A Best Scorer title.

After his success in France, he played briefly in Venezuela for Marinos de Oriente. Then, he moved to Russia and signed with CSKA Moscow. He played in the 2001–02 Euroleague, a major European basketball competition. He averaged 13.8 points in 19 games.

Later Career and Records

In 2002, Curtis moved to Italy and joined Montepaschi Siena. In 2003, he played for the Dakota Wizards in the CBA. He then joined KK Split in Croatia. On December 16, 2003, he set a new ABA League record with 9 steals in one game. He also had 12 assists in a 2003–04 ULEB Cup game. He averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 assists in that competition. He then returned to France to play for Limoges CSP.

In 2004, Curtis joined Hapoel Tel Aviv for the third time. He averaged 13.9 points and 7.7 assists in 15 games. He then moved to Ural Great Perm in Russia. In the 2005–06 season, he played for Dijon in France and Benfica in Portugal. He played his last professional season in 2006–07 in Israel with Ironi Ramat Gan. He played 8 games, averaging 11.9 points and 5.5 assists.