Gerald Wilkins facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 11, 1963 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| High school | Benjamin Elijah Mays (Atlanta, Georgia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 1985 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47th overall |
| Selected by the New York Knicks | |
| Pro career | 1985–1999 |
| Career history | |
| 1985–1992 | New York Knicks |
| 1992–1994 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1995–1996 | Vancouver Grizzlies |
| 1996–1999 | Orlando Magic |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 11,736 (13.0 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 2,646 (2.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,697 (3.0 apg) |
Gerald Bernard Wilkins, born on September 11, 1963, is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played as a shooting guard or small forward. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball at Moberly Area Community College and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Gerald is the younger brother of Dominique Wilkins, a famous former player for the Atlanta Hawks. He is also the father of basketball player Damien Wilkins. His daughter, Jasmyn Wilkins, was Miss Georgia USA in 2012.
Contents
Early Career and NBA Draft
Gerald Wilkins was an important player for the New York Knicks in the late 1980s. He was often the team's second-highest scorer, right after Patrick Ewing. The Knicks chose him in the 1985 NBA draft. He was picked in the second round as the 47th overall player.
Slam Dunk Contest Appearances
Like his older brother Dominique, Gerald also showed off his skills in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He took part in the contest in 1986 and 1987. In 1986, he finished in 4th place. In 1987, he tied for 7th place out of 8 contestants.
Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Gerald Wilkins started his career as a regular player for the Knicks. However, his role changed when other talented players joined the team. These players included John Starks in 1990 and Xavier McDaniel in 1992.
After the 1992 season, Gerald became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team he wanted. He decided to join the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers had a strong team with players like Mark Price, Larry Nance, and Brad Daugherty. The team hoped Gerald would help them finally beat Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. However, the Bulls defeated the Cavaliers in the 1993 NBA Playoffs.
Gerald stayed with the Cavaliers for a few more years. He faced some challenges with injuries during this time. He was unable to play for the entire 1994–95 season due to these injuries.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1995, the Vancouver Grizzlies selected Gerald Wilkins in the expansion draft. This draft allows new teams to pick players from other teams. Unfortunately, injuries continued to affect his playing time with the Grizzlies. He played in only 28 out of 82 games that season.
After his time with the Grizzlies, Gerald signed with the Orlando Magic in 1996 as a free agent. He became an important "sixth man" for the Magic. A sixth man is a player who usually comes off the bench but plays a lot of minutes and contributes greatly. The Magic signed him again for the 1997–98 season.
In 1999, Gerald signed another contract with the Magic. In his final season with the Magic, he had the chance to play alongside his older brother, Dominique Wilkins. Both brothers were nearing the end of their careers and played limited minutes. Gerald Wilkins retired from professional basketball after the 1999 season.
See also
In Spanish: Gerald Wilkins para niños
