Gary Clark (basketball) facts for kids
Clark with the Mexico City Capitanes in 2021
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| No. 8 – Yokohama B-Corsairs | ||||||||||||||
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| Power forward | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | November 16, 1994 Smithfield, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| High school | Clayton (Clayton, North Carolina) | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Cincinnati (2014–2018) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2018–present | |||||||||||||
| League | B.League | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Houston Rockets | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | →Rio Grande Valley Vipers | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | Denver Nuggets | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | Mexico City Capitanes | |||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | New Orleans Pelicans | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Mexico City Capitanes | |||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Illawarra Hawks | |||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Yokohama B-Corsairs | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Gary Clark Jr. (born November 16, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in Japan's B.League. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for the Cincinnati Bearcats. During his time there, he was named the best player in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) for the 2017–18 season. Gary Clark started his NBA career in 2018. He played for several teams, including the Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Orleans Pelicans.
Gary Clark's Early Basketball Days
High School Achievements
Gary Clark was born in Smithfield, North Carolina. He played basketball at Clayton High School in Clayton, North Carolina. He became the school's top player in scoring, rebounding, and blocking shots. Gary is also the only high school player in North Carolina to ever achieve a "quadruple-double." This means he reached double-digit numbers in four different stats in one game! He was a highly-rated player by scouting services. In 2013, he decided to play college basketball for Cincinnati.
College Career Highlights
Gary Clark quickly made a big impact at Cincinnati. He started playing in games right away as a freshman. This was a rare achievement for a new player. He was even named to the league's all-rookie team. In his first year, he averaged 7.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
In his second year, Gary became one of the best defensive players in the AAC. He averaged 10.4 points and 8.8 rebounds. He was named to the All-AAC second team and won the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award. He continued to play well in his junior year, averaging 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds.
His senior year was amazing! Gary was named both the AAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 12.7 points and 8.0 rebounds. He helped Cincinnati win the AAC regular season title. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the AAC tournament. In the championship game, he made a game-winning free throw with just four seconds left!
Gary Clark's Professional Journey
Starting with the Houston Rockets (2018–2020)
After college, Gary Clark was not chosen in the 2018 NBA draft. However, he signed a special "two-way contract" with the Houston Rockets. This type of contract allows players to play for both an NBA team and its minor league team. In December 2018, his contract became a full NBA contract. He played in 51 games for the Rockets and also spent time with their minor league team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He continued with the Rockets into the 2019–20 season but was later waived in January 2020.
Time with the Orlando Magic (2020–2021)
Soon after leaving the Rockets, Gary signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic in January 2020. He played well enough to sign a second 10-day contract, and then a contract for the rest of the season. He re-signed with the Magic in November 2020.
Moving to Other NBA Teams (2021)
In March 2021, Gary was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He played in two games for them before being waived in April. A month later, in May 2021, he signed another two-way contract, this time with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Playing for Mexico City Capitanes (2021–2023)
In November 2021, Gary joined the Mexico City Capitanes in the NBA G League. He played very well, averaging 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds in his first eight games. His strong performance led to him being called up to an NBA team.
Brief Stint with the New Orleans Pelicans (2021–2022)
In December 2021, Gary signed with the New Orleans Pelicans. He was the first player from the Mexico City Capitanes to ever get called up to an NBA team! He was waived in January 2022 but re-signed with the Pelicans on a two-way contract a few days later. He returned to the Mexico City Capitanes in November 2022 for the 2022–23 season.
Playing in Australia and Japan (2023–Present)
In June 2023, Gary Clark signed with the Illawarra Hawks in Australia for the 2023–24 NBL season. He continued to show his skills there. In June 2024, he was chosen by the Valley Suns in the NBA G League expansion draft. However, in August 2024, he signed with the Yokohama B-Corsairs in Japan's B.League, where he plays today.
See also
In Spanish: Gary Clark (baloncestista) para niños
