Eddie Lee Wilkins facts for kids
| No. 21, 45, 55 | |
|---|---|
| Power forward / center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | May 7, 1962 Cartersville, Georgia |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Cass (Cartersville, Georgia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Gardner–Webb (1980–1984) |
| NBA Draft | 1984 / Round: 6 / Pick: 133rd overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1984–1993 |
| Career history | |
| 1984–1985 | New York Knicks |
| 1985 | Connecticut Colonials |
| 1986 | Westchester Golden Apples |
| 1986 | Valladolid |
| 1986 | Rockford Lightning |
| 1987 | New York Knicks |
| 1987 | Staten Island Stallions |
| 1987–1988 | Savannah Spirits |
| 1988 | Quad City Thunder |
| 1988 | Jersey Shore Bucs |
| 1988–1991 | New York Knicks |
| 1991–1992 | Ranger Varese |
| 1992–1993 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Eddie Lee Wilkins (born May 7, 1962) is an American former basketball player. He was a tall player, standing 6 feet 10 inches. He played as a forward and center. Wilkins played basketball professionally for nine seasons. He played in Italy, Spain, and the United States. This included six seasons in the NBA for the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Contents
Early Life and School
Eddie Lee Wilkins grew up in Cartersville, Georgia. He went to Cass High School there.
College Basketball Career
Wilkins played college basketball at Gardner-Webb University. He was a very good player. On average, he scored 18.7 points in each game during his college career. In his junior year, he averaged an amazing 24.8 points per game! Because of his great achievements, he was added to the Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.
Professional Basketball Journey
After college, Eddie Lee Wilkins was chosen by the New York Knicks. This happened in the 1984 NBA draft. He was the 133rd player picked overall. In his very first NBA game, he scored 24 points, which was his highest score in an NBA game. During his first season, he averaged 5.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He had a serious knee injury that caused him to miss the whole 1985–1986 season.
Wilkins started the 1986–1987 season playing in Spain for a team called Valladolid. He played very well there, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds. After that, he came back to the United States. He signed with the Rockford Lightning team. In February 1987, he signed with the New York Knicks again.
He continued to play well for the Knicks. In one game in 1990, he scored 20 points in just 20 minutes of play. When a new coach, Pat Riley, came to the Knicks, Wilkins left the team. He then played in Italy for the 1991–92 season with Ranger Varese.
The next season, he returned to the NBA. He signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Near the end of the 1992–93 season, he had a tough moment. While playing against the Orlando Magic, he collided with rookie Shaquille O'Neal. Wilkins suffered a serious leg injury, which meant he could not play for the rest of the season. This injury sadly brought his professional playing career to an end.
In his NBA career, Eddie Lee Wilkins played in 322 games. He scored a total of 1,534 points.
Life After Basketball
Eddie Lee Wilkins has a son named Evan Wilkins. Evan is a singer-songwriter, and you might know him by his stage name, Ev Young.
Wilkins is also very involved in helping young people. In 1989, he started the Eddie Lee Wilkins Foundation. This foundation later became the Eddie Lee Wilkins Youth Association. With the help of David Archer Jr., Wilkins and his association created sports and social activities for kids in the Cartersville and North Georgia areas. Today, Wilkins runs a youth basketball league in Smyrna, Georgia. It is for young boys aged 4 to 6.
See also
In Spanish: Eddie Wilkins para niños
